Problem with Match.com

SussexChap

I'm having trouble with match.com. I wanted to cancel my subscription. I looked online to see when the next payment was due while I was looking online I looked at my recent payment history and was surprised to see extra payments had been charged.

These were upgrades to my basic subscription which included an £11 one off charge and then an extra £10 a month on top of my regular subscription. I am 100% sure I never agreed to this upgrade which over three months has cost me in the region of £40. I didn't log onto the website to accidentally click the upgrade button (I'm sure) so I am furious that this charge has been added.

I have contacted match.com to to request a refund for this amount but the emails I sent have been returned with standard automated emails providing assistance how to cancel my account. I rang the telephone number provided on the site but all I was able to do is get through to a support agent who was not based in the UK and who did not understand the problem that I had. She refused to offer any kind of refund, saying that if I have paid the money I cannot receive any money back. She also did not acknowledge that match had taken this money in error, in any way.She couldn't even explain why this 'upgrade' had occurred.


The problem I have is that it is seemingly impossible to contact anybody in person in the UK for this organisation. I wish to write a hardcopy snail mail letter of complaint to match.com but it appears there is no easy way to do this. Is this even fair? As far as I am concerned this company is committing theft but I don't even know how to complain about this, let alone get a result. Can anybody help?

Blackbeard_of_Perranporth

To cancel

https://uk.match.com/faq/#!payment-and-subscription-management/stop-my-subscription/how-do-i-stop-my-subscription

As I am not a member, but to contact them, you log in.

unholyangel

match.com International Limited ("MIL"), a private limited company incorporated in England and Wales with registered company number 04791534 (VAT number 815337437) whose postal address is PO Box 64197, London, WC1A 9FG, UK and whose registered office is at 6th Floor, 55 Strand, London, WC2N 5LR, UK.

Personally, despite them quoting a PO box as their "postal" address, I would use their registered office address.

wealdroam

SussexChap wrote: »

I'm having trouble with match.com. I wanted to cancel my subscription. I looked online to see when the next payment was due while I was looking online I looked at my recent payment history and was surprised to see extra payments had been charged.

These were upgrades to my basic subscription which included an £11 one off charge and then an extra £10 a month on top of my regular subscription. I am 100% sure I never agreed to this upgrade which over three months has cost me in the region of £40. I didn't log onto the website to accidentally click the upgrade button (I'm sure) so I am furious that this charge has been added.

I have contacted match.com to to request a refund for this amount but the emails I sent have been returned with standard automated emails providing assistance how to cancel my account. I rang the telephone number provided on the site but all I was able to do is get through to a support agent who was not based in the UK and who did not understand the problem that I had. She refused to offer any kind of refund, saying that if I have paid the money I cannot receive any money back. She also did not acknowledge that match had taken this money in error, in any way.She couldn't even explain why this 'upgrade' had occurred.


The problem I have is that it is seemingly impossible to contact anybody in person in the UK for this organisation. I wish to write a hardcopy snail mail letter of complaint to match.com but it appears there is no easy way to do this. Is this even fair? As far as I am concerned this company is committing theft but I don't even know how to complain about this, let alone get a result. Can anybody help?

Did you pay by card?
If so seek a chargeback from you card issuer for the unauthorised payments.
You might like to read MSE's Chargeback article first.

If you paid by Direct Debit, then seek a refund under The Direct Debit Guarantee.

SussexChap

Many thanks guys. That address will be helpful, and if I get nowhere I will contact BACS about the DD. As far as I am concerned, they've taken extra money without my consent.

Le_Kirk

If it is a DDR and you received a copy of the Direct Debit promise and they took your money without consent, you can expect the bank to IMMEDIATELY reverse any unauthorised payments.

wealdroam

SussexChap wrote: »

...if I get nowhere I will contact BACS about the DD.

No, contact your bank, not BACS.

SussexChap

Thanks again everyone. So, having spoken to my bank, I have asked them to stop any more payments to Match.com. It's not actually a DD. They are a series of card payments.

I was happily paying for a 6 month subscription of £75, in 3 months separate monthly payments of £25, beginning in November 2015.
I was charged, without my consent, for a 'Connect' upgrade of an extra £10 per month, making 3 payments of £35 instead of £25. I was also charged an £11 one off connect upgrade, again which I did not agree to.

Even though I have cancelled my subscription now, I realised I was due to be charged a third monthly payment in January, as part of the T & Cs - which I would be ok with. However, as I have been overcharged in error, I have decided to block Match.com's January payment.

Doesn't that sound fair/sensible/will I get a bad credit rating?

daytona0

Well a couple of thoughts:


1. Prove that it was a non UK call center. My old place (in UK) hired people from all walks of life, and yes I've seen the aftermath of some irate plonker (customer) giving unwarranted abuse to a poor indian colleague who was absolutely lovely.

2. You give the impression that you understood this employee quite clearly; that they believe that you aren't due a refund.

3. I've checked the website out and when selecting the plans I can't see any evidence of an extra bolt on (the connect thing). This kinda suggests that either you clicked a button on another part of the website which gave permission for them to add it on (it is perfectly possible that this happened without you actually noticing, but still being legal), or they have been super naughty. It is very black and white; either you've messed up, or you need to speak to trading standards.

4. You can try a chargeback but if you have messed up and if they dispute it then you it may be reversed back to match.com

5. You will still be expected to pay the remaining months and it MAY damage your credit rating if you don't. Why? Because in all honesty you haven't made match.com agree that a mistake was made, so it is still your word against theirs.... You may THINK that it was an error, but you haven't legally proven anything yet (that's what a court would be for). As a third party, we cannot dismiss the idea that you've just made a mistake.

unholyangel

daytona0 wrote: »

5. You will still be expected to pay the remaining months and it MAY damage your credit rating if you don't. Why? Because in all honesty you haven't made match.com agree that a mistake was made, so it is still your word against theirs.... You may THINK that it was an error, but you haven't legally proven anything yet (that's what a court would be for). As a third party, we cannot dismiss the idea that you've just made a mistake.

Can only damage your credit rating if one of the following apply:
1) It involves some sort of credit - which will have a credit agreement and be regulated by the FSA.
2) match.com take them to court, the OP loses and OP fails to pay within the time allocated by court (usually a month).


Simply owing someone money for something isn't enough on its own.

Vedrina

A quick Google search brings up the following link: https://uk.match.com/faq/#!home. In summary it says:

"The Connect upgrade gives you the most premium experience of all, giving you access to more contacts.

With Connect, you can:

1. exchange messages with any member who don't have a subscription yet,

2. be among the first to be introduced to new members.

You can opt for Connect at any time by clicking the "œSubscribe" link at the top of each page of the website."

Hopefully that'll help you identify what it's they were charging you for if nothing else.