This is the letter I wrote to my credit card company seeking a chargeback refund from this deceptive, unethical company. I believe this company needs to be shut down by the Florida Attorneys General office.
Tampa Singles wears down consumers employing the “stalling and ignoring the customer” techniques. They get snarly and lash out when consumers complain. To date they have 24 complaints with the Better Business Bureau and 8 with Ripoff Reports.
From: Ms. XXXXXX
To: Martha Kuhn, CHASE Credit Card
November 23, 2011
Dear Ms. Kuhn:
As mentioned in my previous letters and e-mails, both men selected by Tampa Singles were inappropriate matches. They did not meet the criteria that I had requested. The first match told me he was scheduled to lose his job by this year’s end and not someone who was financially stable. The second match “just wanted to do stuff with someone” and said that he was not interested in a long-term relationship or marriage. I doubt that their matchmaking criteria were accurate; these purported matches were unsuitable in every respect. Tampa Singles had failed to deliver the service on both matches. I paid $500.00 to this company, in good faith, based on the statements of their representative, Stephanie Wood.
I never agreed to a “processing fee”. Ms. Wood stated and wrote on the contract that there would be no other fee associated with this contract. Tampa Singles changed the Regulations by not informing me, that in fact, they were just filling the four referrals agreed to in the contract by sending “warm bodies” rather than carefully interviewed matches that they touted their company could provide to me. I brought my concern and request to cancel their service to Ms. Wood within the 30-day “Cure Period”. Ms. Wood begged me to give her another opportunity to “make it right”, admitting that she did not handle my file personally as she had promised in our initial meeting. As mentioned above, the second match did not meet the requirements either. I gave them another opportunity to remedy their error which they failed to correct and I acted to end the service within the timeframe as stated on the contract.
I suggest that Tampa Singles refer to my previous e-mails and letters. I was promised a refund when I spoke with Ms. Wood. She stated that Mr. Paye was out of town and would make the arrangements for my refund upon his return. I never heard from him or any other manager at Tampa Singles although I left messages several times.
I would urge this company to admit wrong doing and cease this demand. Otherwise, I will have no choice but to warn others, both in person, online (through social media)and by contacting the local media, about this company’s matchmaking scam.
Very truly yours,
Ms. XXXXX
The following is the latest letter from Mr. Bill Paye, co-founder of Tampa Singles who is requesting me to apologize to him because I complained to the credit card company requesting a chargeback. Am I missing something? I am the consumer; he should be bending over backwards to make me happy and honor the written agreement.
From: Tampa Singles
Date: 2011-12-23 16:47:03
Subject: E-mail From Bill Paye, Co-Founder
Ms. XXXXX,
I looked into your situation. My awesome matchmakers found 2 great guys who look compatible with you, but I have instructed them to hold off on matching you.
The main reason I am waiting is because of the feedback from both you and Gary regarding your meeting.
When I got off the phone with you the other day I was determined to look into your situation and see where I could help. Although you had only invested $500, which is $1000 less than our processing fee, I wanted to know why we were not helping you and what could have made you so incensed at us. My subsequent research then made me question why I even try to help people. (and this is before I realized you had attempted charge-backs against us!)
I saw the 2nd match we provided you...Gary. Gary looked great! I compared your profiles, compatibility and preferences...wow! The 2 of you were so compatible according to your profiles and testing. Why is she mad at US? Oh, yes...that\'s the guy she said wasn\'t interested in long-term...
But then I read the feedback, and...
Gary\'s relationship goal is \"to get married\". You both had great things to say about each other in your feedback, ranked each other highly... and you had a second date!
Gary had this to say:
\"We had a second date and I was interested in a third. On that call she said that I was nice, but didn\'t think this would go anywhere... But this is the type woman I\'m looking for.\"
This is far from the story you gave me on the phone. You focused almost entirely on the first match...the guy \"with the shorts and flip-flops\". Had I not asked, I might not even had known about Gary, who you said, \"was not interested in anything long-term\"...Does Gary\'s feedback sound like a guy who is not interested in long-term? Not only was he interested in long-term...he was interested in long-term with you!
Now, I have no idea how 2 people can be so compatible and have the same relationship goal and then blow it, but...OK....back to the drawing board, I guess.
According to my Client Services Manager, we had another great guy (like Gary!) lined up for you declined meeting him. We later we got hit with your charge-back request. Of course, since we had done nothing wrong, we won. But, then we had to waste more time and energy defending ourselves again! I had to ask myself why we are still working so hard for a person so determined to get their money back? I\'m still shaking my head about that one.
Even if you didn\'t end up liking Gary after 2 dates, you have to admit that was absolutely a \"quality\" match.
Gary is a quality guy...he liked you...you (initially) liked him...you had a second date... he wanted a third...
So why the vitriol towards us?
and...
Why, instead of receiving gratitude for the deep discount and thanks for a great match, did we get attacked and have to waste so much of our valuable time, energy and money justifying ourselves?
It\'s one of the saddest, most frustrating moments in my 18 years helping singles. The audacity!
I will accept nothing short of a sincere apology to even consider investing another minute working with you. I hope you take this to heart.
Sincerely and God Bless,
Bill Paye, Co-Founder
Tampa, Sarasota, Naples Singles
The following is my response to his letter of December 23, 2011.
Email letter from Ms. XXXXX to Mr. Paye- sent on Tampa Singles Website Contact Page
January 4, 2012
Mr. Paye
I am in receipt of your letter of December 23, 2011 wherein you state that you will continue to send matches to me only if I apologize.
If you would please point me to the section of the contract that states that I have a contractual obligation to apologize to you in order to receive appropriate matches, then I will gladly apologize. Sadly, I could not find that section when I reviewed, yet again, the contract.
I did, however, find and reread the section that outlines your contractual agreement to provide me with appropriate matches, as per the criteria discussed in my interviews, upon receipt of my payment in full of $500, which you received on June 3, 2011.
In our most recent conversation with the credit card company on December 21, 2011, you agreed to handle my account personally and begin sending me appropriate matches. To date, the only thing I have received from you is a demand for an apology. It appears you’re having a serious problem understanding your own contract. Please let me know if you’d prefer I hire an attorney to help you understand your contractual obligation to me.
Your company has had 24 consumer complaints with the Better Business Bureau dealing with problems with your service and discrepancy of your company’s representations. Should you continue ignoring the contract, not only will I become Complainant #25, but I will re-contact the credit card company and enlighten them with a copy of your demands to me in your most recent letter .
Ms. XXXX
This is the latest reponse from Mr. Bill Paye:
From: Tampa Singles
Date: 2012-01-06 14:47:52
Subject: Response from Bill Paye
Ms. XXXXX,
I had a feeling you would completely ignore the fact that we provided you with a great guy who you liked and who liked you. I was just hoping I was wrong. Instead of thanks we had to defend a charge-back request. You are proving to be more intent on fighting us than finding success. I do not know why that is. All we have tried to do is help.
I have done the research and I have the guys. I just need to know if you are a nice person who is ready for a positive step or still the person who hates and wants to fight us. So far I am spending the majority of my time responding to your complaints. I am not obligated (#16 in your regulations) to work with a person who exhibits disruptive behavior. I am not obligated to set up someone with disruptive behavior with someone who is participating with a positive attitude. But this does not have to stay ugly.
An apology means you are now willing to work with us instead of against us. The reason I need an apology is that I cannot be certain that you are ready for another match through us...you hate us too much right now. An apology means that you understand that we gave you a great match, but it just didn\'t work out and now you are ready to proceed with a good attitude and be a good date for my well-intentioned gentlemen. I have forgiven you, as a Christian, but that does not mean I have to kowtow to mean-spirited demands and threats. It doesn\'t go one way.
Yes, we have 24 complaints with the BBB, which is a very small amount compared to how many people we have signed up for our program - well over 4,000. At the same time, we set up approximately 10 thousand first dates each year. The majority of the people who complained to the BBB are still clients and/or ended up finding someone through us! Several of the people who initially complained got married through us (yet we still had to live with their frivolous complaints on our record for 3 years). The complaints were almost exclusively situations like yours. You didn\'t like a date (even though your 2nd date was great and you both liked each other!). I have come to face the fact that no matter how hard we work, certain people will still complain. There is nothing I can do about that. We did just have another marriage last week and have had over 180 clients find their dream partners in 2011. There is no mention of those successes via the BBB...only the malcontents are counted. My dedicated staff of 30+ Florida workers and I are proud of our record. But write your BBB letter if you wish.
Again...if you feel you have been wronged by us, you have agreed to arbitrate any disputes via the Florida Arbitration Code. Let\'s either proceed in a positive manner or arbitrate. Negative emails do not accomplish anything. Call me when you are ready. But only call me if you are ready to move forward in a positive manner. I will not accept any more negativity regarding your situation. Please pray about it.
Sincerely and God bless,
Bill Paye
The man claims to be Christian; he is not. A true Christian does not say it, he acts it. He is, however, a scam artist and is connected with Romance Pro and Great Expectations, other false sites pretending to be "consumer friendly".
I am a schoolteacher who can ill afford to give anyone $500 for non-fulfillment of an agreed upon service and the most recent victim of his company. I am requesting your help to shut him down before he rips off another victim.
Thanking you in advance.
Ms. XXXXXX
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