Dating site 'cleaned out' pensioner's account

Timothy Willis said his bank had put a block on any future payments being made to GaysGoDating.com

An 83-year-old man looking for love said he had his bank account emptied by an online dating site after not reading the small print.

Timothy Willis, from Liskeard, signed up to a £5.99 seven-day trial on the site GaysGoDating.com but he did not realise the site would continue to take money from his account once the trial ended.

He said the company took a total of £124 which "cleaned out" one of his accounts.

GaysGoDating.com confirmed that the subscription and subsequent renewal was processed correctly and transparently but they said they had offered Mr Willis a full refund as a "gesture of goodwill".

Mr Willis said he would "now always study the terms and conditions thoroughly"

Mr Willis said: "The only reason they stopped was because there was no more money in the account."

He said his bank had put a block on any further payments going from his account to the company.

"I will pay very strict attention in the future before I join or commit myself to any sort of payment," he said.

Mr Willis said he would not "recommend that site to anybody under any circumstances, really because their terms and conditions were so minute".

He said he did not "trust anything or anybody these days which is a sad thing to say."

GaysGoDating.com said: "All membership details, including renewal terms, were clearly presented during the purchase process".

It apologised for any confusion caused and said it was committed to making billing information "as transparent and easy to understand as possible".

The company added: "The subscription has since been cancelled and no further payments will be taken."

Simon Newman, CEO of the Online Dating and Discovery Association, said terms and conditions for online dating services should be clear and accessible so that consumers were fully aware of what they were signing up to.

"They should not be overly lengthy, use language that may cause confusion or hidden on a part of the app or website that is not easy to find," he said.

"Apps should also make it easy for the user to contact them if they are unsure or need further assistance."