Any person who believes that this company is not a scam, or at the very least, uses deceptive business practices, has been brainwashed or is lying to themselves and I feel very sorry for you. This is my story:
Approximately one and a half years ago, I was contacted by Ramada after filling out a form on the internet to enter a drawing to win a free cruise. I was told that I had won the two-day cruise to the bahamas. All I had to pay was $118 for taxes and port fees. I paid with my Visa card on the phone. I had one year to go on this cruise.
Being a college student, I ended up not having the time or money to get to Florida to go on the cruise. On 04-30 I was contacted by the company again. They told me that I owed a balance of around $100, I do not recall the exact amount, or $899 (please note: over the phone this was said eight ninety nine not eight hundred ninety-nine) and that I had to pay, they said I had no choice.
I assumed the woman meant $8.99 for a tax or something on the $118 that I had already paid. I had never agreed to paying more than the initial $118. I gave her my credit card number just to be done with it. She made it seem like if I didnt pay I would have debt collectors after me and I have worked very hard since I was 18 to keep a perfect credit score, I didnt want that ruined. (Later, after this whole ordeal, I realized what she meant when she said that I owed money and it was this: the trip that I had purchased over a year ago was expired. She said they no longer use this ship, now they use carnival ships. Therefore, if I still wanted to go on this trip, the price had increased (from free?) and I owed money in order to keep the trip. However, this is not what I was told at all. I was simply told that I owed money.)
She then transferred me to the authorization department to authorize the payment of what I thought was $8.99 to go through to my credit card. During the recorded authorization, the woman told me about the vacation package. This was the first time that the amount was said correctly as eight hundred ninety-nine. When I heard the actual amount I immediately stopped the payment. I
Told them that I was under the impression that the amount I owed was not $899 but $8.99 and that I did not agree to paying $899. The payment was never authorized by me. At this time, the woman that I was originally speaking with got back on the phone and started to argue with me. I told her that I misunderstood her and I did not authorize the $899 payment. She pretty much laughed at me and said " $8.99??? Come on! Are you kidding me? You thought all this was going to be $8.99??" She then told me that she already had my credit card number and had charged $899 to my card anyway. I told her repeatedly that I did not want this. She couldnt care less. She became very rude with me and continued to argue with me and basically told me—too bad, it already charged you.
At this time, I could tell I wasnt going to get anywhere with her so I hung up and called my credit card company. They told me that my card had been charged the $899. My credit card company is wonderful, but they actually questioned me about not telling them the truth when I explained what had happened because this is so ridiculous. They then got the corporate manager of RPR on the phone. He looked at my account and said that it was incomplete/unconfirmed. He told me that since they did not have my authorization, the charges on my account would be pending for about 10 days and would ultimately not be charged. This was a three-way call so my credit card company heard everything and made notes of the situation on my account just incase the payment actually does go through, which wouldnt surprise me.
However, during this ten-day period, my available balance on my credit card will be $899 less, due to the pending charges. I never authorized for this charge to be made on my card, but it was anyway.
I cant believe this company can get away with doing this! Isnt this illegal somehow? So anyway, I would love to sue them but even more I would love to see them put out of business so that they cant continue to do this to people. I cant believe this fraudulent company has been able to stay in business for so long, especially with so many complaints.
I was so mad that I filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau to get the original $118 that I originally paid but never used, which I had completely forgotten about until a couple of days ago. But now Im mad and I will continue to push for it until I get it. I also called the company back and got my number removed from their calling list since this is a telemarketing company, which i was not aware of in the first place. I also called customer service to make sure my payment had not gone through, which I was told it hadn't, and I reported the sales woman, Christina. I told them everything she had done to me and asked that she be reprimanded. Customer Service told me they would write her up. I will also call Christina's manager tomorrow to complain as well. I also called Christina back just to make sure that payment did not go through and to cancel if it had. She told me that it had gone through and that there were no refunds. I mentioned the Florida Sellers of Travel Act and then it did become refundable but only after I receive a package in the mail. I really don't think the payment went through though, I think she is just trying to harass me. I might call Christina back tomorrow too... Just for fun (and also since she hung up on me, she got pretty mad at me today).
I'll see in a few days if the payment went through and if it did go through I WILL get it refunded as well as file a lawsuit. I am also planning on filing complaints with the Florida Attorney Generals Office as well as the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Affairs. I am going to call on them to take legal action against this company. Ill go to the president of the US if I have to. I think we should start a petition to get them shut down or SOMETHING! This is ridiculous!
Jen
Lombard, Illinois
U.S.A.
0 comments