(1) There are thousands of complaints posted on the internet against the websites owned by Cupid plc, not just on sitejabber but on all complaints websites, just showing how hated the company is.
Customers from all over the world complain about the same recurring issues: recurrent billing, fake... profiles, deceptive emails and chats from Cupid's staff, rude or inexistent customer service, lack of refunds, abuse of personal data for commercial purposes, deception...
(2) The BBC and the Information Commissioner Officer (ICO) have received numerous complaints against Cupid from deceived customers.
BBC Panorama aired a documentary (Tainted Love: Secrets of the Dating Game) on 29 July 2013 largely targeting the commercial practices of the company and the ICO has launched a formal investigation against the company. The documentary is available on YouTube and stats show that hundreds of thousands of people have watched the video so far.
A reporter for the Kiev post under cover and applying for a job for Cupid in Kiev denounced as well how employees are hired to deceive customers.
(3) Cupid plc's share price (LSE Ticker: 4NJ498 / ISIN: GB00B4NJ4984) is currently at its lowest ever at 56.6p per share (26/11/2013). This is to be compared to its highest of 250p per share in September 2011.
This shows that investors have no confidence whatsoever in the company and are shorting the stock.
If you consider the proceeds that are coming in from the sale of the casual dating business in July 2013, it means that the company is valued at less than cash or cash equivalents. This effectively means that the continuing business has less than no value.
(4) Looking on a website such as Alexa providing free information about websites and showing internet traffic stats and metrics shows that cupid was ranked 5000 in the top visited websites early 2013. It is now ranked as low are 100 000 proving how customers have learnt to avoid the company's products.
THINGS HAPPEN FOR A REASON. It is hard to believe that this is all a pure coincidence or bad luck. The information provided above is all in the public domain and can easily be checked online.
If a business model is not sustainable, its commercial practices questionable and client consideration extremely poor, then the business is bound to die. This is rule number one and this is just fair.
After accepting the 3-day trial I found that there were NO profiles anywhere remotely close to my area. In fact, only "fake" profiles were found.
On the second day I cancelled the membership - 100% according to the rules of the site. This included "finding" the hidden link that turns off the auto-renewal. The auto-renewal engages after the end of each membership period and automatically charges your credit card.
The process included an automated message from the site with a code. The code is to be "used" in the site. When you cancel, you are provided the limited instructions:
"To complete your cancellation process, please log in to SilverCupid.com and enter the cancellation code when you're asked for it."
When you log back into the site there is NOTHING requesting that the code be entered somewhere.
Additionally, you will also find that after you have disabled the auto-renew, it has been "enabled" by the system.
In truth, the site will NOT allow you to disable the auto-renew.
The company states a great deal of information covering how they are allowed to do what they offer, but NOTHING states that the profiles are fake, although they clearly are fake.
Nothing states how to go through the cancellation process. In fact, trying to find out "how" to cancel is left up to the user to figure out.
IF you are able to figure out the process, you will be denied.
One step is left out, purposely, so that you are unable to cancel. You are sent a code that they mandate you log in to your profile and enter... but "where" is never disclosed.
If you go through the entire cancellation process again, you will confirm that there is nowhere throughout the process that the code is required. Yet, the company, if you can figure out "how" to communicate with them, will respond with the fact that you failed to enter the code.
Even after I showed them screenshots of the process, proof of the fact that I went through all the steps they mandate to cancel my profile, they told me that I failed to enter the code... even though I repeatedly told them there is NOTHING in their process allowing the code to be entered.
If you attempt to use the HELP page you are met with a form that has an empty dropdown list from which to select a subject. Of course, that dropdown is mandatory, so if you attempt to send your message without selecting a subject (which does not exist), your message will not be sent. Thus mandating you scour the site to find a method to contact the site administration.
After sending messages to them mandating they refund my entire illegally obtained membership fee, along with sending them screenshots to prove that their system does not work as they describe, it was only after I threatened them with my ability to shut down their site that they responded with, "... We issued a refund of 49,99 USd and you will get your money back within 10 business days..."
You see, I'm a Web developer by trade. I threatened them with having my bank reverse the charges, then have my bank file theft charges against their financial institution which would shut down their gateway (their process for accepting credit card payments), and then I would file complaints with Google to have the site removed from the search engine. And, finally, I threatened to create a Web site for the sole purpose of disclosing the illegal operations of SilverCupid by getting "my" Web site into the top of the search engines.
I have not received the refund yet, but this is only day 1 of their agreement to refund my membership fee they illegally obtained. I will update this post if I do not receive the refund.
Fraud!
$#*! get ripped off by the scamming bastards taking them to court over losing money.