We received a "certificate" from this company that "guaranteed" that we had "won" one of four prizes from them. A check on the web gave us this "unsatisfactory" report from the Western Michigan BBB. Apparently they can be quite aggressive [not to mention overpriced] and we are not in the least inclined to call and claim our "prize" at this point.
01/17 CONSUMER ALERT: BBB Warns About Questionable Travel Program
Better business bureau of western michigan, inc.
News Release #010403
Issued: 01-17
Contact: Ken Vander Meeden
616-774-8236 or E-mail: [email protected]
Better business bureau warns about
questionable travel rewards programs
In Michigan, January and February are prime months to receive "questionable" travel offers and awards from out of state companies promising sun filled vacations in warm places at prices "too good to be true". Every year the BBB of Western Michigan hears from area residents that were approached with a promise of a free trip, etc. Too often these offers operate just within the legal boundaries for "prize promotions" and require some portion (either plane fare or hotel accommodations) of the vacation to be purchased through a captive agency in order to obtain the so-called "prize".
Ken Vander Meeden, BBB-WMI president stated,
"Our own BBB just won the JGB 28TH Anniversary Promotion of two round trip tickets. According to the Certificate of Guarantee, Mr. Meeden is a winner but must purchase hotel accommodations from the sponsors travel agency."
Typically, inflated hotel prices are sold very aggressively over the phone in order to obtain the prize. BBB records show that JGB Enterprises, Inc. Of Las Vegas, NV has an unsatisfactory record with the Las Vegas BBB due to failure to eliminate the cause of consumer dissatisfaction.
Vander Meeden concluded,
"We encourage every resident, college student and local family planning a spring break vacation to check out the company's BBB report before agreeing to any travel offer. Direct mailers, telemarketing offers and now e-mail offers, need to be checked out beforehand. Every year hundreds of Michigan residents sign up for bad deals with questionable companies and have no recourse when the problems occur. When in doubt, check it out!"
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