I am an elite client and as such, please do yourself a favor and run away with your $7000 and invest it somewhere else. If you want to give matchmaking services a try, then investigate other companies where they truly hand select matches for you. This company is an expensive version of online dating (since they send you a profile along with a picture) and if you try to complain, they will tell you they have presented you with X number of profiles when these matches are no longer available, or perhaps they do not exist because these people are no longer clients. The company doesn't honor any refund requests. You do have the choice to make monthly payments and if so, you have the choice to stop paying them based on "fradulent" services and keep copies of all your suggested matches emails and take them to small claim court if Guillermo or Mr. Felix threathen you ruining your credit history if you stop paying. Matchmaking services are now more common and can be great service if you choose the right company with the right values and right intentions. Loook up their BBB ratings and you will see why they have a "F" grade.

In July 2006, I went into the offices of Elite Personal Search and had a 3 hour 'interview' with Devan. At that time, I wasn't sure if the service was right for me. I explained to Devan that I felt it would difficult to find a match for me among the members of Elite Personal Search/Debra Winkler. Although I am a professional career woman, Devan assured me that I would 'easy to match', even though I have tattoos and dreadlocks (I work in a creative field, and wanted to meet someone who was a professional, but also 'eclectic') . She explained, 'we have all kinds of people as members. We have artists and musicians, even performers from Cirque De Soleil.'

I was hesitant about joining, when she assured me that if they did not have someone appropriate for me, that Elite Personal Search/Debra Winkler will go outside of its membership and 'troll the community' for a good match. She explained that she had met HER husband through Elite, and that once she started working there, she was able to fix up 2 of her girlfriends with men who were NOT members, but that she had met outside of work and thought they would be good matches. She told me that one of them was now married to the man Devan had fixed her up with. I do not feel that I would have been comfortable paying the extraordinary amount of money membership cost if I had not been reassured that they would go outside of the membership to find a match for me.

Devan and I discussed the type of man who would be a good match for me. We set up a long list of parameters, which she assured me DID exist in many of their members. (the main thing we agreed I needed was someone who was 'hip' and up on modern technology, as I am a bit of a computer geek). When she told me that my $5000 fee would get me 8 matches in the next year, I was wary. I told her that I didn't feel like 8 was very many matches. At that point she said, 'But we will be doing all the research for you. By the time you meet a match, they will have all of the qualifications you are looking for. The only thing missing will be chemistry, and you WILL have chemistry with at least one of 8 men who exactly the type of match you are looking for.' She noted that Elite also checks criminal records and paycheck stubs to make sure that members DO in fact make the amount of money they claim (although they never asked for any of that from me). Additionally, Devan assured me that she would work closely with the matchmaker and that the matchmaker would also work very closely with me by calling me frequently to discuss various matches. All of the above made me feel safe and comfortable and confident that Elite could help me find a match.

I was unable to join in July, so I had to put it off until December 2006. I did join in December of 2006. At that time, Elite set up a second interview with Jen Turner. Jen also said that she thought I would be easy to match and that the qualities, and other parameters I was looking for would not be difficult to find. She also assured me that Elite would go outside of their membership to find a match for me.

Since that time, I have had NO matches that 'have all the qualifications I am looking for'. Additionally, I have not met any men from outside of the membership. In fact, most of the matches I have been sent, were not at all the type of men that I would be interested in. Many of the matches have been misrepresented by Elite. For example, I was sent a potential match who 'had his own business building zen gardens', he was actually a gardener for the public park systems! I was sent a potential match who worked as a 'holistic therapist', he turned out to be a massage therapist! I was VERY specific about the type of person I wanted to meet, as well as what type of job they should have (professional, like me!), how far I'd be willing to travel (I live within 10 miles of literally millions of people, yet they sent me matches that lived 50 miles away?!), and the fact that he should work at a standard job where he would normally have nights and weekends free (the massage therapist worked BOTH nights AND weekends!). Neither Jen or Devan or anyone from the Elite office have ever 'worked closely' with me to find a match. In fact, I often don't hear anything for weeks and weeks, unless I email THEM.

I now feel that I was misled. It has been over 9 months since I joined and not ONE good match has been introduced to me. I sent a certified letter to Elite with all of the above information and demanded my fee be returned. I filed a complaint with the BBB (they have over 20 complaints and have earned an 'F' rating), but Elite did not respond to either me or the BBB. I feel that it is appropriate for Elite Personal Search/Debra Winkler to return my $5000 fee.

I was pitched a $5, 000 to $10, 000 contract which promised to introduce me, in person, to 10 men in accordance with my preferences (that they live in Northern Calif in or within 50 miles of San Jose / Santa Clara Valley) within 12 months of signing the contract. I signed up for $5, 000 in October and to date have not been introduced to a single individual in person. I was given one phone number, and that gentleman did not make our dinner date. I have been sent 4 potential matches - over my age or weight range, and none within 50 miles of San Jose. The contract looks pretty solid, but they have truly not come even close to delivering on their part of the deal, as noted in that contract.

I would like to share this court experience about suing Elite Personal Search.

I signed contract with Active Single LLC / DBA Elite Personal Search about two years ago. They claimed they were local in San Jose, the sales rep. named Louis promised me they would have local office and local people (esp. him) would work with closely me to find my life time partner. He spent 2 hours explaining how wonderful their services are. Well, hoping someone could do what they are paid for, I paid them $7900 for a 18-month service, which Elite claimed to be the lowest rate they had. Elite’s San Jose office was closed one month after the interview and Louis never contacted me after taking my money. During the past 2 years, they never set up any date for me – yes, 0 date for two years. I complained but their management never cared to respond. I decided to take it to Santa Clara small claim court to look for justice.

Elite flew somebody to the bay area from LA to attend the court. Before we stood in front of judge, a mediator talked to both of us, Elite agreed to offer $1500 plus another two-year extension of the contract. The mediator used to be a contract attorney, he said the contract would make me look really bad, because there is a “non-refundable” term, so I may leave the court without getting anything. I wanted to know what the court would do, so decided not to take that offer. The mediator was right, the court ruled that Elite did not owe me any money.

I want to say to all who have not signed Elite Personal Search’s contract, people’s complaints on this website are true. More importantly, if you sign this contract with Elite, you are throwing your money away and without getting any protection, not even from court!!! Why? Because Elite spent their money on the attorney fee to draft a contract which will NOT be reversible – UNDER ANY CONDITION.

Although I lost the case, I am glad I did it. if more people go to court and have our voices heard, it will cause Court’s attention.