Company information:
W-W Travel Centers, Inc.
160 SW 12 AVE 102
Deerfield Beach, Florida
United States
Phone: 954-571-7990
www.worldwidetravelcenter.com
On August 8, 2007, I received a postcard stating that I had been selected to receive "Two Roundtrip Airfares to Anywhere in the U.S." and "3 days, 2 nights at a hotel", and that I should call 800-413-5613 for details.
The postcard did not identify on whose behalf the promotion was being conducted, but had a large "Delta" name and Delta logo, and said "IN CELEBRATION OF OUR ANNIVERSARY ... You will receive at your request Two Roundtrip Airfares to Anywhere in the U.S.! ... Bonus 3 DAY / 2 NIGHT HOTEL STAY".
On August 9, 2007, I called that number and spoke with a man who identified himself as Patrick McKinna. He stated that I would receive a complimentary gift of 2 round trip airfares from the nearest international airport to my home to any major city with an international airport in the US, Mexico, or Canada, plus 3 days, 2 nights hotel accommodations for 2 at a business class chain hotel. He said that all my wife and I needed to do to get this gift was to attend a 90-minute advertising presentation by Global Services Network in Columbia, MD. He said that I would have no obligation to use the company or to buy anything.
The address he gave for the presentation was:
Global Services Network
9710 Patuxent Woods Dr., Suite B
Columbia, MD 21046
I asked him what conditions or restrictions, if any, there were on the award travel. He replied, "You would be responsible for hotel and airline taxes."
I asked for any other travel restrictions that he hadn't mentioned. He replied, "You can not travel on holidays, and you must give at least 30 days notice prior to travel."
I asked whether we get to pick the travel dates, he said "Yeah, I think so. They are a travel company, and they want you to take the vacation so that you can see what they have to offer.".
I agreed to attend the presentation.
On August 12th, my wife and I fulfilled our end of the agreement by attending the Global Services presentation in Columbia, MD. After the presentation, Global Services tried to give us a "Vacation Extravaganza" certificate from "Worldwide Travel Center" in Deerfield Beach, FL. The certificate had many additional conditions not in the original agreement (made over the phone), such as:
- we had to put down a $100 deposit, to be returned if and after we completed the travel,
- we could only travel on a Tuesday,
- we had to submit 3 sets of possible travel dates separated by at least 30 days, from which they would select one set for our travel
- we could not travel within 7 days before or after a holiday
- they could change the terms and conditions at any time without notice
- accommodations were subject to their availability
- accommodations might be a "motel"
We refused to accept that certificate, pointing out that it did not meet the terms of our existing agreement. They noted our refusal, but didn't do anything about it. They informed us that the telephone call in which the existing agreement was formed had been recorded, and that we could complain to the Global Services headquarters if we wanted to.
On August 13th, I called the Global Services headquarters at 913-451-0960 to complain about the bait and switch. I spoke with a man who identified himself as "Ryan". He took full details of my complaint, and promised to have someone call me back.
On August 20th, I had received no return call from Global Services as promised, so I called Global back at the same number. I spoke with a female who identified herself as Brittney. She saw in her records that I had complained on August 13th, but said that she did not see why they should call me back because, in her words, "we don't owe you anything." She stated that since I don't have their alleged promise in writing, I don't have any grounds for complaint.
After months of complaining to Global by telephone and through the Better Business Bureau but getting nowhere, I finally sued Global Services in small claims court for fraud and easily won.
Here is Worldwide Travel's vacation certificate:
http://www.worldwidetravelcenter.com/SALES/pdf/WWTC-VE-Brochure.pdf
Here are comments from other people who were victimized by Global Services:
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-800-413-5613
Here's one discussion of my experience with Global Services:
http://groups.google.im/group/misc.consumers/browse_frm/thread/616363807ba78078/48ce9731bf1054a3
Here's another discussion of my experience with Global Services:
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.legal.moderated/browse_frm/thread/cd8c8246c0766a72
Steer clear of Global Services and their partner, Worldwide Travel.
I can be reached at r_q_einstein-complai9tsboard@yahoo.com but change the nine to an n.
