I received the phone call today around 5pm while I was busy driving car and with heavy traffic. The guy on the phone told me that I have been chosen as one of lucky ones who would receive 7 nights and 8 days of all inclusive vacation package to Bahamas via Orlando, Florida. He said all I had to pay was $599 (did not even mention it was USD) and explained in detail (in fast pace) about the trips. Then he wanted to verify my credit card number so that he could book the vacation. I was stupid enough to fall for that and he transfered the call to 'verification department' to verify my information with them. During the conversation, I asked them if I could cancel my reservation at later time. They insisted to finish the verification process first and delayed my question. When the whole process was done I asked the guy again if I could cancel it and he said 'yes, definately'. With high skeptical feeling in my mind, I hurried my way back to internet cafe and googled 'Imperial Majesty' and the rest of the story is the same as many people who got shocked.
At first, I wanted to cancel my transaction so that they will refund my credit back. The lady on the phone tried to convince me why on the earth I changed my mind for 'almost free packages' instead of answering my question of if she could cancel my vacation. I tried to stop her couple of times, but she kept saying things like ' why would you want to cancel your vacation?' or 'what made you change your mind?'. After I told her the stories that I read online, she even got upset and said there could be little unsatisfied customers who try to ruin the business as a result of small incidents. As she transferred the call to her supervisor 'George Newman' (I am not sure if it was George Newman or Norman) I was already losing my temper due to their consistent, ignorant attitude.
George again explained the situation as I, the customer agreed to purchase the package and the term and I even gave them the credit card number for it, now the contract is made and there will be no full money back at this point. Although I told him that I asked the guy if I could cancel it anytime if I ever change my mind, George did not change the stand where all he could do is just give $299 credit back to my credit card and the rest of package will still come to me eve though I did not want them. I ended up yelling at the guy and hung up.
I called my visa card and told the lady about the situation and immediately she said, 'yes, they're definately scammers and do not ever give your credit card number over the phone again except to us'.
After I got calm down, I gave last shot to them so that I at least get more than half of what I had wasted in good manners. Guess what, I begged them if you guys just take $200 CAD out of my credit card and give the rest back, they put me in a hold for a while and then little bit later, he would only charge $149 USD and would credit back the rest of the money in 5~7 business days. So, they proved themselves that they could do anything with the charge they have made at the original place. (They insisted that they could not overturn the charge during the first conversation) I am going to wait and see if they really do put my credit back to my credit card and charge only $149 USD which is I believe 'bail out' price out of $779 CAD.
I always have been a person who laugh at the people who got scammed over fishing e-mails, voice fishing, etc and this life lesson all of sudden made me very humble and actually made me turning back to my past life and the people that I used to laugh at their backs. I sincerely repent my wrongdoings and greed to God and ask forgiveness from the people I mocked at.
Thank you for your effort to bring justice in this 'don't trust anyone' society.
Leon
North York, Ontario
Canada
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