My Report is about the same as everybody elses. First a female name Emily called congratulating me on being selected from thousands of people. I could here the same jargon going on in the background. She asked if i remembered filling out a survey relating to being eligible for rates that only a travel agent would be entitled to. I replied "I'm not sure". She went on to desecribe this wonderful holiday for 15 nights, 7 in Orlando Florida, 3 nights at Daytona Beach and 2 nights on a cruise ship to the Bahamas. She went on and on about how great these destinations were and that all I had to pay for were the Air fares. Then proceeded to tell me that I would have to pay hotel taxes, but I would only be staying at the best she mentioned the Radison or Ramada Group it would only be five star accommodation.
The trip was for myself and 3 others. I was waiting for the catch and she wondered why i wasn't sounding over the moon. Delayed connection to Australia and loads of voices in the back ground from where she was calling. Yes I was skeptical, I should have listened to my instincts. So she went on describing what a wonderful time I would have and whilst in Orlando I would have the choice of 7 days car rental or unlimited passes to Disneyland. I had 18 months to use the trip and only had to give 3 weeks notice so that the accommodation could be booked. All the details would come out in my packaged. I tried to ask a few questions but she kept cutting me off asking "isn't this wonderful" "why aren't you sounding excited, this is a trip of a life time, we want you to travel to America to see how wonderful it is and we are willing to cover 90% of the holiday" I thought here it comes. "You only have to pay $968 USD which is $1138 AUD, isn't that wonderful, 15 nights accommodation for four people at one of the best hotels in the world" "It's o.K. For you to be excited" "So I will put you through to my supervisor and he will confirm your postage details and we will send you out a package with all of your holiday details" "Congratulations".
Previously she had mentioned something very quickly about this being in conjunction with VISA and Mastercard.
So I get put through to a man, can't recall his name. They encouraged me to write all the details down, gave me their web address. Once I was through to the man, he asked if I had a VISA or Mastercard, I stated VISA, he asked for the card number starting with 4.By this time I had googled the company and started to read usacomplaints. Coms. I started to question the authenticity of the company. He assured me they had been operating for 15 years, and all they wanted to do was give me a fantastic holiday for such a great price. I asked how i was to be sure they weren't a scam and that's when he started to get aggressive. I asked why i shouldn't ask. "If we were just trying to get your credit card number, why would we go to the trouble of giving you all this information, calls to Australia aren't cheap you know" I replied "Well you could just cover the cost with my credit card couldn't you" "Maam" he started getting really aggressive, I stated i didn't want to make a decision today he said that's fine you don't have to. We just need to take your details so that your holiday doesn't get given away. He started rattling off certificate numbers and blah blah. I mistakenly got sucked in and gave him my credit card number a little earlier. I told him that I didn't have the funds on my credit card available so I wouldn't be able to confirm today. I lied. He said he was going to put me back through to emily to finalise the details. I said fine, hoping she would allow me to pull out of it.
Earlier they both had said they would need to put me through to their security section to verify the security code on my card. He put me on hold, I was expecting emily, he comes back and says the security section have just verified that you do have sufficient funds on your card. So whats the problem here. I stated I couldn't afford to pay it off, he then went on to tell me (as if I didn't know) that I could pay my card off in monthly installments, I told him i couldn't afford it.
He was aggressive the whole time. Finally I got a word in edge wise as they tend to talk over you quite alot. Trying to ask questions is the obviously the wrong thing to do. You are just supposed to be over the moon and go for it I suppose.
Eventually I said look I don't want to take it, I don't want to make the decision today, he said well then we will have to disconnect you, whilst I was trying to say fine, the line went dead.
I suggest that if you can't afford it don't get sucked in, as they say if it sounds too good to be true, it usually is. I am glad that I pulled out when i did, as i have since read all of these other reports on ASTAR Vacations.
I got straight off the phone and cancelled my credit card, although i hadn't supplied the security number off the back of the card, you just never know.
These guys obviously work on commision, I take it that's why he got so annoyed that I wasn't booking the trip
Really quite a horrible experience!
Tammy
Darwin
Australia
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