Looking for Love in Online Places

Valentine's Day weekend has wrapped up, so now may be the perfect time to ensure you won't spend next year's Valentine's Day watching Walking Dead repeats alone. Many people turn to online dating sites to find the man or woman of their dreams. There are dating sites specializing in farmers and millionaires, but most are for anyone with a credit card and the desire to find love. While many promise to find the perfect match, you want to do your homework before signing up.

Better Business Bureau regularly gets complaints from consumers who have been disappointed with the results they get from online or local dating services. The complaints include:

* Failure to match the customer with compatible partners.

* Too few "matches" offered.

* Difficulty canceling or obtaining refunds.

Read contracts carefully, and understand how to cancel them. Some contracts automatically renew if you don't cancel within a specified period. Some lock you in to set amount of time or payments. Also, be aware of enrollment fees, and how securely members are screened.

Some consumers may fall victim to scammers, who masquerade as affectionate partners, then ask for money for travel or an unexpected emergency. A clue the needs are bogus is scammers generally ask for the money to be wired or delivered through a prepaid money card. Thanks to MTV's Catfish and Manti Te'o's fake girlfriend garnering national headlines, we are all much more familiar with these situations.

BBB offers the following advice on matchmaking and online dating services:

* Don't fall in love with the advertising. Be skeptical of claims such as "an exclusive network of people," "for sincere daters only" or "beautiful singles just like you." BBB's National Advertising Division required one dating service to stop advertising that its methods were based on "the latest science of attraction."

* Don't give in to high-pressure sales tactics. Sales associates may tell you that a low price is only good for that day and ask you to sign a contract immediately. You should read the contract carefully and make sure you understand what you are signing and paying for.

* Know how to break up. Consumers should not assume that they will stop being billed once the contract runs out. Many online dating sites automatically renew memberships. Usually you must call the company or send written instructions to avoid being billed again. Read cancellation policies before you sign up.

* Beware of demands by a match to send money. Some scams that match men with foreign women typically include a request to send money to pay for a trip to the United States, using a wire transfer service like MoneyGram or Western Union. The woman never makes the trip, and the money can't be recovered.

* Do your homework. Ask to speak to other members or customers of the service about their experiences. Check a BBB Business Review of the service.

Thanks for reading the first blog of the BBB Marketplace Survival Guide. Follow us on twitter @capegirardeaubbb and like Cape Girardeau BBB on Facebook.