Edmonton woman pays thousands for a date and ends up with toothless homeless man

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by GreenLantern

I don't think pylon's comment is getting enough attention. The OP got shamed for judging the girl on her personal appearance, but the woman in the article did the same thing to the man she was set up with.

The article is riddled with double standards.

There's nothing wrong with finding someone unattractive.

But when you use that to justify their mistreatment, i.e. paying thousands of dollars to find someone who meets simple criteria like "attractive" and "employed" and getting neither, then that's obtuse.

His appearance matters because she paid a significant amount of money to find someone she'd consider attractive and he was not that. Her appearance is irrelevant.

Did you even read the article? It simply says he wasn't a match and lists why. That's not to say he's some horrible disgusting troll, the article doesn't say that at all. Where is the double standard?

[dash_pinched]

I'm hearing that Edmonton Matchmakers has issued a statement saying they sincerely apologize and wanted to make it known that they thought Daryl Katz would be a good match for Val.

[llwhiteoutll]

Originally Posted by PepsiFree

There's nothing wrong with finding someone unattractive.

But when you use that to justify their mistreatment, i.e. paying thousands of dollars to find someone who meets simple criteria like "attractive" and "employed" and getting neither, then that's obtuse.

His appearance matters because she paid a significant amount of money to find someone she'd consider attractive and he was not that. Her appearance is irrelevant.

I'd love to see the pictures provided to the matchmaking service by both of them, actual pictures with no manipulation and actual profiles (using facts) for each person.

I'm sure we would find the data that the matchmaking service had been given is full of bull#### from all parties.

[snootchiebootchies]

Originally Posted by llwhiteoutll

It's people who represent themselves as someone they think their prospective matches will find more attractive, when in reality they are much different than their profile.

The term comes from this movie.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catfish_(film)

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by llwhiteoutll

I'd love to see the pictures provided to the matchmaking service by both of them, actual pictures with no manipulation and actual profiles (using facts) for each person.

I'm sure we would find the data that the matchmaking service had been given is full of bull#### from all parties.

Well they met her in person, so I'm not sure what a profile picture is going to change.

They also promised 12 referrals in the contract (which she was locked into after the first referral), and delivered the one unemployed guy and refused to make referrals after that. So even if it wasn't a good match they are still contractually obligated to provide 11 more referrals, which they never did.

$7000 for one date with a guy who doesn't fit my criteria. I'd be pissed.
Same thing happened to another lady listed in the article. How are we victim blaming here?

From their website:

Your relationship with Edmonton Matchmakers begins with a background check. We check you for the benefit of all our clients, so you can rest easy knowing that everyone we introduce you to will have passed the same screening process as you.

We get to know you and learn what you’re looking for. Yes, you’ll fill out some questionnaires. But you’ll also spend time with us face-to-face so we can learn more about your dating history, your present circumstances and your future hopes and dreams.

We search on your behalf for the right people for you. Not only in our current database, but we actively market for the right singles for you.

We make introductions and you go on dates. This is the fun part. These are real people, so there’s no guarantee a match will like you. But if there’s chemistry, you have a real shot at love because you’ll already know you’re compatible or we wouldn’t have matched you two in the first place.

[GGG]

Originally Posted by llwhiteoutll

I'd love to see the pictures provided to the matchmaking service by both of them, actual pictures with no manipulation and actual profiles (using facts) for each person.

I'm sure we would find the data that the matchmaking service had been given is full of bull#### from all parties.

You think the guy was a paying member for the service? No way, he was a plant given money to go on this date to satisfy the terms of the contract.

[llwhiteoutll]

Originally Posted by GGG

You think the guy was a paying member for the service? No way, he was a plant given money to go on this date to satisfy the terms of the contract.

And there is no way that she didn't see a picture or a profile before meeting him, especially since she KNEW that accepting the first date would lock her into the contract.

If they pulled a bait and switch with the picture, it's different.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by PepsiFree

Well they met her in person, so I'm not sure what a profile picture is going to change.

They also promised 12 referrals in the contract (which she was locked into after the first referral), and delivered the one unemployed guy and refused to make referrals after that. So even if it wasn't a good match they are still contractually obligated to provide 11 more referrals, which they never did.

$7000 for one date with a guy who doesn't fit my criteria. I'd be pissed.
Same thing happened to another lady listed in the article. How are we victim blaming here?

From their website:

They probably should have just refunded her some money and said that they can't help her.

It's very unlikely that she has the attributes that someone of her desired template man would be looking for. Not to sound mean, but how many tall, attractive and gainfully employed single men are looking for middle aged women who are below average in attractiveness? Most middle aged guys I know with decent looks and good jobs are either married or very (very) happily single or dating younger women. I think at some point, these matchmaking sites often need to hope for a compromise (and they should have to have that in print somewhere). Otherwise, it is just a pipe dream.

[GGG]

Originally Posted by llwhiteoutll

And there is no way that she didn't see a picture or a profile before meeting him, especially since she KNEW that accepting the first date would lock her into the contract.

If they pulled a bait and switch with the picture, it's different.

This is a scam, I in no way believe there was ever an attempt to find a suitable or any match for this person.

It's no different then the door to door energy sales or people telling you won a cruise or the hockey person who lost 100 grand on a bank wire. Yes she has some culpability on getting scammed but the reaction in this thread that her expectations were to high is the problem is ridiculous.

[cracher]

Plot twist.

Dude is a sweetheart oil tycoon who purposely dressed down and delivered a story of homelessness. Seeks true love, not a money-grubber.

(given the info in the article, this remains a possibility).

[btimbit]

Wait a minute, if this guy allegedly has no job and lives in a camper, did he have to pay thousands for a match as well? Or is he just in on the scam

[calgaryblood]

Originally Posted by GGG

You think the guy was a paying member for the service? No way, he was a plant given money to go on this date to satisfy the terms of the contract.

If this was true, why wouldn't they employ a guy that would fit her profile and then simply tell him to say he wasn't interested? And why would the guy purposely tell her he's unemployed and lives in a trailer? If he was paid, why wouldn't he just lie and say he was employed and rich?

[pylon]

Originally Posted by cracher

Plot twist.

Dude is a sweetheart oil tycoon who purposely dressed down and delivered a story of homelessness. Seeks true love, not a money-grubber.

(given the info in the article, this remains a possibility).

Don't laugh.

I have a somewhat distant relative (cousin of my father) that is worth 50+ million. Lives in a crappy 600 foot cabin he built by hand in interior BC on 20 acres, and drives a beat to hell 1978 Ford Bronco. The guy doesn't own a cell phone, hasn't shaved in probably 5 years, and on first glance you'd think he's a hobo. He sold out all of his real estate assets in Vancouver in the late 90's when his marriage failed, and wanted to go live the simple life he grew up with.

We fully expect to get news of his death one day, when a bear drags his corpse out of the woods.

Guys like this actually exist.

[GGG]

Originally Posted by calgaryblood

If this was true, why wouldn't they employ a guy that would fit her profile and then simply tell him to say he wasn't interested? And why would the guy purposely tell her he's unemployed and lives in a trailer? If he was paid, why wouldn't he just lie and say he was employed and rich?

Because that person would be much more expensive to pay to go out on a date with than Mr. Edmonton.

[Amethyst]

People pay this money to have an agency sort through the possibilities and find the right match. If they wanted to spend time searching photos or online profiles, they wouldn't spend that much money.

Not everyone pays the same amount. If the company has a large selection of, say, 50+ women, they absolutely aren't charging the 50+ men the same rate. I did a few dating service events when I was younger and they always offered free sign-ups for whichever group was under-represented.

If the woman's expectations are unrealistic, the company shouldn't have taken her on as a client, or told her that she needed to adjust her requirements. Accepting her as a client and then giving her an unacceptable match to lock her in to the contract is shady, IMO.

[sharkov]

I wonder if they just rounded people from the local bus station

[calgaryblood]

Originally Posted by GGG

Because that person would be much more expensive to pay to go out on a date with than Mr. Edmonton.

Really? How much do you think it would cost for them to hire guys that fit her criteria of being somewhat good looking, taller than her and employed? Not very much and it wouldn't be hard to hire people that were somewhat attainable.

I think people are reaching pretty hard to say they hired this man and then didn't tell him to lie and say he was employed and didn't live in a trailer.

[GGG]

Originally Posted by calgaryblood

Really? How much do you think it would cost for them to hire guys that fit her criteria of being somewhat good looking, taller than her and employed? Not very much and it wouldn't be hard to hire people that were somewhat attainable.

I think people are reaching pretty hard to say they hired this man and then didn't tell him to lie and say he was employed and didn't live in a trailer.

If you look at all the reviews they provide 1 date in the first two weeks to lock in the contract and then go dark. If they were legitimate wouldn't they continue to send out ill-suited matches to everyone and at least look like they were trying to fulfill the 8 to 16 dates they promised?

[calgaryblood]

Originally Posted by pylon

Don't laugh.

I have a somewhat distant relative (cousin of my father) that is worth 50+ million. Lives in a crappy 600 foot cabin he built by hand in interior BC on 20 acres, and drives a beat to hell 1978 Ford Bronco. The guy doesn't own a cell phone, hasn't shaved in probably 5 years, and on first glance you'd think he's a hobo. He sold out all of his real estate assets in Vancouver in the late 90's when his marriage failed, and wanted to go live the simple life he grew up with.

We fully expect to get news of his death one day, when a bear drags his corpse out of the woods.

Guys like this actually exist.

I know a similar guy in Calgary when in the early 90's he bought a pretty big building in Calgary in cash and drove up to the building in a rust bucket. To this day, he drives a crappy car and is one of the richest people in Calgary. He pretty much owned half of what is Aspen right now. When he bought that land, people literally laughed at him for buying empty farm land.

You can never judge a person by the way they look or present themselves.

[Sainters7]

Originally Posted by pylon

Don't laugh.

I have a somewhat distant relative (cousin of my father) that is worth 50+ million. Lives in a crappy 600 foot cabin he built by hand in interior BC on 20 acres, and drives a beat to hell 1978 Ford Bronco. The guy doesn't own a cell phone, hasn't shaved in probably 5 years, and on first glance you'd think he's a hobo. He sold out all of his real estate assets in Vancouver in the late 90's when his marriage failed, and wanted to go live the simple life he grew up with.

We fully expect to get news of his death one day, when a bear drags his corpse out of the woods.

Guys like this actually exist.

It's the real life Frank Reynolds! Does he like rum ham?