Thanks for the info... I wonder if 1&1 private registration is like DomainsByProxy.com, where if you make a request for the information, it will cost the owner $20 per inquiry...

Heather of Rocklin CA (6/12/03):
I received a letter stating I had a past due balance on an open account through Great Expectations company. Per the advice of my attorney, I contested their record of my status and requested a full refund of monies paid, due to breach of contract by Great Expectations for the reasons outlined below.

Summary Regarding my unfortunate experience with Great Expectations Company, (GE Sacramento Group, LLC), 2277 Fair Oaks Blvd., Suite 195, Sacramento, CA 95825. Breach of contract occurred for the following reasons:

    * No services were rendered, with the exception of a video shoot and photo session (occurring on the same day - December 20, 2002)
    * No goods or services were exchanged. The following events also pertain to breach of contract and are reasons I immediately discontinued association with Great Expectations, following my video/photo appointment on December 20, 2002.:
    * Company's services were misrepresented
    * Contract was presented under false pretense.
    * Deceived by salesperson
    * Very dissatisfied with service received.
    * Forced to sign contract under duress.
    * Did not receive services and products as outlined verbally by sales person prior to signing contract.

October 22, 2002 - Met with someone named "Kathy" who claimed to be manager of the Great Expectations (GE) business in Sacramento. She explained the service to me as a way to connect young single people in the Sacramento area who are gainfully employed and whose background and history are verified. She mentioned there were "over 900 single men in the age 27-35 age group, just in Sacramento." She also stated that she was giving me a "special offer that she couldn't extend to everyone" and claimed it was necessary I sign a contract that night, or I would be charged the fully price ($4000+) if I returned at a later date.

During our meeting, I was promised the following things:

    * Full access to other member's profiles
    * Ease of use on the Internet to read/view profiles
    * Connection to other members through a third party
    * Ability to view and send a personal video (filmed by GE) to other members
    * Numerous avenues of correspondence, including letters, postcards, video, email, and phone contact (if approved by other member).
    * A professional photo shoot to choose two pictures to display in their member profiles.
    * A professional video taping where I would be asked a series of pre-determined questions, showing my interests and personality.
    * A pleasant, comfortable experience in all the processes.

I made a down payment of $265.00. with the understanding that I would make payments of $50/month for 36 months, totaling $1935.00. I signed up to have my video taken and to participate in my "professional" photo shoot (which unexpectedly cost extra money) for November 14, 2002. Between October 22, 2002 and November 16, I began to have apprehensions about the process and decided to cancel my photo shoot.

November 11, 2002 - When I called GE, an unnamed woman answered the phone and said, We can't really cancel your membership. I said, "But I haven't even used the services yet, so I'm not actually yet a member." She said, "You're a member when you sign the contract, even if you haven't had your video shoot or photo shoot yet." After talking for approximately 5 minutes, she convinced me to reschedule the photo and video shoot for a later date, claiming,  It'll give you time to really think about whether or not you want to continue your service. I rescheduled both the video and photo shoot for December 20, 2002.

December 3, 2002 - I found a debit had been made to my bank account in the amount of $50.00 (my predetermined monthly payment for service). I hadn't even begun to use the services, so I was extremely unhappy.

December 20, 2002 - I met Maria at the GE front desk to have a video and photo shoot done for my member profile. After taping the video, she allowed me to stay in the room and view the taping alone. I wasn't happy with my position, the lighting, and other aesthetic aspects of the video. When Maria returned, I told her I was dissatisfied and would like another opportunity to tape my session. She ignored my requests and guided me to a dressing room to prepare for the photo shoot. (At the time, I thought she intended to conduct the photo shoot, then return to the video room to redo my session.)

The professional photo shoot took approximately 5 minutes for each outfit (2) and resulted in approximately 10 shots. The session was hurried and very unprofessional. Maria ignored my concerns about the bright lighting washing out my skin in the pictures. We sat side by side and viewed the digital photography on her computer after the shoot. Only one shot turned out satisfactory - none could be rated as "good" or "great." My face was "washed out" by the harsh lighting (as I'd feared), my positions looked unnatural and uncomfortable, and my smile had shadows cast by poor lighting, causing my teeth to look jagged and missing.

I said to Maria, "Since this is digital camera, can we take a few more with softer lighting?" She ignored my request, once again, saying, "These are fine. I think you look nice." I reiterated my dissatisfaction and she proceeded to print the photos. When she was done, I said, "I'd really like to take some different pictures. I don't feel like these even look like me." She said," It's too late. I've already printed these. If you want to pay for another session, you can." Again, I was extremely dissatisfied and felt like I'd been taken advantage of. The whole process was a terrible experience and extremely unprofessional- not at all what I was promised before entering the contract.

After the photos printed, Maria pulled out more price lists showing how much MORE I'd have to spend if I wanted my photos included in my correspondence and on my profile! I was taken aback, because "Kathy" sold me the service with the understanding that photos were included! Kathy had even stated, "We will send your picture and profile to people you are interested in, then inform you of their response." I got up out of my chair and told Maria, "I don't want any part of this anymore. I am extremely unhappy. I felt like I've been lied to and I have not received near the service I was promised." Maria replied, "I'm sorry, but there's nothing I can do. You'll have to talk to someone at the front counter.

I approached the front counter and told "Amy" about my unsatisfactory experience and my desire to cancel membership immediately. She said, "I don't" really have the authority to do that, but if you fill out this card (handed me a "Request to Become Inactive" form), then your membership will be frozen for two months." I stated that if she didn't have the authority, I would like to speak to the manager. Amy said she'd leave a message for the manager to call me. I filled out the card, which only had options for becoming inactive because of "Dating", "Living Together", "Engaged", or "Married." I was none of the above (not even dating) but I chose "Dating" just to activate the freeze period and await a response from the manager.

February 10, 2003 - I called GE and told an unnamed person at the front desk that I was waiting to hear from the manager, but had not received a reply to my message. She took my name and number. I told her my dilemma and she asked me to check my bank account for payment debits. I told her there haven't been any since early December. She said, "Then it sounds like it's been taken care of." I was pleased.

March 28, 2003 - Received a letter via mail from "Barbara" stating that I was overdue for $150 in payments to GE. I told Barbara that I had canceled my membership over 3 months prior and didn't know why I was still getting billed as I'd never used the service. She said, "You owe us this money and you WILL pay it. You signed a contract." I said, "I felt like I signed it under duress and that I was promised services that never occurred or in actuality were only provided at an additional charge." She said, "Duress? What did we do? Tie you to a chair and put a gun to your head?" I said, "Obviously you don't want to resolve this, so I'll have my attorney contact your office." I ended the conversation.

It is clearly evident that the contract was not fulfilled on behalf of Great Expectations. The numerous instances of dissatisfaction and breach of contract outlined in this letter are the reasons I demanded the company cease and desist all collections and refund monies paid. Their last action was to send me to a collection agency and summons me to appear in court.

Registrant:
Great Expectations
  P.O. Box 980279
  Houston, TX 77098
  US

  Domain Name: GREAT-EXPECTATIONS.COM

  Administrative Contact, Technical Contact:
   Great Expectations           Whois Privacy and Spam Prevention by DomainTools.com
   P.O. Box 980279
   Houston, TX 77098
   US
   713-524-1800


  Record expires on 11-Apr-2014.
  Record created on 21-Apr-2005.

  Domain servers in listed order:

  NS1.ITSGI.BIZ        216.177.118.252
  NS2.ITSGI.BIZ        216.177.118.253
  NS1.ITSGI.NET

Registrant:
Speak Enterprises
  14760 MEMORIAL DR
  HOUSTON, TX 77079-5251
  US

  Domain Name: SPEAKENTERPRISES.COM

  Administrative Contact:
   Speak Enterprises           speak103@yahoo.com
   14760 MEMORIAL DR
   HOUSTON, TX 77079-5251
   US
   281-752-9344 fax: 281-752-9734

  Technical Contact:
   Network Solutions, LLC.           speak103@yahoo.com
   13861 Sunrise Valley Drive
   Herndon, VA 20171
   US
   1-888-642-9675 fax: 571-434-4620

  Record expires on 21-Jul-2008.
  Record created on 21-Jul-2001.

  Domain servers in listed order:

  NS1.SERVER267.COM      64.14.68.29
  NS2.SERVER267.COM      64.14.68.30