Online daters sue internet matchmaking service for fraud

• It's not easy finding love in cyberspace, and now some frustrated online daters say they were victims of fraud by two top Internet matchmaking services and have taken their complaints to court.
• In some instances, the suit contends, people on the Match payroll even went on sham dates with subscribers as a marketing ploy.
• Match "promotes the policies of integrity to protect members, and yet they themselves, we allege, are misleading their entire customer base," he said.
• The company said it does not comment on pending litigation.
• But Match spokeswoman Kristin Kelly said the company "absolutely does not" employ people to go on dates with subscribers or to send members misleading e-mails professing romantic interest.
• The company has about 15 million members worldwide and 250 employees, she said.
• Yahoo did respond to requests for comment.
• The suits, which both seek class-action status, came as growth in the online dating industry has slowed, although Web matchmaking still remains a big business.
• The Match lawsuit was filed earlier this month in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles by plaintiff Matthew Evans, who contends he went out with a woman he met through the site who turned out to be nothing more than "date bait" working for the company.
• The relationship went nowhere, according to his suit.
• Evans says Match set up the date for him because it wanted to keep him from pulling the plug on his subscription and was hoping he'd tell other potential members about the attractive woman he met through the service, according to Leviant.
• The suit, brought in U.S. District Court in San Jose, California, accuses the company of breach of contract, fraud and unfair trade practices.
• Anthony's lawyer, Peter McNulty of the McNulty Law Firm in Bel Air, California, did not respond to requests for comment.