Anonymous

Fly AMerica Vacation Passport is a HUGE SCAM!!

This company is nothing but lies! After reading other complaints, we had the same experience. I had even called to verify that the airline tix were to all airports and no blackout dates. They said absolutely!! That is a bold face lie! They decide how much fees are for those tix. It can be as much as a regular ticket will cost you and there are all kinds of blackout dates. Xmas/Easter/4thJuly etc....the list goes on and on. Just goes to show you don't get something for nothing!!! The "boss" was on a conference call so some other *** gave the talk. I was googling the company and he asked me what I was doing. I said reading all the complaints about your company. It was such ***!! Don't waste your time!
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Loss:
$100
Anonymous
map-marker Hollywood, Florida

Lied to by Travel America

The first time I dealt with this company, they cashed my check and did return my paperwork, but then when I sent in my reservation, they NEVER contacted me to actually make the reservation or say that I needed to pick a different time. The second time, I sent in my certificate and heard nothing. When I called, they said I had forgotten to enclose my $4.95 check, and that they had mailed the certificate back to me. It NEVER ARRIVED, so they lied about sending it. When I called and asked them to send a copy--they had all the paperwork records--they said a copy wouldn't suffice and it must be the original, and there was absolutely nothing anyone could do.
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Loss:
$800
Anonymous
map-marker Chicago, Illinois

Free tickets costing $450.00 more

My husband and I sat through a seminar that promised two "complimentary" tickets to anywhere in the continental U.S. We followed the rules, sent in the $4.99 registration validation within the first 30 days, followed by the required money order for $50.00 each ticket activation fee ($100.00 total). We submitted our date and waited. 23 days before we were suppose to leave I began to call the company, trying to figure out where our tickets were. I called 11 times, no return call. 14 days before we were to leave I called and got to speak with a representative who gave me the name and number of the person handling our account. Thirteen days before we are suppose to leave, I speak to the representative to find out that we would have to pay an additional $350.00 to use these complimentary tickets. They are a travel agency. These tickets would cost me about the same at priceline.com We have now had to cancel our vacation as we didn't plan on the complimentary tickets costing us $450.00. This was cruel and very misleading. They will refund $75.00 of the $104.99 that I sent them. Sitting through this seminar actually cost me money!
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Loss:
$25
4 comments
Guest

They are indeed a BIG Scam and I am going to fill a formal complaint with the State Attorney General Office both in my home state & FL. I thought I was smart and very educated I will be the first to admit they got me and they got me good because I did end up sign up with Global Discovery Vacation in Mansfield Mass and they are still taking $72 a month from my account.

I am going to cancel them because I have tried to book 4-5 places to go on vacation the places are in the middle of nowhere while I was told that they were in central location. They can keep the $2,000 I already paid and cannot wait for them to send my name to collection better yet to court, because I will have my day in court.

I am so so so mad at myself for doing this and falling for their fraud & scam they said they are not time share that's what they are. Buyer be ware because both Global & Fly America are nothing but predators there is no difference between them and child molester.

Guest

We are disappointed too and never able to plan or book anything. We never received "complete" Fly America Vacation Passport. It was a life lesson and cost us over $150.00!

Guest

Thank you for taking the time to post this and save us the hassle and money related this false offer. Kind regards Ann & Kirt

Guest

We just sat thru their 2hr seminar yesterday. Per their phone calls prior to this meeting we were told that a new Travel Agency was setting up in Michigan and they wanted to present their company to us.

Absolutely nothing to buy or sign up for. Two phone calls confirmed this. There was no company name on the airline voucher we had received for us to check out any company. Apparently we were very naive thinking someone was going to give us two free airline tickets for nothing, the sales person told us the same thing.

After the presentation started they told us that the cost of this new travel agency was $10,000!!!!! With an add't $300 activating fee and then $100 per year. But....the money you save on their trips cud repay your $13,000 upfront cost within a couple of years depending on your vacation pics.

Of course we had no idea about a $13,000 commitment that had to be made IMMEDIATELY, without even being able to talk about it. They had a great sales pitch.

When we hesitated somehow the SAME package came down to half of the original cost. Then when I said we wud most likely only be able to travel for another 10yrs the price dropped down to $2499 and included everything the $13,000 pkg included. Our sales guy even brought in another guy to try and get us to sign up. Said we had to think about it and they just completely blew us off knowing damned well we were not going to sign up.

We got our form to send in for our 2 airline tickets but after reading the instructions it wud come to $4.95 activation fee, then a $50 per ticket charge and then when u finally get close to getting the ticket u pay another $50 some dollars.

We are planning on going to visit family in California so for approx $250 that isn't a bad deal.

But have no idea where their "free tickets" will be flying us to in order to get to Sacramento. Not a good experience and will NOT do it again.

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Anonymous
map-marker Tampa, Florida

Catch-22 Your Are Screwed

We attended a sales seminar which tried to sell a vacation/travel club membership. We chose not to purchase the membership, but for our time we were promised two (2) free airline tickets. To get the "free" tickets we had to provide a $100 non-refundable processing fee. The five (5) "simple steps" to request the travel, the nine (9) terms and conditions paragraphs, and the thirteen (13) black out periods made planning nearly impossible. As our year clock wound down we submitted our request within what we thought were the program parameters. We were wrong and were directed, via email, to modify our request. Due to the back and forth of adjusting our request we ended up within the 60 days prior to travel window and were informed that we could not redeem our tickets. After multiple attempts to speak with a human I finally got through to one and was very ungraciously informed that there was no way to fix the problem and that were were out of luck. This whole experience is a caricature of the classic condo time share scams you hear about. If you are contacted by this organization BEWARE! I am telling as many people as I can about of this disreputable company, their lousy product, and their horrible customer service.
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Loss:
$100
8 comments
Guest

I would not bad mouth Global Connections because I've had good luck and lots of help from them. It's the Vacation Passport that is the PROBLEM

Guest

Their website was just created in July 2013 and I couldn't find any record of their business on FL's corporate directory SunBiz.org!! Beware

Guest

We just attended a "presentation." Just to be aware, watch out for these companies, American Travel Express, ABA Vacations and Global. When you get to the seminar, you find out it's Global.

It's very similar to a timeshare presentation. I certainly hope no one invested the thousands of dollars they want. I couldn't find Global Travel on the web for consumers only for travel agents. We are not going to spend money for fraudulent airline tickets and hotel.

We had a feeling that this is what it would be. Just don't go and attend this SCAM!

Guest

These *** are scammers. I am going to pay them $500 so that I can get a plane ticket to where their offices are located so that I can smear *** on their windows.

Guest

We have had the almost identical experience. We complied with every one of their "conditions," which were contrived obstacles to get you to give up.

Out AG Consumer affairs won't go after them because the loss ($100 out of pocket) is too small to investigate. So, let this be your warning.

STAY AWAY. :(

Guest

Beware because they will steal your money, waste your time, and most of all will give you a headache. Their travel voucher is not real either .

I have read so much bull *** about this people!

It's a scam! Please watch out as they would take your hard earned money.

Guest

We went to the seminar in Richmond VA, March 14, 2013 for an amusing sales pitch. The main ***-man, sorry, the main presenter lied almost all the way through the presentation. Told the crowd his plane was late as he flew in from NY. We parked right next to his car with NY plates. He then told a “sob” story about his mother finally making a trip that her husband had promised to take but unfortunately passed away before they could take it ( can’t prove it was a lie, but given the rest of the stories he told, probably is). This was used to urge everyone to start taking those trips. We were asked consistently to bring two forms of ID, drivers license and a major credit card.

We went for the “free” tickets. After reading all of the horror stories online about others being duped out of $104.95, I will save my money. Makes you wonder how the price started at $12,995 and was finally offered to us for $1,995. We asked to see some of the property available in the Lake of the Ozarks MO, the agent “didn’t have access to all of the property”. SAVE YOUR MONEY and TIME – don’t go!!!

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-624652

Yeah we ran into a similar incidence and we were suckered into their game plan....they got us on a weak moment for 1995 plus reg fees and document fees along with 3 free cruises for our families which are not free at all....4.95 registration fees and 14.95 activation fees each... too may stipilations to use them and when you think you have it they don't answer phones or emails.

They worked along with IslandTrader Vacations which are SCAMS....

we should have know better and went with out gut but we didn't and paid for a vacation that we did not or able to take.... lesson learned the hard way.

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laughlotschrissy
map-marker Salem, Oregon

This business provides the small trips for those people that go to Time Share presentations.

This business provides the small trips for those people that go to Time Share presentations and are promised "hotel and airfare" for listening for a three hour presentation. Their brochures are unclear and their website poorly designed. When I called or emailed to get information, I was often given wrong information, or else it took months to hear a response. When you get this package (due to not purchasing the time share) you have one year to use it. By the time I figured out how to use it, the year had almost passed. The email I received from the representatives were poorly written, and when I received my trip information, it was just the bare bones. I first had to pay $4.95 to send in my application, then $100 to "register." Once I chose my trip, I received a price list that was equal to buying my trip online. I had to pay another $350 in "fees" (completely undescribed, by the way), $300 in "taxes," and $150 in miscellaneous charges. All of the problems led me to have a very bad feeling about this company. I decided not to complete the process by sending my $750, and opt out and just lose the $104.95 I'd already invested. I went to Orbitz and booked a 5 night cruise with airfare for $1600. I like Orbitz.
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Loss:
$750

Travel Agencies Expert Talks

Travel Tips: Airbnb VS Traditional Renting

Oct 30, 2020

Is it safe to rent from local vacation rental owners? What are the pros and cons of Airbnb and VRBO? In this video, Mary Branum, a vacation rentals expert, and experienced homeowner, shares her insights as to how vacation rental owners can maintain good clientele, how consumers should plan a vacation, and how to protect yourself.

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Mary Branum
Mary Branum

Mary Branum is a vacation rental expert, owner of Galveston Island and President of STROAG.

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