Money Can't Buy You Love, Warns Consumer Council

Here is a message from the Consumer Council on Valentine's Day – money just can't buy you love.

The council urged people looking for love to think carefully before paying for matchmaking services, warning some companies lack transparency over their charges and the services they provide.

The watchdog received 64 complaints about the quality of these services last year, an increase of more than 50 percent from the year before.

In one case, a woman paid a HK$20,000 annual fee for an advanced matchmaking membership, which promised "several meetings" every week. The company sent her information about some people but the customer never got to see any of them despite agreeing to meetings.

When she complained about this, the company told her the problem was that her profile picture was not attractive enough and then offered to improve it with a professional photo service, if she paid another HK$25,000.

Another person complained that he took a three-month membership out for HK$888 with a company, and then paid a HK$6,000 annual fee, on a promise that he would get to meet at least eight women during that time.

But he said the profiles sent were not within his specified age and marital status. This dissatisfied customer complained to the council after he found that the company also renewed his quarterly membership automatically.

The council's spokesman Clement Chan said consumers should not expect that they would definitely get a relationship from these services as these are mere connectivity platforms.

"When consumers are using those kind of platforms, you have to be absolutely clear about the function of the platform," he said.

The council also said that "consumers should not rely on matchmaking platforms to find a partner but should actively take part in social activities to expand their social circles".