It's Just Lunch [IJL] review: Blatant Consumer Fraud 4

I had never used any type of dating service before was hesitant about putting my personal information online, and the advertisements for It's Just Lunch (IJL) that I heard on the radio, made it sound like a great option for me. I made an appointment in early August 2011 with the Milwaukee-based IJL branch. I was interviewed, decided to join, and was charged $1900 for a standard membership. I wish I could turn back time and would have read the complaints on this website before I allowed them to bill my credit card. It has been an utter nightmare since August.

The day after I joined, I was called by the staff member who did my interview and was given the biggest pressure sell of all time to upgrade to the "Elite" membership. She made huge promises about the personalized service she would give me and began telling me about the great matches she had in mind for me. I do not know why, but I forked over another $1900 and was sucked in. As many of the others have written, IJL took its good old time getting dates set up and it was always difficult to get a response from them via phone or email. I was set up on three dates that were a complete waste of time. It was as if I had never been interviewed, as the dates I was set up with were nothing like what I had described I was looking for. After 3 experiences that were a waste of time & money, I decided I wanted out.

I battled for two months and was finally promised IN WRITING a refund of $3325 of my $3800 and was told that it would be credited back to my card in 30 business days. That amount, I felt, was ridiculous given the minimal work IJL had done. 30 days passed and no refund. After daily calls and emails, the owner finally called me and said that the employee who promised my refund did not have the authority to give refunds and was no longer working for IJL-Milwaukee. I had to start the fight for my refund AGAIN.

In December, I filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau (BBB) of Wisconsin. The following day the owner called me and proposed a $1900 refund and a new contract for a year of Elite membership and said that she would act as my personal "matchmaker" for that membership term. I agreed and was told that my credit card would be refunded $1900 in 30 business days. At the end of January, there was still no refund. Multiple calls again and I was emailed a photocopy of the receipt for the credit. My card company had no record of any such credit and I was then told by IJL there was a "technical error" and they would investigate. Another week passed.

In early February 2012, I was told that their legal team was involved and that no refund would be granted unless I signed a confidentiality contract AND pulled my complaint from the BBB website.

I am disgusted by the way these thieves take advantage of people who are just looking to connect with someone special. They make promises they cannot keep, they are unresponsive and stretch out the time between contact (convenient for them as the memberships are time-limited), and they have gone back on written agreements on more than one occasion. I have no doubt that had I signed the confidentiality form and pulled my complaint with the BBB, I would still have never seen any refund.

They have stolen my $3800, but they will not take away my freedom of speech. I am now on a mission to prevent them from stealing other innocent consumer's money.