The first word of advice here is to pay the total amount by personal check after the agreement is signed. Why not pay on terms and on a credit card? For one thing, a canceled check is the absolute proof you made the payment, and if you paid in full, there can be no (or at least little) contest more money is due.
Two different people complained about one office of a well known national dating service, that they, and several other members were persuaded to make installment payments by credit card. On some payments, the installments were double billed. When the member contacted the credit card company, the credit card company sent an inquiry to the dating service office, who sent back a statement that the charge was justified and credit would not be issued.
Another office of the same company used variations of this trick on two other members. In one, they agreed (verbally) to alternate installment payments between two different credit cards belonging to the member, but the company routinely billed the full installment on both cards and refused to issue any credit. The other member gave them two credit card account numbers with the promise by the dating service that the total payment amount would be evenly divided between the two cards so neither of her accounts would reach the credit limit.
But the company billed both cards for the full amount, and refused to issue credit to either card, causing both her cards to reach the credit limit and both become invalid until she was able to pay off the amount of the charge to the card. Legal action was the only recourse to get the dating service to refund the double charged amount.
However you decide to pay, make sure you have the total amount for the duration of the service, and any payment terms, usual or unusual, IN WRITING and signed by the representative and the management of the company.
