PoF.com / Plenty of Fish review: false advertising - not 100% free online dating service 43

Oh yeah, they say:
"This is a 100% Free Dating Service - NO Charges EVER."

Agree completely. Absolutely false advertising!

i really must agree. i used pof for years, was thoroughly miserable enjoying myself at the fantastic pof parties, had first dates with so many people and stayed friends with several of them despite them being unable to put up with my positivity and inane jokes and compliments.
it is terrible that it is a great way for the bored, lonely, desperate and insecure to met people for free (or not to if you feel freaked out by them).
I have now been happily married for 12 months months thanks to the site but have to admit- few of us go back to the site to let people know it can work- i kissed a lot of frogs and went to parties full of thigh boots, stockings and mini skirts (that was just the men!) before i met the right girl. i don't know the man (and yes he rightfully deleted my account on one occasion) but hands up to markus for putting in security measures on people.
the sites that make you pay are only interested in your money and insecurities- they son't want you to meet miss right
xmasbaby2

pof was 100% free when i was a member- party hosts were told to organise parties without financial reward and members could get in without payment. one party host and all members from birmingham got suspended when she livened up our parties by getting a dj and charging a minimal amount to party-goers to cover the cost. thankfully, i lived a few miles out of the area and remained a member- but all my mates had got booted off so the host started her own site instead and the great parties continued.
having met the love of my life on the site- i don't know the etiquette these days

POF is not free anymore. I just signed up, my profile wasn't even completed, my pics were not up and I received 12 messages? It's obviously extracted directly from the site, 2 days into it now, and I have no Messages now.. HMMM? what do you thinK?

POF is still 100% FREE as of Aug. 11, 2014. I don't understand why anyone would opt to pay for the "upgrade", you can do everything a person needs to do to meet someone without it! i.e. To make all contact and reply to all, is still 100% FREE. Not sure why so many of you would feel otherwise? Even people on the site don't understand! All one needs to do is read, it's all right there. Nothing misleading as has been suggested. Go figure...

Apparently some of you do not know what "100%" means. It is absolutely not "100%" free as sone features require a monthly payment. This is quite clearly common sense. From either a business or a client point of view it is technically false either way.

@synnyzter...those "features" are optional and totally unnecessary to send or receive email, flirt or to give your outside contact information. (contact info okay once you've been on there for a very short time. A day or so) Those optional features are so that you can send "virtual gifts" etc, not so that you can make contact and actually meet someone. A lot of sites that require a paid membership to do what POF allows for free, have "extra features" you can add for more money. Who needs'em, i sure don't. BUT there are those that enjoy those added/optional features. Different strokes...

The following are some of the "OPTIONAL features" that require the paid membership:

As an "upgraded" (paying) member, you will show up FIRST on Meet Me. PLUS THE FOLLOWING:
See if your emails were read or deleted
Experience POF ad-free.
Find out the date and time someone viewed your profile.
Send three gifts per day
Upload 16 images. (instead of 8 for non paying members)

Big whoopee on ALL of the above "features"! They aren't necessary to contact/ meet that special someone, by any means.

Sounds like a bunch of nitpicking and POF haters to me...POF is, in my opinion, the best site for actually meeting quality people face to face/in person and 100% FREE to do so...period! The rest is up to the two people involved.

To repeat, as of March 29, 2015 POF is still 100% FREE to send/receive email to anyone. (unless the member themselves paid or otherwise, has their settings to their personal preferences that may not allow contact because of distance etc)

To all the naysayers: I've used many different sites paying and non paid memberships and POF, in my experience, is the best 100% FREE to send/receive email to anyone, and to actually meet quality people face to face/in person...period! And the email exchanged or your profile isn't censored as strictly (as a matter of fact little to none except for nudity etc) as a very well know site that requires a paid membership to contact in any way, shape or form. Also even the sites people have to pay for a membership on to contact, have extra features that are optional but require even more money!

This all sounds like a bunch of nitpicking to me...and common sense has nothing to do with it.

Plenty of fish is not free try it signup and see what happen . as soon as you recieve a mesage and you try to check that message it will ask for your credit card if you don't put your credit card you won't be able to get the mesage and I am not even a man I am a woman at least they should make it free for women ... try it sign up and you will see what I mean ...someone sent me a mesage and I could not get my mesage unless I pay... this is not free ...

@friendlyghost...I don't know what you're doing wrong that you've come to the conclusion you have. I don't have to "try" it, i'm already on POF and it is, and always has been, absolutely 100% free! That's free to signup, contact, email, and receive email! I've never been ask for a credit card unless i wanted to upgrade. I don't, no reason to. But like i said, there are paying members because they want the extra options. That's a choice we ALL have. Sheesh. I repeat...the only time you cannot contact someone is when they have a 75 mile limit on the people that can contact them OR have it set to only paying members can contact them. Wow people, maybe those of you that honestly think you have to pay ought to go to the "Help" section on POF and check it out. You can do that without being a member.

There are people who want to meet you. Upgrade now to see who they are!

Seeing who wants to meet you does not seem like an "extra" feature/

@GoodOlChuck That Meet Me option is a member looking at different member photos and clicking on Yes, Maybe or No, and then if a member clicks on that to see who said Yes, Maybe or No...that is when one will get that "Upgrade now to see who they are!". It is not a necessary feature to contact, or be contacted. A pretty good clue if another member wants to meet you is when they contact you or you them and they respond in kind, and that is still 100% free. When you contact or they contact you...you can see them...IF they have a photo posted, and again that is 100% free.

I have never been a upgraded/paying member on POF, and have contacted, been contacted and actually met several very nice men. POF is the only site, paying or not, that i have met so many members on and face to face...one day i will be meeting that special someone. At least the chances of doing that are better on POF then on any other site, and to do that is still 100 % free as of April 15, 2015. Happy Trails to you all!

I agree with all the posts about the viewed me feature. POF is not a 100% free dating site that it claimed to be anymore. Now that the viewed me feature is gone I an on and off the site in a matter of a few minutes at best. The viewed me feature was the first click of the mouse and most important to me. The reason I say this is because, it enable me to see who may or may not have been possibly interested, now you are definitely in the dark on that. My interest on the site has dropped at least 50% because of this probably even more. My actions speak louder than words. So this is the beginning of a trend, that will undoubtedly loose many members.

@Nick4views: I find your comment about the View Me so-called problem very odd, and totally untrue. I just went on POF clicked on "Viewed Me" and ta da it showed who viewed me, and i am NOT a paying member! I repeat, POF IS INDEED 100% FREE as of today June 6, 2015! I'm beginning to think that those of you who keep saying that you HAVE TO PAY to contact people etc, or in this case a totally different so-called problem, simply do not know how to use the site. I do know this, there are a lot of falsehoods being said on this site about POF, and i find that unfortunate for those that might believe all of you. They are losing out on using an excellent and 100% FREE dating site. Other then being a FREE member of POF, i am not associated in any other way...so i have nothing to benefit from standing up for POF, other then expressing my experience and challenging the falsehoods being spread.

Each feature on there (or any other site) is an individual choice and option... depending on what each person considers a priority. Personally i couldn't care less about the Viewed Me feature, only who actually takes the time to contact me. ;)

I can only reiterate, check POF (Plentyoffish) out for yourself, and you will find the negativity regarding POF totally UNtrue. That is IF you take the time to learn how to use the site, of course.

Seriously, the "viewed Me" feature? LOL I just checked it out and it's alive and well and doing what it's always done...allowing me to see who "viewed me". A feature i personally couldn't care less about, but viva la difference! I care most about who actually "contacts" me, rather then who viewed me or added me to their favorites. Sheesh. Don't you people have something better to do then to spread all these falsehoods about one of the best 100% FREE sites on the net?

I reiterate, go check POF out for yourself, you won't be sorry. That is IF you take the time to actually learn how to use the site, which it seems the people spreading the falsehoods have yet to do. Anybody need any help regarding POF, contact me. I'd be glad to help. Oh yeah, other then being a 100% FREE MEMBER, i have nothing to gain from challenging the falsehoods being spread.

Hey JB$%,
I think that you're working for POF or are linked to them someway or an other, if not why do you care so much. Taking all that precious time of yours to defend them. What's your interest? It is not 100% free, bottom line, get over it! Your real name must be Marcus Frind, or something Frind otherwise you would'nt care that much. Busted!,

Hey sugarbrown...busted indeed. lol What i know is that all you naysayers regarding POF simply don't know what you're talking about. Pretty simple really, i mean if any of you bothered to actually check it out for yourselves, you would see how silly and untrue the comments made by the POF haters are. I repeat, (yes i know, falling on deaf ears apparently) yes it is 100% FREE ' to receive and contact anybody and everybody', unless THAT individual has their settings set to not accept. Thanks for your concern regarding my time, but it is MY time. Read my lips: 100% free to contact and to receive messages/email. That's all one needs to do to meet the person of their dreams...

P.S.
I'm just sticking up for the truth (not POF)...no more, no less!

I' ve signed up for POF, a few days ago actually, and find it hard to navigate ;to many features. What can i do/ can't i do? As a none paying member, a real headache! I'm just very desapointed not a hater. The who viewed me feature, is not free at all. Pof to me is a big let down.

See, i've received several messages, but none of them we're sent to my e-mail. Nothing, nada, zilch What do you have to say about that, now!

SugarBrown...If you go to the "Help" section at the top of the page(s) there's a lot of helpful information there. Sorry you're having so many problems, but i honestly can't understand why.

CAN DO: Send and receive messages to/from any member. (unless a member has it set otherwise) I mean what more do you need? The rest is really up to you. While using the site, you will find out what you can and cannot do.

A few of the CAN'T DOs: Send gifts, see IF member viewed you, when they were last online etc...all options that are totally UNnecessary to contact another member.

Good luck to you!

P.S.
Like i've said before, it isn't the who "viewed" you that's important. One gets a lot of views, just like most of us view a lot of profiles. Doesn't mean we're interested. Gotta look to find. ;) I would think that what would be most important to most of us would be who actually "contacts" us?

My messages are not getting through. Had a friend who's on POF, send me several messages, several times didn't get any of them. Unbealevable! Now what do you have to say about!?! Maybe it's because i'm not a PREMIUM MEMBER! Mr Marcus FRIND!

That's just untter nonsense and i'm beginning to think that some of you are just on here to bad mouth POF, or simply have nothing better to do. So have at'er, but i'm done with this nonsense. All any of you need to do is CHECK IT OUT FOR YOURSELVES! Unless you happen to be totally computer/dating site illiterate, there will be no problems navigating POF or any other site on the net!

Now all of you go ahead with your POF hatin' selves...PERSONALLY i have better things to do...

Ta Ta

Check it out for YOURSELVES please...
Plentyoffish Media Inc.
701 Fifth Avenue, Suite 5400, Seattle, Washington 98104
United States
Customer Care
Phone:[protected]
Web:www.pof.com
Work days: Closed (Mon)
- (Tue)
- (Wed)
- (Thu)
- (Fri)
- (Sat)
- (Sun)
PlentyOfFish (POF) is an online dating service, popular primarily in Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, Brazil and the United States.

Ta Ta...for real. :)

I know i'm Canadian! Whatever! You're the one, who said that you wanted to help. GO TO HELL MARKUS!

I have been on POF for a few years and it was always FREE. Recently I started receiving some inquiries from other members, but absolutely could not view them nor could I respond without paying for an "UPGRADE' which I do not want to do. I don't know when it changed, but it is no longer FREE and the ad right on this page saying it is is just an outright lie and false advertising. They usually get around it by saying it is 100% free to SIGN UP! The other thing I don't like is that there seems to be NO way to contact them. I have looked all over their website. Nothing. Just canned answers to FAQ. Totally do not like not being able to get in touch with a human. Not a good sign, as far as I'm concerned.

@2islandgirl...Your comment is totally untrue. Hardly "canned" answers...they are as with all FAQs there to help members...the rest is up to the member to figure it out. If you cannot that is your problem, not that of any, particular, website.

You've been on POF for YEARS, and you JUST RECENTLY started receiving inquiries? That in itself makes me question your ability to navigate. Anybody that understands English should not have a problem navigating POF, and as of July 5, 2015 it is still FREE TO CONTACT and RECEIVE MESSAGES/EMAIL FROM ANY MEMBER...unless a particular member has THEIR settings set otherwise. Period.

Dang right you guys. I had someone tell me just the other day that it is free and awesome and [censored] I was pissed when i realized it was basically a scam!

@Jonathan Hoffman...YES it is still FREE and still awesome. You are just another misinformed and unlearned citizen. Sorry you couldn't figure the POF website out. There are a lot of scams out there, POF is NOT one of them. It's too bad the misinformed public exists, and then persists in spreading such misinformation about one of the truly best 100% FREE dating sites on the internet.

Interesting how POF used to show the name of who ever was "wanting to meet you", now recently it just says "someone" wants to meet you. I guess they figured out you could just copy the name of whoever wanted to meet you and paste it in the search for member section without upgrading. Funny how it took them so long to figure this out!

i agree - they advertise themselves as FREE - then you have to pay - absurd and too bad for the people who start with good intentions and then have to back out - bad karma POF

Just logged in. I am a male, if anyone going to get ripped off by a dating site that would be males. POF is not any different in that respect in that it gives free Upgraded memberships to lots of women. However, I can still search for and contact women for whom my profile meets their contact criteria based on age, distance, sex, etc.

Now, for the stalkers that are complaining on this thread, I TOTALLY AGREE: POF is not 100% free for STALKERS. If you want to know when people were on line, and you want to know if someone read and deleted your message or deleted your message unread so that you can send them THREATS. Then for you stalkers you will need to pay.

I agree that POF is nothing but a lying son a ... They say they are a 100% free dating site yet when I go to try receiving or sending a message it right away jumps to the charges.

This aimed at the poster named jb#$% - man, you are so 100% "full of $#!T" it's unreal ! = how ironic that of all the replies that have been submitted... No less than fourteen of them are yours - the following statements by you are pathetic & truly laughable... You said ~ "personally i have better things to do... Ta ta" ~ followed by "ta ta... For real" & yet still kept yapping & yapping b. S. For real ~ which bit of "be gone & stay gone" (Liar) , are you failing to grasp ? ~ in plain english mate, "p!$$ off & take your lying bull#### with you" ~ i've been on your (Previously good) site since 2010 (On & off) ~ messages & written contact were free of charge, but no longer (As of december 2016 & presumably a l'il while before) ~ when i joined ( & five years thereafter) , you used to have a welcome-preamble section stating that you were proud to've formed a free site for singles to meet & communicate ~ what happened man ? ~ i'll tell you ~ you got greedy & "sold out" on your principle, making you & your (Now, today) , fake-liar site a 100% prime-time necessity for execution by verbal firing-squad, righteously, on this complaints board...
- on may 7th 1940 in the houses of parliament, mp, leo amery, flung these words at prime minister chamberlain after yet another (Epic) wartime failure ~ amery repeated oliver cromwell’s (Paraphrased) words of april 20, 1653, in parliament = “you have sat too long for any good you have been doing lately. Depart, i say, and let us have done with you.In the name of god, go !”
( & take your 14 extraneous b. S. Posts with you, you surreptitious money-grabbing [censor] !)

I signed up a week ago, I got to my email, I have like 36 emails from supposed people wanting to meet me... missy k sent you a message, to view her profile click here, I do that and it just takes me to upgrade

To view message click here, same deal. In another spot I did have 2 people respond to me, but nothing from the email will tell me who it is without upgrading

I want money from Plenty of Fish for taking MY information after stating on TV ad their services are FREE and after entering all your personal information they have it, and then they notify a person they will have to pay to access the people who are on this site. Plenty of Fish television ad states clearly their site is FREE and asks the question why would you pay to use a dating service that charges? "Plenty of Fish is FREE." Clear lies in advertisement. They need to be taken down.

Here in the UK, as of July 2018, POF is not free at all. A relative of mine, who is recently widowed, asked if I knew of any dating sites as he knew I was actively online 10 years ago. At the time, POF was my site of choice and it was wholly free. But not now, regardless of all the 'false' advertising that still exists out there (I'm not talking about 'legacy' advertising either).

So I'm now looking for a dating website that IS free.

My personal experience on POF leads me to agree with those who state their experience on the site is deceptive. It is now Dec 28, 2018 and my subscription just expired. After trying to get back on the site to see who "wants to meet me", (after two alerts to my reg email), the site would not show who they were without my paying again. Also when viewing "who's online now" and attempting to send multiple messages, i was greeted with a message saying "i didn't meet the posters requirements", and no they were in my area, near my age, heterosexual, and had common wants/needs. Maybe the site was totally free years ago but certainly not today! Maybe the owners need a crash course in the meaning of words!