Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Valentine Sues Over Dating Service Scam
By
Garth Johnston
Published Aug 5, 2006
Modified Mar 7, 2008
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Garth Johnston
Published Aug 5, 2006
Modified Mar 7, 2008
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
The aptly named Sara Valentine, a 55-year-old divorcée from Brooklyn, was looking for someone to love with, share with, and maybe go on long walks on the beach with. So, hoping for the best, she signed up with the 30-year-old matchmaking company Great Expectations, not to be confused with the Dickens classic or the less-classic Mad TV Lowered Expectations sketches (aside: who woulda thought anything from Mad TV would ever be even close to 'classic'?). But Ms. Valentine was let down by the service and now she wants them to pay up.
With good reason too. As part of the service she signed a contract last September which required her to pay a $3,000 fee for "basic services" as well as "an additional $990 to gain access to a monthly calendar of events and a recurring quarterly fee of $89.95 for access to 'Great Expectations On-Line." She paid all of those fees and got... Nada. Zip. Zero. Not one bite. Fearing that she might be turning into Miss Havisham, Ms. Valentine called her lawyer who dug up some interesting dirt on the dating service. Not only did a Manhattan Civil Court judge rule last year that two women had been dramatically overcharged for the services they received last year, but Great Expectations, which is based in New York, is blatently breaking the New York State "Dating Service Consumer Bill of Rights" (who knew?) which prevents dating services from charging individuals more than $1,000 for their services. Further, if the service charges more than $25 they must provide a minimum number of referrals per month (which in this case they very much did not).
And so Ms. Valentine (who is "really a lovely woman" according to her lawyer) has sued and, assuming she is not alone in being scammed, is hoping to turn this thing into a class action lawsuit. Sounds like she's got a pretty good case, too. Anybody have any experiences with GE they want to share?
Coney Island 3 by DeeperSea via Contribute.
Tagged
As
breaking
brooklyn
coney island
court
crime
dating
events
great expectations
lawsuit
library
love
Mad TV
manhattan
new york
new york state
photos
Sara Valentine
tv
Garth Johnston
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
NYPD searching for suspect after fatal stabbing in Queens
Officers responding to a call at the intersection of Jamaica Avenue and 173rd Street around 1 a.m. found 29-year-old Sulimon Ferrier, who had multiple stab wounds to his chest, police said.
By
Ben Feuerherd
Published Oct 3, 2026 at 4:38 p.m. ET
NYPD: 2 suspects in off-duty officer stabbing tried to rob victim
It’s unclear if the attackers knew the victim was NYPD.
By
Jill Webb
News
NYPD: 2 suspects in off-duty officer stabbing tried to rob victim
It’s unclear if the attackers knew the victim was NYPD.
By
Jill Webb
Astoria-born Chip City announces sudden closure days after former CEO sues
By
Catalina Gonella
US judge tosses Trump lawsuit targeting pro-Palestinian protesters in NJ
By
Willow Higgins
A big, bright Saturn will be the highlight of NYC's fall stargazing season
By
Rosemary Misdary
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .