My mother with whom I lived and from whom I received my support died in January. The estate change has been long and difficult. I was lucky to receive everything mom had, but I couldn't have what she had until numerous papers and reports were filed. I was living on my credit card. I paid for mom's funeral on the credit card and I was worried about charges accruing from leaving that debt there month after month.
I was also looking for whatever mom had left me, insurance policies, etc. Sometimes a big check would come in the mail. Often it took a long time before they did. Well, I had gotten 2 big checks and I was disappointed that they didn't give me enough to pay for the funeral. Mom was a railroad worker and I got a little under a thousand dollars from the Railroad Retirement Board to pay for her $12,000 funeral.
There was little money coming in anymore and I am unemployed and have been chronically so for many years. A job is the one thing I really need.into this comes the check from Ramada Plaza Resorts. It's really a discount on a vacation package but that isn't too clear. If you call a certain number you can take advantage of this check which is for $1600. Or so. If you call quickly you get extra vacations and a $1,000 shopping spree.
I spoke with a woman named Diane there. She was a friendly kind of elderly woman and she spoke to me about needing a vacation. I had many difficulties with taking a vacation but the glamour of South Florida and the Carribean won out. I told Diane about my mom dying, about my credit card debt, about my vegetarianism, about my high cholesterol, but none of that made her say "sorry" and hang up the phone. One little problem was that I am alone. You need to be 2 to take advantage of this vacation. I was pretty sure I could find someone to go on the vacation even though I have been alone with mom since my dad died 15 years ago. And I was alone with mom and dad for 14 years before that. So I didn't really know myself too well, but I went ahead and bit and let them charge my Visa credit card. I had seen a charge of over $200 which was the deal on the phone, a down payment could be made, I wouldn't have to pay in full right away. I couldn't do that, I knew. I saw this charge, which was near the $300 mark but it has since disappeared on my credit card statements, instead there is just a charge of $25.
So, I thought I could handle this whole thing and awaited the package with the information. Well, that package did seem rather complicated to me. I am not one to book reservations and the rest and like I said I was still alone. I had no one to go on the trip with me yet. I looked up Ramada Resorts on the web hoping to find a website that would help me with all this and I found all these sites naming them as someone they had complaints against. This worried me and I sent an e-mail to my older sister in Denver about it. She was coming down soon to visit mom's grave. She tended to think I was ripped off but I still wasn't too convinced.
I am still not completely convinced except that I think it is a ripoff when you can't conveniently return a package you have paid for and get your money back.
I looked through the package material and the DVD. This was obviously a family vacation and not for single men who lived with their mother who recently died kind of vacations. It put me off because it was so str8 but I understand the marketplace. I found one thing I decided to take advantage of, the $1,000 shopping spree. I went to www.eliteshoppingnetwork.com and entered the number on the envelope that told me I was entitled to the spree. It tells you at this site that you don't have to pay for the products but for the shipping and handling, but the S&H came out to be $102 for one order and $170 for another. Still that wasn't so bad for items that cost so much. I've forgotten the specific cost but remember I had a $1,000 shopping spree. One more order cost $65.60 in S&H, a luggage kit. This luggage kit was the only item they ever sent me. I had ordered some tower speakers, a printer and digital camera that came bundled, and a webcam. None of that came but the luggage. Are they trying to tell me I need to take the trip before they send my items or what. I e-mailed these people at Elite Shopping Network and they said someone would be in contact soon. Someone called and left a phone number. I called the number and had a corporate office that offered me a short menu that sent me to Elite Shopping Network but once there I got no answer.
So, I didn't realize it then, but they had charged my card for the big orders without sending them. One small order they sent. It was my last oder. But the thing is I can't go out and buy these things that I need, like a printer or a webcam because I have already purchased them. I'm just waiting for them to be delivered. I'm thinking of writing a credit card dispute but my card, a Working Asset Credit Card has been going through some changes lately and I don't know exactly the procedure for making a dispute. Working Assets had been with MBNA but now is with Bank of America.
So, if this is how it's going to go with the Shopping Spree what can you expect of the vacations? I have not been charged anything yet by Ramada Plaza resorts except this $25 apparently, but I don't want to be responsible for taking the vacations. My mom just died. I'm looking for work. I'd rather go to India.
And I want that money I gave to Elite Shopping Network back, too.
Eddie
Melrose, Florida
U.S.A.
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