E Australian Discount Holidays
Unauthorised use of credit card.
An unsolicited phone call caused my wife to listen to the Australian Discount Holidays sales pitch. My wife was initially interested - a cut rate holiday for three days at a pleasant hotel by the sea, sounded attractive. My wife asked me what I thought and I said, “Go ahead, we need a break and the offer sounds reasonable”. My wife agreed to spend $99. She reported later that she had subsequently been asked to spend another $99 for additional vouchers but she had declined. We waited. Within two weeks I received in the mail some brochures and vouchers from the company. I didn’t examine them since we were months from being ready to plan our holiday.
Within two weeks, I happened to glance at my bank statement and discovered that two lots of $99 had been subtracted by Australian Discount Holidays. I asked my wife and she was adamant that she had agreed to a single $99 withdrawal using our credit card. The second withdrawal must have been an error.
I phoned the 07 5479 5558 number and waited for over ten minutes until someone picked up the phone. Their officer, Robyn said she would pass on my concern and I gave her the membership number of my wife and our phone number. She said the manager would get back to us asap.
No one contacted us so after a week I phoned again and again the recorded voiced explained that ‘all of our officers are busy... Please wait”. I waited for about 15 minutes until Robyn again picked up the phone.
I re – explained my situation, beginning with my wife’s member number. The lady said, ‘Oh yes, send in the second lot of vouchers and we’ll refund the money.” When I said, “Thanks for the refund, but how did the error occur in the first place? ” she had no answer. I went on to point out that it always takes a long time to contact her company. “We’re understaffed and busy, ” she explained. I then pointed out that I’d seen a web site quite critical of the company she was working for. Immediately she replied, “You can’t satisfy everyone.” It sounded as if she’d used the line on others who had made my comment.
Nothing came in the mail for two weeks so I phoned again. This time no one picked up the phone but I was invited to offer a phone message. I left my wife’s membership number and explained the need to talk with an officer.
No one called us so I phoned again. Therese picked up the phone quickly.
“Cheque’s in the mail, ” came the reply. It did not arrive so I phoned again and was told that a cheque had been posted.
Sure enough a $99 cheque arrived and on the same day I banked it.
We are yet to take our holiday, but I assume everything will be fine. There has never been any explanation concerning their original unilateral decision to use our credit card data and help themselves to ninety nine of our family dollars. We advise against dealing with this company.
Peter L. Lismore NSW
0 comments