On February 22, 2014 my 83 year old husband and I attended a presentation for a travel services program. The business looked to be reliable from the outside as they share a parking floor with Marriott timeshare hotel in FT Lauderdale . I have contacted Marriott and informed them of the problems of this parking situaton. They have received other calls as well.
They claim not to sell timeshares but instead sell a travel membership program where they say by joining a large powerful group they can get prices better that an individual can get on the internet or through hotels or vacation clubs themselves. Our sales presentation was typical hard sell, except this one was filled with ex-Army men who constantly were talking about service to the country- was this an attempt for one not to question their honor?
We have a very large family of children and grandchildren and told the salesperson that we were not interested in Condos or cruises but we did travel abroad and take our family of 27 to CLub Med. Paul excused himself from the room and came back with an unbeleiveable price for the week we selected the end of June -far less than what we had paid the previous year for the same week. The savings on this trip alone would pay for our membership. We were also assured that they could negoiate cheaper hotel rates than we could on our own.
After we signed and charged $5,098 on American Express, the problems started. The membershhip kit was not provided to us - "they ran out of them". As we are in our FLorida winter home for 4 months we asked they mail it to our Florida address. Isn't it interesting that you have 3 business days to cancel and to do so you must mail back the Membership Kit with your cancelation letter! Our member # used to access the reservations system and see the deals was provided but "would not be active till 4 business days later". Of course we were told that if we wanted any prices we could call Global and they would get them for us. We returned home and started the research only to find reports of ripoff and scam. We called to verify the Club Med price we were given by salesman Paul - not at all close to the stated price. We also tested one international hotel -Global's price was higher!
We placed many calls to the Global offices in Ft Lauderdale - always the same - the sales staff is busy -will call back. After repeated calls with no response, a sales person,Dale Eaton, callled to say STOP CALLING, that they would help us throught the process of getting our money refunded. No such call ever came. We finally left a message for our salesperson Paul, saying we felt the program had not been as represented and we wanted our moneyback.We could not cancel by returning the member kit with in the 3 business day period as we had no kit!! His response came on our cell phone at 2:30am, scaring us out of our sleep. It was a ranting message which told us to just relax and look for the reasons to enjoy the program not reasons to leave.
The subsequent months have been spent trying to dispute the charge on our American Express and call to get our money back. Several conversations have been with Joey Russell, who says he's the manager but who does not return the calls promised. He also claims not to know the name of the owner/president when asked. We finally found an email address for Global and on June 25th received our emailed request for the membership kit arrived and was returned unopened with a letter of cancellation the next day.
This problem will be filed with the Attorney General of Florida and the BBB of Florida, but the best thing would be for the internet to be the warning for future customers of Global Paradise Outlet -STAY AWAY FROM THIS COMPANY AND WARN AS MANY PEOPLE WHO MIGHT RECEIVE THEIR PRESENTATION OFFER TO DO THE SAME
We were invited to presentation for this travel club. We were told that hotels and other travel services were cheaper than we could get on our own. After signing up, we were told they were out of membership booklets but we would get one by the end of the week. After returning home we looked up this group and found complaints lodged with BBB and the state Attorney General. We checked prices through there rep and on our own -we got cheaper prices on the internet. When we spoke with Global and told them, they claimed someone made a mistake.
After several days of repeated phone calls with no response we finally left message asking for our money to be returned . We were told that we would receive a call from manager telling us how to get a refund - the call and our membership package never arrived and canceling required the member package.
To date we have not received our money back and will file claims with Florida & So Carolina attorney general and the BBB .
On March 8, 2014 we responded to an offer to attend an Open House for a Travel Service Presentation. Included in this offer was an enticement that if we arrived early we would receive our choice of of 3, 4, 5, or 7 night all inclusive cruise for 2 with all meals and stateroom cabin included. We attended this program and met with fast talking Billy who convinved us this was the offer of a lifetime to join this travel club.
We received a voucher which we submitted to a 3rd party called Sobe Marketing who then sent us the form for the Ultimate Cruise Offer Registration Activation. We had to pay a non-refundable activiation fee of $75 to register. The form stated that we were responsible for paying the travel service fees as well as govenrnment and agency fees between $39 - $129. I submitted a request for prices for a cruise on NCL Getaway for May 2015. I was quoted fees of $610 for an Inside cabin pp. I checked the prices at the NCL website for an Inside cabin and they were $589 pp with fees of $236pp along with a $25 credit. I then responded to Chantelle, my contact person at Travel Service Center who is handling this offer for Global. This is what she responded: "This cruise is not for free. What we provide is discounted travel. The basic inside cabin starts at $659, that does not include your port fees and taxes.Our rate would equals $1220.76 and if the on board credits are available then you will receive that as well. We provide discounts, your total discount would be $311.44."
At this point I contacted Billy who claimed to be shocked that it was not a free offer for the cruise other than the required fees and taxes and advised he would look into it and call me back. HA HA. No call back. I called again and repeated the story which he seems to have forgotten about. Still no follow up. Next call I reached Tim Foster. I guess Billy was no longer there. He turned this over to Ashley Jaeger who informed me that Global Paradise with the following email:
In response to your dispute against the the fees of the gift you received for your attendance of Global Paradise Outlet's open house on March 8th of 2014: Gifts given by Global Paradise Outlet are provided by a third party travel company, and, Global Paradise Outlet is not held responsible for all claims, expenses, taxes or fees or cancellations. It appears that we signed a form advising of this but never expecting that this would be part of the SCAM.
Now they are offering me a 3 day 2 night hotel stay at a variety of locations - but we fly there on our own.
I am convinced that Global was always aware of this 3rd party scam and that's how they were able to make an offer of a free cruise. Anyone who signs up with them with any type of free offer - beware. They will not get anything in return.
Global Paradise Outlet Reviews
On February 22, 2014 my 83 year old husband and I attended a presentation for a travel services program. The business looked to be reliable from the outside as they share a parking floor with Marriott timeshare hotel in FT Lauderdale . I have contacted Marriott and informed them of the problems of this parking situaton. They have received other calls as well.
They claim not to sell timeshares but instead sell a travel membership program where they say by joining a large powerful group they can get prices better that an individual can get on the internet or through hotels or vacation clubs themselves. Our sales presentation was typical hard sell, except this one was filled with ex-Army men who constantly were talking about service to the country- was this an attempt for one not to question their honor?
We have a very large family of children and grandchildren and told the salesperson that we were not interested in Condos or cruises but we did travel abroad and take our family of 27 to CLub Med. Paul excused himself from the room and came back with an unbeleiveable price for the week we selected the end of June -far less than what we had paid the previous year for the same week. The savings on this trip alone would pay for our membership. We were also assured that they could negoiate cheaper hotel rates than we could on our own.
After we signed and charged $5,098 on American Express, the problems started. The membershhip kit was not provided to us - "they ran out of them". As we are in our FLorida winter home for 4 months we asked they mail it to our Florida address. Isn't it interesting that you have 3 business days to cancel and to do so you must mail back the Membership Kit with your cancelation letter! Our member # used to access the reservations system and see the deals was provided but "would not be active till 4 business days later". Of course we were told that if we wanted any prices we could call Global and they would get them for us. We returned home and started the research only to find reports of ripoff and scam. We called to verify the Club Med price we were given by salesman Paul - not at all close to the stated price. We also tested one international hotel -Global's price was higher!
We placed many calls to the Global offices in Ft Lauderdale - always the same - the sales staff is busy -will call back. After repeated calls with no response, a sales person,Dale Eaton, callled to say STOP CALLING, that they would help us throught the process of getting our money refunded. No such call ever came. We finally left a message for our salesperson Paul, saying we felt the program had not been as represented and we wanted our moneyback.We could not cancel by returning the member kit with in the 3 business day period as we had no kit!! His response came on our cell phone at 2:30am, scaring us out of our sleep. It was a ranting message which told us to just relax and look for the reasons to enjoy the program not reasons to leave.
The subsequent months have been spent trying to dispute the charge on our American Express and call to get our money back. Several conversations have been with Joey Russell, who says he's the manager but who does not return the calls promised. He also claims not to know the name of the owner/president when asked. We finally found an email address for Global and on June 25th received our emailed request for the membership kit arrived and was returned unopened with a letter of cancellation the next day.
This problem will be filed with the Attorney General of Florida and the BBB of Florida, but the best thing would be for the internet to be the warning for future customers of Global Paradise Outlet -STAY AWAY FROM THIS COMPANY AND WARN AS MANY PEOPLE WHO MIGHT RECEIVE THEIR PRESENTATION OFFER TO DO THE SAME
We were invited to presentation for this travel club. We were told that hotels and other travel services were cheaper than we could get on our own. After signing up, we were told they were out of membership booklets but we would get one by the end of the week. After returning home we looked up this group and found complaints lodged with BBB and the state Attorney General. We checked prices through there rep and on our own -we got cheaper prices on the internet. When we spoke with Global and told them, they claimed someone made a mistake.
After several days of repeated phone calls with no response we finally left message asking for our money to be returned . We were told that we would receive a call from manager telling us how to get a refund - the call and our membership package never arrived and canceling required the member package.
To date we have not received our money back and will file claims with Florida & So Carolina attorney general and the BBB .
I warn anyone not to get involved with this group
On March 8, 2014 we responded to an offer to attend an Open House for a Travel Service Presentation. Included in this offer was an enticement that if we arrived early we would receive our choice of of 3, 4, 5, or 7 night all inclusive cruise for 2 with all meals and stateroom cabin included. We attended this program and met with fast talking Billy who convinved us this was the offer of a lifetime to join this travel club.
We received a voucher which we submitted to a 3rd party called Sobe Marketing who then sent us the form for the Ultimate Cruise Offer Registration Activation. We had to pay a non-refundable activiation fee of $75 to register. The form stated that we were responsible for paying the travel service fees as well as govenrnment and agency fees between $39 - $129. I submitted a request for prices for a cruise on NCL Getaway for May 2015. I was quoted fees of $610 for an Inside cabin pp. I checked the prices at the NCL website for an Inside cabin and they were $589 pp with fees of $236pp along with a $25 credit. I then responded to Chantelle, my contact person at Travel Service Center who is handling this offer for Global. This is what she responded: "This cruise is not for free. What we provide is discounted travel. The basic inside cabin starts at $659, that does not include your port fees and taxes.Our rate would equals $1220.76 and if the on board credits are available then you will receive that as well. We provide discounts, your total discount would be $311.44."
At this point I contacted Billy who claimed to be shocked that it was not a free offer for the cruise other than the required fees and taxes and advised he would look into it and call me back. HA HA. No call back. I called again and repeated the story which he seems to have forgotten about. Still no follow up. Next call I reached Tim Foster. I guess Billy was no longer there. He turned this over to Ashley Jaeger who informed me that Global Paradise with the following email:
In response to your dispute against the the fees of the gift you received for your attendance of Global Paradise Outlet's open house on March 8th of 2014: Gifts given by Global Paradise Outlet are provided by a third party travel company, and, Global Paradise Outlet is not held responsible for all claims, expenses, taxes or fees or cancellations. It appears that we signed a form advising of this but never expecting that this would be part of the SCAM.
Now they are offering me a 3 day 2 night hotel stay at a variety of locations - but we fly there on our own.
I am convinced that Global was always aware of this 3rd party scam and that's how they were able to make an offer of a free cruise. Anyone who signs up with them with any type of free offer - beware. They will not get anything in return.