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A Match.com user has filed a class action lawsuit against the company alleging that paid subscriptions involve messages from fake profiles and are in violation of consumer protection laws.
Lead plaintiff Matthew Ditnes recently filed a class action against Match Group LLC, claiming that they do not sufficiently warn members that paid subscriptions involve messages from fake profiles portrayed as real members.
Match.com was launched in 1995 as an online dating site and reportedly helped launch the online dating industry. “Among its distinguishing features is the ability to both search profiles, receive algorithmic matches and the ability to attend live events, promoted by Match, with other members,” the Match.com class action lawsuit states. Match limits the functionality of free membership and therefore has a high percentage of paying users.
Match reportedly offers paid subscriptions to its services for a fee between $15.99 and $35.99 per month. The website allegedly solicits these subscriptions without informing potential subscribers that they will receive messages from “persons identified as members who are not.” According to the Match.com online dating class action, users only learn that the profiles are fake after they pay for a subscription.
Ditnes argues that Match sends messages from “users” which can only be accessed and replied to if users upgrade to a paid subscription. “In many instances, the communications consumers receive are not from actual users of Match’s online dating service. Many users routinely discover that the profiles of the persons who purportedly are interested in them are fake or fraudulent profiles and not associated with anybody whom they can date or even communicate,” the Match.com paid subscription class action lawsuit claims.
The Match.com class action claims that this model wrongfully induces consumers to upgrade to a paid subscription by convincing them that real people are trying to communicate with them. In reality, the messages are allegedly from fake profiles and a ploy to get users to upgrade to paid services.
Many users other than Ditnes have allegedly experienced a similar “scam” and have left reviews on Consumer Affairs about their experiences. Scott of Florida wrote: “I’ve investigated this site and there are very few real profiles but mainly fake profiles and photos that the staff there e-mail to current and future prospects and customers just to provide them false hopes and to keep the money rolling in!”
The Match.com fake profiles class action lawsuit claims that this business model is deceptive and unfair and violates various consumer protection laws including the Illinois Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act and the Illinois Dating Referral Services Act. The Match.com class action also brings counts of breach of contract and unjust enrichment.
Ditnes seeks to represent a Class of people who paid for a Match.com subscription and received messages from people identified as Match.com members but who were not in fact persons who are members of the site. The Match.com class action seeks actual damages, treble damages, disgorgement, court costs, and attorneys’ fees.
The plaintiff is represented by William M. Sweetnam and Natasha Singh of Sweetnam LLC.
The Match.com Paid Membership Class Action Lawsuit is Ditnes v. Match Group LLC, Case No. 1:18-cv-03128, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.
UPDATE: The Match.com Fake Profile Class Action Lawsuit was dismissed on August 31, 2018. Top Class Actions will let our viewers know if a new lawsuit is filed.
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321 thoughts onMatch.com Class Action Says Fake Profiles Violate Federal Law
Hi,
Match.com is using my old profile as phishing and I have proof please add me to this or reach out. Thank you
I just saw a friends profile last week. He’s been off the site for years! This is really wrong. Of course I could report it, or he could, but there’s probably so many more. How can they lie and steal our money with no one doing anything about it?
Yes, please add me to complaint. It was very obviously fake profiles. It’s a waste of my time, my money and my emotions. It should be against the law.
Add me!
Add me
I agree am a victim too. Who do I contact to help me do that same suit?
Definitely noticed something off with this service. I was using a free membership for a while, and I would keep getting emails from them about “people checking me out” or “She said YES!”. I decided what the hell, and paid for a month’s membership, and all of a sudden, the emails just stopped. No more being “checked out”, or anything like that. Never mind the total lack of responses to the messages I DID send to people on there. I canceled before the month was out, and a week or so later, the emails started up again. Basically tells me that they send these computer-generated messages to people who aren’t giving them their hard-earned money, trying to sucker it out of them.
Add me as well!
I’m tired of fakers and scams!
Most profiles are fake, just look at the similarities of the context, it’s like copy and paste. It takes me literally two seconds to pick out the fakes. It’s outright fraud.
How do you sign up with the lawsuit? I am so sick of Match.com and there false advertising. They sent me an email stating someone was checking me out and once I again I fell for it. This is the fourth time I signed up with them and every time I am on there I never get any kind of response from any of them.
Talking with match.com right now they are offering me a full refund of $171 okay thank you very much. I don’t know about fake profiles. But the people say they want to meet and text and talk and date people and with 2,000 emails I get three responses that were positive all the other ones either just didn’t answer. My main problem with the website other than the members is or was they kept deleting my essay simply because the 4000 characters added up to something they didn’t like
add me