The Office of Fair Trading has successfully prosecuted the Hearts United International Consulting Services of Tweed Heads, NSW, for seven infringements of the Introduction Agents Act and misuse of client credit card details, resulting in a $20,000 fine. The case was heard in the Southport Magistrates Court last Friday.

The complainant had been promised introductions and dates with other singles at the rate of one each week for six months, a total of 28. Instead, the client, who paid $1,650 for the service, received just four. It required five requests for a refund and the intervention of the OFT before the refund was issued.

“Naturally they felt ripped off,” said Peter Lawlor, Fair Trading Minister.

Other findings by the court include illegal usage of the client’s credit card information, although it wasn’t immediately clear if the client suffered any form of identity theft or financial loss through that credit card. Hearts United also did not provide the client a proper disclosure statement prior to the initiation of their contractual agreement, nor an adequate statement of their service’s terms and conditions.

Hearts United’s website claims the matchmaking service remains open for business.

Similar, and sometimes worse, regulatory breaches were found in a number of cases across Queensland last year, following 61 complaints from hopeful singles in the area. This has led to an industry crackdown by the OFT, said Mr. Lawlor.

Another case involved Love Network Queensland, which was investigated and closed in December 2009. Helen Dimitrijevski, partial owner of Love Network Queensland, allegedly had been banned from the matchmaking industry by the Queensland Supreme Court in 2003, and forced to refund $500,000 to 54 complainants at that time.

The 2003 victims claimed they’d paid as much as $110,000 for services such as lifestyle and grooming coaching, as well as introductions, none of which they ever received.

Source: http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au