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Received a "free flights for two anywhere in continental US" (Wings Across America) "certificate" for attending a travel presentation. Filled out paperwork and received an "Activation Form", which was filled out exactly (two different dates, 30 days apart) and sent in. No notification was due to be sent until 30-45 days before. Three weeks before first travel date, received letter that "$50 / person" deposit wasn't enough to meet taxes & fees required, and that an additional $25 / person was required. At this point I called their office [protected]), and eventually spoke to a "manager". This is how their redemption (eg. scam) works:
1. They received "blocks" of tickets according to their "contracts" with airlines every 30 days, so they don't know until 30 days before your supposed travel date whether they'll even be able to accommodate your request. This applies even if you give them a date 6 months away!
(2. Supposedly you are supposed to be PHONED by their reservation dept if you actually get your ticket booked.)
3. Since they can't book you, they send you a notice saying that "based on the history of cost of flights between your departure and destination,... taxes and fees exceed your original deposit". You are then required to send another $25 / person, as well as not guaranteeing the availability of your chosen dates.
4. This means your first chosen date now cannot occur (as admitted by the manager).
5. If you're lucky, you'll get your second chosen date, if not, you'll have to choose your two preferred dates again. Repeat from Step 1, until the 12-month booking is up.
Enjoy your free vacation!
PS. Everything they send you includes a "If this request is unsatisfactory" notice, with a place for you to sign and cancel your otherwise-never-to-be-fulfilled request.
I also had the same problem with Horizon Rewards. I went to the address on Lucien Way in Maitland, and it was a vacant office.
I have a friend that is a private investigator, John Martin, located in Florida also. He did some checking on this company and found they did close in July of 2011, and all members of the establishment had declared bankruptcy.
He also checked to see if any other businesses have been opened since under the owner’s name, and there hasn’t been.
My last attempt was to contact the state, and was told that Horizon Rewards was forced to close their doors, and that no civil action can be taken against them due to the bankruptcy, and the fact it was a corporation, protected under the law.
I feel at this point it is a lesson learned.
T. Caruso
Greg Peadon In Apopka is correct. The company now runs under Horizon Rewards in Maitland. The office manager is Nicole Abraham which is the owner's daughter. She is just as much as a crook as Peadon himself. Apple doesn't fall far from the tree. DO NOT SEND THESE PEOPLE MONEY! IT IS A SCAM! They have changed the business name at least 4 times. While they take your money, they are riding around in $100, 000 cars and buying million dollar homes in North Carolina. BEWARE!
Below is the latest address I found for him, according to White Pages (as of April 2009:)
Gregory Peaden
1144 Errol Pkwy
Apopka, FL [protected]
No phone number was listed. They also run another company called Horizon Rewards in Maitland. Of course, it is the same scam, same shady people. I would advise that no one do business with any company remotely associated with them.
Greg Peaden resides in Apopka, FL. None of the addresses above is the Greg Peaden you are looking for. ~fyi
Does anyone have a home phone number for Greg Peaden? I paid $7 for a credit check on the name and came up with three Gregory Allen Peaden's in FL.
1) Gregory Peaden
10932 WOODCHASE CIR
ORLANDO, FL 32836
[protected]
2) Gregory Peaden
616 E Marks St
Orlando, FL 32803
3) Gregory Peaden
Employee Howard Johnson Inn
6603 International Drive
Orlando, FL 32819
My guess is that he's #1. Has anyone made personal contact with him? I too am a victim of their deceptive practices and I'd like to call this man and give him a word or two. I even have about 10, 000, 000 blogger friends who might just like to give him a phone call as well. Gee, that'd make his day.
d
It is so funny that Greg Peaden thinks he can salvage his company's reputation by posting on here that we should contact him! I worked for a company that used Certs and they did nothing but TRY to find ways NOT to fulfill (forced breakage)! Mr. Peaden is desperate and you should not believe him. I know that he intentionally creates his certificates to trick people and mislead them. Do not trust him or Certs, Inc.
RUN AWAY!
First, we'd like to apologize for any inconveniences you may have experience redeeming your travel certificate from our company. Keeping that in mind, we'd like to point out a few important details regarding the travel certificate business.
Our business is no different than any other business transaction in which both parties must comply with their agreement and adhere to the terms of service.
We highly recommend in the future if you receive a call or postcard from a marketing company promising you a travel certificate if you attend a timeshare presentation that you ask for the name of the company responsible for providing the incentive.
We further recommend if it is a Certs, Inc. incentive, that you visit our web site (www.certsinc.biz) where you can read the entire terms of service for each incentive we offer, and then make an educated decision on whether of not to move forward with the presentation.
Certs, Inc. has no control over the presentation by the marketing company or the sales tactics used by the vacation club representative. However, we do police their activities and from time-to-time will discontinue the sales of our products to these companies if we feel there is misrepresentation.
Certs, Inc. has never, and will never, change the terms of service on our incentives "after" it has been presented to our clients customers.
If you have not received a booking confirmation from our company for the travel date(s) you provided, you are entitled to a full refund of all monies paid to Certs, Inc.
Due to the inconveniences of a large cancellation rate for booked travel, your travel dates will not be confirmed until 14 days in advance. This is to benefit you by allowing a full refund in case you an experience a life event that keeps you from traveling on the dates you provided us.
If you feel you have not received a fair chance at redeeming your travel certificate, please contact our customer service department [protected]) so we can research your situation and act accordingly based off your incentive's terms of service.
Sincerely,
Gregory A. Peaden, CEO
Certs, Inc.
I attended and received the same Wings accros America. I was surprised that they asking 50 $ deposit for expences. It sounded fishy. If you geting something free so it should e free wiht no processing fee or anything else. So I checked online and found this great website.
This information help me to understand that this is scam.
Thanks for posting this info. I received a "birthday card" in the mail last night with the same "two roundtrip airfares" offer and was concerned because some company/offer I'd never heard of knew my birthday was coming up. But hey! Their "records also indicate that if I respond within 72 hours, I will also receive a complimentary $250 Rewards Cash Card!" To make it extra official looking they even included a Boarding Pass that has my name, Seat: 07-C for flight: WINGSF100 departing from the USA, Gate: A10 -- though gates may change, check monitors.
Thanks for the info. I just got this notification in the mail and will not bother responding. I love the internet!
I thought I'd be able to make this work, but had problems as well. It's really not worth it. Thanks for the insight on how they work their scam though! It's good information to have out there.
Sounds like the same company, alright. Add to it an incredible attitude and rudeness over the phone. Stay away from them, and Dreamworks vacations. It's a big scam.