I just proceeded with a dispute towards a chargeback with Mastercard against the agencies, A Pretty Woman and The Ukrainian Dating Agency. A Pretty Woman sold me an address that was to provide a personal email address and a home address of this Ilona Mikhienko who was on their site fairly recently. (since been deleted because its a scam and I put enough pressure on A Pretty Woman to do something about it- albeit not before they milked her address and photo for awhile)
Anyway, the home address turned out to be a fictitious one as I verified this by trying to send flowers to that address. The personal email address was not her personal email, but it directed me to this other agency, The Ukrainian Dating Agency. (no website as they claim they are new) Both these agencies have been dicking me around, claiming the home address was definitely correct, then later changing her address. I resent the flowers the second time to the second address I was given, once again there is no apartment building at neither address I was given. Now, I am being given a third address just to string me along a bit further.
I have asked both agencies to refund my money, they both tell me to jump in the lake. So, I went to Mastercard to initialize a chargeback against them. Now, I am no lawyer but I provided enough documentation to them to show that I did not receive the service I expected, as none of the addresses did exist. Plus, I did not get a personal email as A Pretty Woman indicated. Mastercard has replied to me that transactions over the Internet are basically at our own risk, and it is our word anyway against these agencies. And I mean I had explicit proof that I did not receive what was implied by these agencies that I would receive.
I expected some protection from credit card companies even if it is over the Internet. I am being told otherwise, so be careful out there especially if large sums of money are being sent out. There is a good chance you may never see it back again even if you can proove fraud.
Recently some of us were duped by the Allure Marriage Agency (who are 100% a total scam) relayed our stories to "Clickbank" which is a money transition purveyor for Allure Marriage Agency.
Enough of us complained to Clickbank for them to realize that there was a big problem. They shut down the ability of Allure Marriage Agency to use themselves as a source. They were very good about that and refunded our money for any transaction within the past 90 days. But they did this because they received enough complaints. Otherwise they couldn't have done nothing.
Not every area is going to provide protection as I have found out, but please if you have problems let the appropriate people know whats been going on. You may not get satisfaction of money back, but it will at least put red flags out there. The more red flags, the more these credit card companies etc. will do for us.
by the way, you should know:
as a consumer you are totally protected by visa and master card. Only merchants get hurt. any charge that you made over the phone or online, for virtual services, that were not delivered to your door will be refunded to you immediately. and then visa and master card investigate and if merchant can provide proof of the transaction - signature, order delivery. then money will be taken back from you. if merchant doesn't want to refund the money fro bad services, he will get the chargeback and get additional $10-30 charge back fee. so you call your bank and tell them that you services were not provided. you will get your money back immediately. so your credit card would have refunded you money anyway.