The company WorldwideTravelCenter is nothing but a ripoff scam. These so called free vacation vouchers that are frequently given by comapnies as one of several prizes available if a consumer comes in for either a drawing, a timeshare presentataion, or car dealer incentive freebie. What ever the event, anytime someone offers a prize that requires out of pocket expense up front, be assured this is no prize.
The companies that lure people in with false prize valuations should be held liable for purposely misinforming consumers that thyey are offering a prize, as should the so called "travel booking company" which in this case is Worldwide Travel Center.
There are a few red flags that are quite obvious to me, however based upon some posted experiences by people who were trusting enough to follow the ridiculous rules these scammers set up, I am filing this rip off report in hopes to help others avoid the same mistake.
I also wish to address the person who posted "travel certificates are not a scam". If you had actually read the report that you commented on "black Bart" you would then realize you simply defended a bonehead set of rules and requirements that have no real travel agent or travel booking company merits.
First of all, when a company who has a web page and 800 number why on earth do they require a PERSONAL check as a method of payment thru the snail mail, along with a credit card number and an authorization in writing allowing this company to charge the trusting consumers card, when they REFUSE to offer any details what so ever as to what city and which property the travellers will be visiting. For all we know it could be some phony address or an abandoned office address, and then we have the drawn out procedure of what days are available.in the case of the certificate I recieved, my free vacation was valued at over $259. It was for Hawaii, however the company refused to tell me which island, and of course refused to mention which property.
The entire process is designed to cause the traveller to simply give up, or send in yet more money for their "free" vacation. If the person who awarded the free vacation was held liable for $259 worth of travel since I was told I won a prize, and that is the price it claimed was the value of my prize, then I think the contest is fraudulent if I dont recieve any travel. And the item mailed to me at my home never indicated the prize required out of pocket money without any details of where I am going. So all I am saying is if they claim I won a prize they should be required to give me a prize of that value.
I am contacting the Attorney General's office with the name and address of both the company that awarded me this so called prize and the WorldWide Travel Company. Since they require that the redeemer telephone them, this also falls under federal fraud, aside from the state level.
I urge anyone who has recieved this type of fake award to do the same, even if you have indeed received your accomodations, because if you were offered a FREE vacation, the minute you had to pay money out of your own pocket, it became not free. The BS about how they must charge booking fees because so many people cancel, is obvious hogwash, unless they can provide written proof this has indeed taken place and hindered their so called award process. I have seen these certificates offered over and over aqs prizes in a time share hard sell scam, and in giveaways from car dealerships, and other companies.
I think enough is enough and I think if both the travel scam companies and the people handing out these scams were held to be accountable, or perhaps the companies who give them out so freely were made to pay all related costs, or were forced to indicate all details, such as the traveller will not be made aware of the city of property in which they will be trying to book and the dates inwhich the travel company claims are sold out are not verifiable that they are indeed sold out. It seems to me that the availability of these certificates would not be so irresponsibly handed out.
Additionall costs required to continue trying to find availability, should be also the responsibility of the person whom offers these certificates. I imagine the so called giveaways would stop very quickly if the promised terms were the same as the actual terms, and a free vacation was indeed free to the person it was awarded to.
ALWAYS make a copy of any mailer or enticing printed brochure or contest award that you receive, because these companies require you leave the notification with them and they then give you the certificate which almost always has different terms. This way you have proof when you report these scams.
If you notice the info from the poster on here who said they finally recieved their free stay. Did not mention the refunded $50 no any of the booking fees, so the $62 paid to these people for an $80 hotel stay, is not much opf a bargain, any of the online travel agencies would no doubt beat that price and you would know exactly where you are staying.
No one expects something for nothing, however when a consumer is approached and offered something in exchange for their time or is told they have won a prize, this is not a case of the consumer doing anything wrong, nor should the consumer have to be at risk, instead laws should be in place to protect consumers, rather than simply being told to file complaints and then try to get their money back.
The company who offered me this free vacation is a local reputable company, this is the sad part, because its a car dealership. And I am interested in buying a car, but now these people have asscoiated themselved with known scammers, so there is no chance i will buy from them.
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