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For most of us, online dating is a crapshoot.
You never really know who you're 'talking' to online, and whether the person who claims to be a gorgeous blonde with the perfect figure is actually closer to Phyllis Diller, or if the man whosays he's a George Clooney clone is reallymore likeCurious George.
But what if you could pay for a guarantee that who that person says they are is really who walks into that door for your first meeting? And what if you knew they were worth a fortune?
That'sthe idea behind the Millionaire's Club, which officially launched its service in Canada Friday.
The company makes no bones about what it's there for - giving what it calls"perfect 10" women a chance to meet men whose rankings and finances are both atthe same number.
The idea - the men who join up for the service are all well off and guaranteed to meet certain standards.
But unlike other similar online dating sites, this one means business.
While woman can join for free, not everyone gets in.
The females who sign upare carefully screened, and those who pass muster must sign a waiver guaranteeing a $10,000 penalty if they ask their rich date for any money.
That's done to discourage gold diggers who might otherwise be after a guy just for his large wallet.
Is it a little cynical?
"Wanting a successful man? There is no crime to that," suggests founder Patti Stanger, who became a millionaire on her own by creating the concept. "I think that's wonderful. Who wants to be poor and struggling?"
But why would a rich and presumably very eligible bachelor need such a service?Stanger explains it's because they're so busy making money, they simply don't have time to find the right woman.
And some can't find the girl of their dreams for other reasons.
"Do you think every millionaire has a personalitythat theygo up to a woman and ask for their number?" she asks. "No. A lot of these guys are famous, celebrities, andthe tabloids would kick their butt to China."
It sounds far fetched at first glance, but it's obviouslyworking - the club boasts some 10,000 female members around the world, all looking for Mr. Right.
Some of the men are athletes, business barons or celebrities. But all of them have one thing in common - they'rerich.
They'd have to be to afford the fees the service charges.
It costs $10,000 U.S. a year for any well off guy to get unlimited access to the club's database in Ontario.
It's 20-grand if you want to expand that pool to the Canada or the U.S.
And it's even more if you desire a personal search to find that special someone who meets your specific criteria somewhere in the world.
It takes only five new millionaires a month in each city, to up the odds of finding the perfect woman.
Natalie Wardrobe, a 21-year-old local, wants to be one of them. "The money to me isn'ta big deal," she argues. "But I like the screening process."
Those who joinare given access to a bevy of specialists, including professional hair stylists, personal trainers, image consultants, hypnotherapists - even cosmetic surgeons.
So does it work? The founders insist it does. The site claims that four out of five members get into a relationship as a direct result of joining the club.
Even if it seems more monetary than matrimonial.
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