The Travel Center

[To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed Administratively Resolved]
 Complaint: [redacted]
I am rejecting this response because: Vouchers were returned in original condition.  They were sent certified mail and were signed for by the company on 2 June 2014.  I received an email from them dated 4 June 2014 stating they would not process the refund until I closed the complaint, which I will do when they refund the money.
Regards,
[redacted]

March 13, 2015
Dear [redacted],Please forward Ms. Ceasers complaint letter to the proper company. The Travel Center does not advertise or sell anything. The Travel Center does not fax anything to anyone we also do not have contracts or 72 hour cancellation fees nor do we have any of the...

names mentioned employed in our customer service department.The fees paid that [redacted] claims to have paid and requested a refund from the Travel Center is correct, but since her four payments of $69.00 were returned for INS / or drawn from a closed account our bank could not tell from the issuing banks statement. The refund [redacted] is seeking from the Travel Center is not due since her payments bounced.So please have [redacted] check her records and read the contact to find out to whom sold her the package. Since [redacted]'s checks bounced no further correspondence is required from the Travel Center.Sincerely,

[To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed Administratively Resolved]
 Complaint: [redacted]
I am rejecting this response because:
My Husband and I were scammed, we were told that if we sat and listen to an hour sales pitch, (which we did) we would receive a FREE cruise and that never happen. It
turned out to be something that would have cost  a $1000 or more. Nothing of what we were told was free! I want the total amount of $138 that we sent to them by money order because we never received a free vacation cruise. I can return the paper that I'm sure didn't cost them $25 to make the voucher, yet I expect the full amount to be paid back because we were lied to.
Regards
[redacted]

November 11, 2014
Dear [redacted],After reading the letter and in an attempt to pull [redacted] file it has come to my attention that [redacted] has never paid the Travel Center any fund. Please have [redacted] check to see what company the payments were made to and forward...

the request to them.I believe that this letter was sent to our company the Travel Center by mistake. It is possible that our information was sent to [redacted] by the company that the purchase from or the Seminar attended. Our company the Travel Center does not advertise sell or promotes our company to the general public.[redacted] has not paid the Travel Center the funds requested so the request to be refunded is not possible. The Travel Center does customer service for several online booking companies in an attempt to assist in filling out the online documents and to answer any questions. All of the online booking companies have a no refund policy. On their websites to book their clients have to click on that response to their no refund policy to receive their quote requested.
It is clear that [redacted] is upset with [redacted] Vacations. This is the company that said it was free not the booking company or the Travel Center so please forward her refund request to [redacted] Vacations.Sincerely,Donna
Comptroller

March 6, 2015
Dear [redacted],
After reading [redacted] letter and in pulling her file this is what we have on record. Nowhere in [redacted]'s file is there any mention of 13 people she is activating for. [redacted] activated for two people not 13 people. Also it was for 8...

day and 7 nights not the extended 14 days she requested along with the additional travelers. The Travel Center and [redacted] are two different companies just as the company that the vacation was purchased from. As the signed documents enclosed verify [redacted] had knowledge of this prior to sending the Travel Center any money. The Travel Center would never have told [redacted] that the airfare is included since the Travel Center is not the company that sold the package. Since the Travel center does not sell, advertise anything. As to [redacted] statement that the booking processes took too long, since the Travel Center is not the booking company that company will have to answer to those questions.The Travel Center is not involved in a bait and switch scam. On the documents enclosed it is clear as to what services the Travel Center provides. It is clear that [redacted] does not read and retain the terms and conditions of the companies that have been involved in the process. I cannot and will not allow [redacted] to group our company with the company that she claims had mislead her into believing that 13 people can travel for the price of two. As to vacation that was purchased from [redacted] that was not being listed on the booking company's website that the Travel Center provided [redacted]. Then why submit for the vacation request quote to be given for something that was purchased and was not listed? A call should have been made to our customer service department to find out why it was not listed on the booking company's website. Unless the bait and switch portion of this is coming from [redacted]'s attempt to get something that our booking companies cannot supply.
Since the Travel Center has no knowledge of what was purchased, as stated on the signed documents. The Travel Center would only have knowledge of what our booking companies can supply. The Travel Center cannot and will not be held responsible for the he said she said factor when all the documents | supplied from [redacted] and were signed by [redacted] say this fact.Since the documents enclosed verify our involvement as to only being the company that assigns a discount booking company. We have no knowledge of what was sold / or given to any client. Since [redacted] has threatened our company on many levels all because she did not read and comprehend what she has either purchased or was given. Since [redacted] changes her story as to what was actually submitted to our company and in the letter to your agency what was purchased. She continues to demand a full refund being issued from the Travel Center from two different email addresses. No further correspondence is required by the Travel Center since no refund is required due to the documents that were signed by [redacted]. It is her choice to accuse us of things we had nothing to do with or had knowledge of. You can read the emails to and from [redacted] enclosed as to why no further response will be forth coming from the Travel Center. Since her bait and switch tactic will not be tolerated by the Travel Center I suggest sugar is better than vinegar when dealing with signatures on documents.
Sincerely, DonnaComptroller

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: <[redacted]>
Date: Wed, Oct 1, 2014 at 12:40 PM
Subject: Re: CID [redacted]; [redacted]
To: [redacted] <[redacted]>
[redacted],
Thanks,but I gave up and shredded all papers .
Too much pain.
Donna and your irrelevant to her  F rating bodes well for license to scam geriatric population .
I do apriciate your late reply
 [redacted]  [redacted].
Sent from my [redacted]
On Oct 1, 2014, at 9:08 AM, [redacted] <[redacted]> wrote:
 
**. [redacted],
 
I apologize if there was some misunderstanding about the function or scope of the Revdex.com.  As a non-profit organization, we provide a monitored forum for businesses and consumers to communicate towards a resolution.  We attempt to provide assistance in this process.  In addition, we offer mediation and binding arbitration.  As we are not a government or regulating agency, we do not have the authority to force either party into participation in our process.  If a business chooses not to participate or to attempt to resolve the issue, we cannot force them to do so.  However, their unwillingness to participate is reflected in our rating of them.  For example, The Travel Center currently has a 'F' rating with the Revdex.com.  I hope this information is helpful to you.
You may also consider filing a complaint with the Florida Attorney General's Office of Consumer Protection. I have provided a link to their website below.
Link: [redacted]
Best,
[redacted]

After reading over Ms. [redacted]'s complaint we will do our best to answer her questions and complains to the best of our ability.
At this time after reading over Ms. [redacted]'s complaint it seems that the reason she has sent this complaint to you is that her file was placed on hold after...

threatening negative action against our company in an attempt to more or less demand a refund of the funds that she sent to us. Unfortunately, putting a hold on the file after such a threat is standard until the customer sends a letter stating that no legal nor negative action will be taken. Ms. [redacted] did not want to complete this action nor has she so when she continued to email our company it was standard procedure not to answer her, it was stated in the email to her that she would not receive assistance until the letter was received from her so our company not answering her should not have been a surprise.We are sorry that Ms. [redacted] feels that she has sent in the payment for something that she was not looking for. At this time we will be more than happy to offer Ms. [redacted] a partial refund for her troubles of $88.00. This is minus a cancellation fee for cancelling her activation with our company. If Ms. [redacted] wishes to take advantage of this partial refund she would need to send an email to the refund department at [redacted] referencing that she would like to receive the partial refund offered through the Revdex.com complaint response. This will bypass the refund departments hold on her file and cause them to issue her the partial refund.
At this time we feel we have addressed all issues and offered a more than fair response to this complaint. We hope Ms. [redacted] is satisfied with our response.
Sincerely,
The Travel Center Staff

[To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed Administratively Resolved]
 Complaint: [redacted]
I have sent the business an email requesting the refund for $276.00. I would like to keep this open in the event they refuse a refund. I need to file a new complaint for the company I began with [redacted]. We paid them $900.00 with the prospect that it was condo and airfare. I will file a new complaint tomorrow for them. Thank you for interceding on our behalf with a company that hasn't given to us what they advertised.
Regards,
[redacted]

[To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed Administratively Resolved]
 Complaint: [redacted]
I am rejecting this response because: The Travel Center's most recent response is ridiculous and a classic case of passing the buck.  My complaint is with The Travel Center….obviously, several letters over now, my concern is with receiving my money back and the check was written to The Travel Center, not to the company who presented. Claiming that they no longer have the funds is laughable.  They are a company taking in similar funds of unsuspecting, trusting people like us every day and certainly they can come up with $138.00 to make this right.  The Travel Center received signed documents from us with clarification in writing by us on both documents that we needed information on the details of our costs first.  When they finally answered their phones, they told us that the booking company could give us that information, but did not clarify that, by the time they gave us contacts with the booking company, it would be too late to get our initial money back.  It is clearly a black and white issue that The Travel Center cannot answer to adequately because they know they are deceiving many others in this same way.  
This case should not be closed.  The Travel Company needs to refund this money.  Why is this so difficult.  They are quite aware of their wrongdoing and passing it off as someone else's problem.  A simple refund check is all that is asked.  It is OK to admit and apologize for wrongdoing, or call it a mistake, either way.  Their company's integrity seems like it would be worth that much.
Regards,
[redacted]

[To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed Administratively Resolved]
 Complaint: [redacted]
Dear [redacted];I have circulated [redacted]'s most recent correspondence to the Revdex.com among our entire group initially involved in approaching her companies to secure a vacation package to Las Vegas. The reaction was universal. We are not interested in her offer of a partial refund. We contend that we are owed $1810.00 and not a dollar less. We have been witness to incredibly unscrupulous and deceptive business practices, which, at minimum, seem solely designed to separate unwitting customers from their money and thinly veil those efforts in manufactured 'legalize’ which she contends should shield her from any attempt on the part of a dissatisfied consumer to secure a total refund. Again, despite her denials of any involvement in First Select Travel, our research indicates otherwise. We continue to believe that she has an intimate knowledge if not a background role with cohorts at that group and could easily work across lines to honor a full refund request.
We contend that her time, presuming she is interested in operating a credible and honest business, would be better spent trying to live up to her stated claim, that being that her organization has a 'stellar' (my word) customer service record. Instead, according to what we have learned via a number of sources, it would appear that her time is inordinately devoted to writing rebuttal letters to complaints filed with the Revdex.com and the Consumer Protection department in the Maryland AG's office.
So, to summarize; Our initial conversation with the customer service rep at The Travel Center, in which we laid out an itinerary, received a price, and were given assurances that what was agreed upon during that call was what we could expect, quickly changed into referrals to 2 other companies we had no knowledge of initially, both of whom were abundantly clear we could not hold them accountable for any of the actions of the others, and essentially left us in a position that would have had us waiting for a ‘quote” for our trip and an unnamed vendor willing to pick up our package, all after having made one additional payment and would have needed to make a third in order to take this what we determined would have been a risky step, based on what we were learning about the experiences of many others who worked the process through to completion only to never have their travel request fulfilled and who could not, despite persistent efforts, able to secure a refund. We believe the structure of this process is intentional and strategic and is designed to provide The Travel Center and its sister groups with the ability to secure payments without the risk of making refunds when customers complaint, as many, many have. We believe this represents, at minimum, highly unethical behavior and which, in the extreme, borders on the illegal.
Sincerely yours,
[redacted]

April 13, 2015
Dear [redacted],After reading [redacted]'s letter to your agency and in pulling her file this is my response to her concerns. [redacted] only paid the Travel Center $276.00 for two different vacations packages, not the $948.00 she is seeking. The Travel...

Center cannot refund any fees collected by another company.Here at the Travel Center we do not advertise, fax or sell anything. [redacted] was sent to The Travel Center from [redacted] as indicated on her activation form by the promo code. I have that company's address on file as [redacted], Albuquerque, NM [redacted] Telephone number of ###-###-#### Email address of [redacted].comI can also advise [redacted] that any fee's that were paid to [redacted] has not been forwarded to the Travel Center, so we could not have sent any amount to the booking company to pay for the vacation. All of the booking companies that the Travel Center selects to provide the discounted vacation quotes to our clients to my knowledge are not associated with [redacted], so they would not have sent those funds to the booking company. The fees paid to the Travel Center are used to purchase the online booking access codes to their online sites to process the vacation that the customer is requesting. As stated on the signed document that is provided to the Travel Center has to purchase those access codes.
All [redacted] needs to do is go to our refund department email address of TCWWCustomerService@[redacted].com and request the refund. If the online booking codes have not been used or a vacation quote has not been received by [redacted]. I can authorize a partial refund of $138.00. [redacted] will need to mention the amount offered of $138.00 in the email and it will be given to the comptroller to process immediately, if the online codes were not used for both vacation packages there is no money left on her account to refund. Once, the partial refund is paid to [redacted] she will not be able to request the quote or book the vacation with the online company. [redacted] will need to contact [redacted] for the funds she paid that company to be refunded to her.Sincerely, The Accounting Department

[To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed Administratively Resolved]
 Complaint: [redacted]
I am rejecting this response because: We mailed The Travel center on 3/19/14 $414 to [redacted] Maryland  [redacted].  We did send this by check so we have proof you did receive it.  We mailed this along with $800 to another company then another $150 to the reservation center.  I know you are not responsible for the last two but you are responsible for the $414.00.  Yes, this is the second travel center you referred us to and we were not supposed to pay another 245.00 per person for a trip that was supposed to cost $133 a person.  So you are wrong.  We are not happy that your reservation center wants another $240 a person.  We are not happy we have been lied to.  We are not happy that you all will NOT stand behind your sale.  You are beating around the bush with your responses that it is not your fault.  We are not paying 800+414+150+(243*6)=$2804 to pay for a trip to [redacted] that was supposed to cost $798 for 6.  If you refund out money OR send us on a trip with the money we have already paid we will be happy.  But we will not be paying another 240 a person.  How do we know they arne't going to take that money and do what your doing.  We cannot take any more chances.  We don't have money  and this was supposed to be a family thing that has turned into a family nightmare.This is wrong. 
Regards,
[redacted]

see attachment

After reading the letter from Ms. [redacted] and pulling her file this is what I have in...

response.
On April 20, 2015. The Travel Center received Ms. [redacted]'s activation payment of $138.00 check number [redacted].
On April 20, 2015. On the same day Ms. [redacted] payment arrived at the Travel Center an email was sent to [redacted] with an attachment. The attachment was the Booking Information Needed Form. This form is used to assign customer to a booking company, and provide the online access codes to request their travel dates.
On April 24, 2015. The online access codes were emailed to Ms. [redacted].
This is the last correspondence we have received from Ms. [redacted]. During our busy season it is sometime difficult to get through to a live person. On the recording it gives an email address of [redacted] this is provided, so that customers can email their questions for our customer service representatives to answer during our peak season and after hour's callers.
If Ms. [redacted] would like to receive a refund please have her send the request to [redacted] this is our refund departments email address. A partial refund in the amount of $88.00 can be refunded to Ms. [redacted]. Since the Travel Center had to purchase the access codes to the booking company website. Please inform Ms. [redacted] that a check will be mailed to her. Please have Ms. [redacted] put her current mailing address in her email request and to mention the comptroller's name Donna to speed up the process.
Sincerely,
The Accounting Office

July 11, 2014
Dear [redacted],After reading the letter it is clear that the [redacted] is upset with the company that they attended the presentation with after pulling The [redacted] file this is what was found. I have enclosed copies of the documents for your records. I have numbered the...

documents and high light in yellow the areas that the [redacted] stated was not disclosed to them. It covers the area that the Travel Center does not advertise, sell or do the promotion that they attended. All of the complaint issues are covered in the documents I have enclosed. The [redacted] also changed their travel date twice.#1. On May 15, 2014 we received the action form and fee of $318.00 from the [redacted]. Please note that our telephone number is on this document that the [redacted] underlined. This document also covers the fees, taxes that the client is expected to pay for the vacation. Nowhere on this document does it say FREEVACATION. It also covers that these vacations are for off peak season travel. Peak season travel is available at peak season rates. Certain day and time of flight restrictions apply. This document was given to the [redacted] at the time of the presentation.#2. This is the document that [redacted] **. [redacted] sent to our office that covers the issues that were brought up in the complaint. This document was email to the [redacted] after their activation payment was received. As you can see they needed to know the surcharge for the April 2015 reservation request. They have also underlined the Monday and Tuesday departure date for the flight. This document also covers our refund policy. It covers that the Travel Center is not responsible for any advertisement of the product you purchased or written and verbal agreements made by the company you purchased it from. If you have any questions about the package please call that company. If the [redacted] had questions they should have called our office.# 3. This is the document that was emailed to the [redacted] concerning the Peak Season Travel.#4. Is a copy of the email correspondence to and from the [redacted].I am sorry that the [redacted] feels that they have been swindled by the Travel Center. Here at the Travel Center as you can see and read by all the attached documents we make every attempt to ensure that each client is aware of the fees and taxes that needs to be paid. This should have explained that the vacation is not FREE. Until travel dates are submitted for a quote there is no way to know what the cost could be since airlines, hotel fees change daily depending on availability. The Travel Center just cannot insure that the clients read the documents before signing them or take the time to call our customer service number to ask questions prior to requesting their booking dates.The vacation that the [redacted] selected was for a 4 day 3 nights, all- inclusive with air. Since the Travel Center is not the booking company we cannot know if any other request were made to upgrade the room or extend the vacation. We also cannot insure that the vacation will not be taken at their second date selection in November since we are not the booking company. That is why no refunds are given once the booking company is involved.The [redacted] stated the cost was nearly $1,000 dollars. This was for a 4 day 3 nights allinclusive hotel with round trip air is not a bad price since all their food, beverages alcohol and nonmotorized sports and entertainment is included. Less than $500.00 per person for an all-inclusive vacation is not a bad price since they are also taking a loss in pay in that cost of a vacation. So in reality the vacation is very inexpensive for what they are getting.I suggest that this case be closed. Since all of the [redacted] concerns have been address in thesigned documents I have enclosed and in this letter. If they have the advertising issues please have them contact the company that they attended the presentation with.Sincerely,Donna Comptroller

[To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed Administratively Resolved]
 Complaint: [redacted]
I am rejecting this response because:Complaint # [redacted]Inboxx Dear [redacted]Revdex.com  My name is [redacted] and I was scammed via our office fax machine when I responded to an advertisement offering a travel packages. I paid a total of $1,000 to the company [redacted] advertisement over the phone (please see copy of the fax that was received and check in amount of $1,000). Complying with their guidelines, I sent over an additional $69.00/pp “voucher handling fee” as required to select travel dates. Since my check has cleared I have been working tirelessly speaking with numerous people from [redacted], Travel Center and the [redacted] to book my flight. After I paid the $69.00 for my four family members, I received two letters in the mail for my Mexico package and other for my Hawaii package (attached please see copies of the two envelopes).  I have been sending emails back and forth attempting to contact the Mexico booking department but have not received any contact. The names of people I spoke to included [redacted] in various departments to attempt to either get my trip booked or to received a refund. Please see attached copy of my cashed check of $1,000 and $69/pp for the Mexico trip. I am urgently requesting a refund of the amount of $1,276.00 immediately.  Sincerely,
[redacted]

February 26, 2014
Dear **. [redacted],
In response to a rejection letter our office received concerning a **, [redacted], in pulling **. [redacted] file and going over all the records and her complaint this is what was found. The main issues of the rejection letter are being addressed to the other company [redacted]. Since we are not part of that company we cannot answer for them or what conversations have taken place with that company. In [redacted] written terms and conditions it goes over the booking process and the different companies that are involved in the booking process. On our signed documents in **. [redacted]’s file it states that “The airline vouchers may or may not be able to be used with some of the vacations offered”. If **. [redacted] would have called one of our customer service agents would have been able to go over the travel dates. Yes, some clients add additional days to their travel plans or use the airline voucher at a different time. The email address that the refund request was sent to is incorrect email I provided the correct email address in the first correspondence. All refund requests must be sent to refund email department. I am sorry that **. [redacted] feels that [redacted] mislead her. Here at the Travel Center we make every attempt to answer all customer questions and make every attempt to solve any problem we can. Like when **. [redacted] did not register her voucher within the time frame required. We have mailed the extension letter and stickers to **. [redacted] as requested back in November of 2013 to book her selection in the attempt to help **. [redacted]. When a refund is request is received from **. [redacted] to the correct department at the Travel Center the refund process can be started. Once all the different agencies involved files have been closed that **. [redacted] stated in her letter she has written to as of this date we have not received any letters from the agencies mentioned. The refund department will respond with **. [redacted]’s options and what steps must be taken.
Since the Travel Center has answered all questions and have mailed the extension items per requested and still **. [redacted] has chosen to involve other agencies in her attempt to contact [redacted] with the complaint issues with that company. No further correspondence is required from the Travel Center to your agency so please close the file concerning the Travel Centers portion of her complaint.
Sincerely,

--------- Forwarded message ----------From: [redacted] <[redacted]>Date: Fri, Jul 31, 2015 at 11:15 AMSubject: Re: You have a new message from the Revdex.com of Metro Washington DC & Eastern Pennsylvania in regards to your complaint #[redacted].To: "[redacted]" <[redacted]>Dear Revdex.com,The Travel Center has paid me a portion of my refund $88.00. Thank you for your help in this matter regarding complaint ID #[redacted].Thank you[redacted]

[To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed Administratively Resolved]
 Complaint: [redacted]
I am rejecting this response because:
A New York based sales presentation was made to promote and sell vacation packages, which my wife and I showed interest. For attending this presentation we were awarded a free vacation. But in order to take advantage of this award we were required to pay activation fees to [redacted] and [redacted]. However, these two entities do not disclose anywhere in their Terms and Conditions the very significant potential and additional costs that could be incurred. This non-disclosure is the basis for my complaint to Revdex.com. 
We paid monies in good faith and expected to be treated in a fair manner. Instead, we were duped and tricked. 
Please feel free to post this letter or use in accordance with Revdex.com policy.  
Regards,
[redacted]

September 2nd 2015
Dear [redacted],After reading the letter that [redacted] has sent to your office we have the following response to the issues that have been brought up.
First it seems as though the main problem that [redacted] has with our company is that she believes that she...

purchased a package from our company and that one of our representatives misrepresented a package that was sold to her. Unfortunately we cannot speak on this matter because our company, The Travel Center does not sell or advertise packages nor do we take payments for package purchases. This means that this could not have been our company that she spoke with therefor we cannot assist in answering questions or concerns pertaining to this matter.The second issue that [redacted] brings up is that she believes that she had already paid for her vacation and that the vacation price tripled, unfortunately this information makes no sense to our company because our job at The Travel Center is to send the customer to a booking company. If [redacted]'s vacation was already booked why would she need to come to our company and use our services to book her vacation? Not only is it stated numerous times that [redacted] would be sent to a booking company but it also states on the included and highlighted documentation that was signed and dated by [redacted] on 10/9/2014 that we The Travel Center, are not responsible for anything any other company has said to her. It states the following: "The advanced notice time does not start at time of sale, it starts after you receive your travel documents and codes from the Travel Center and you contact the booking company", it also states "The Travel Center is not responsible for any advertisement of the product you purchased or written and verbal agreements made by the company you purchased it from. If you have any questions about the package please call that company" followed by "All vacations and pricing are subject to change without notice prior to confirmed booking"
At this point We are very sorry that [redacted] felt as though we here at the Travel Center had miscommunicated information to her but as you can see this is not the case. We are sorry but due to the fact that our refund policy states "Once Travel Documents and booking codes are ordered and purchased by the Travel Center at your request, there cannot be any refunds of any fees collected by the Travel Center" and [redacted] signed and dated this document as Well as used the booking codes sent to her on 12/5/2014 to contact the booking company and receive a quote, we cannot and will not be refunding any fees from the Travel Center.
It is not our job here at the Travel Center to make sure that each customer reads and understands the documentation that they sign and return to our company. The customer service contact number is on each and every document and email So that any questions may be answered by a representative at the Customer's request. We are sorry for this inconvenience, but there is nothing further that we can do.
Sincerely,
The Travel Center Staff