Friday, October 19, 2012

More intel about ST&I

EMAIL SENT to Carnival Cruise Lines

You should know, that I am getting calls from 18008193902 from "Dave", claiming to be a Carnival Representative. When I look up the number on Google, I see a lot of complaints. Just so you aware of it. I believe this number is connected to the sham company Smart Travel and Incentives, which operates within a gray area of the law. If you are doing business with them, I suggest you stop. They are unethical at best, and are making money from taking deposits for 7 day Carnival Cruises while making near impossible conditions to be get this "gift".

Thank you for contacting us. We appreciate the opportunity to be of assistance.

The phone number you have provided is a valid phone number for Carnival's Personal Vacation Planner department. Our Personal Vacation Planners make outbound calls to guests who may have recently logged on to our website to check out a new cruise. Our Personal Vacation Planners work directly for Carnival, and we do not have a partnership with other companies. We do have several travel agencies that make bookings for our cruises with their clients, but bookings made through travel agencies are not in partnership with Carnival or promoted through Carnival or our Personal Vacation Planners. While we accept bookings from travel agencies, and we appreciate their business and support, Carnival is not affiliated with any offers provided through a third party. We are aware of several promotions out there that offer free 7-8 day cruises, many for as a "birthday" offer, and our management team has been collecting data for these promotions and investigating the situations to stop the sources from which they are distributed. We appreciate you taking the time to express your concerns.

Thank you for choosing Carnival.

Sincerely,

Carnival Cruise Lines

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Checks? Not Money Orders?

While Smart Travel and Incentives required me to send in postal money orders for the deposit, they returned the deposits with company checks.

Here's the issue: I don't trust this company.

If the checks bounce, which I think is likely, I pay $27 per check.

I have written an email to ST&I requesting postal money orders instead.

I will post their response (or lack of one) here.

Full BBB Complaint

BBB CASE#: 90096682

Complaint filed by:

Mick Malkemus (More)

Complaint filed against:

Business Info

NAME:	Smart Travel & Incentives, Inc.
BBB MEMBER:	NO
CONTACT:	Ms. Julie Johnson
ADDRESS:	4606 S Clyde Morris Blvd Ste 1E Port Orange, FL 32129-7453
PHONE:	407 562-1891
FAX:	--None--
Website:	www.smart-travel-incentives.com

(Less)

Complaint status:

Activity

Date	Activity	Description
10/16/2012	Case ADMINISTRATIVELY CLOSED
10/16/2012	Inform Business - Case ADMINISTRATIVELY CLOSED
10/16/2012	Send Consumer Rebuttal - No New Offer - AJR	CLT.cf.rtf
10/15/2012	Received Business' Rebuttal Response	Again, as we previously stated, we are sorry Mr. Malkemus is unhappy with our terms and conditions. We do state on our cruise voucher activation form that our travel consultants will contact the customer approximately 30 days prior to travel. This is how our travel vouchers are formatted. Our travel vouchers might not work with everyone's schedule which is why we print our terms right on the voucher. We hope with the refund Mr. Malkemus will recieve this will satisfy his complaint with our company. Thank you.
10/10/2012	Forward Consumer Rebuttal to Business	BLT.cf.rtf
10/08/2012	BBB Reviews Consumer Rebuttal to Business Response	(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) While I am glad that they are finally sending the refund, the conditions set forth in their agreement make it next to impossible to ever collect the prize of a cruise. Here's why: they check for cruise availability only 30-45 days prior to departure. Most cruises are fully booked long before that. My research found multiple cruises I could qualify for, if applied for a year or so in advance. This company operates under conditions that make it next to impossible for the average person to comply with, and make money off the interest of deposits and forgotten deposits in the meantime. Full details of my experience with this company can be found here: http://smartravelexperience.blogspot.com/ I am still contemplating small claims court to be remunerated for the huge amount of time I had to devote to these issues. Don't take my word for it, here is another complaint board replete with issues from Smart Travel and Incentives and the San Diego Company they work with "Portfolio to Paradise", located on the upper tier of Horton Plaza. http://www.complaintsboard.com/complaints/portfolio-to-paradise-san-diego-california-c480241.html#c1270103 There are many others. I am surprised that the FBI and the FTC have not investigated this company yet.
10/08/2012	Forward Business response to Consumer	CLT.cf.rtf
10/08/2012	Receive Business Response	We are sorry Mr. Malkemus is so unhappy with the terms and conditions of his travel voucher. We print the terms and conditions directly on our vouchers so the customer can read and make sure they are willing to follow prior to them activating the vouchers. Mr. Malkemus did sign stating he read, understood and agreed to follow the terms and conditions. Our email was down for a few days with technical issues and that could be the reason we did not receive or respond to his emails. We are happy to cancel his voucher and give him a refund per the terms and conditions of his travel voucher. We have issued check #1964 for his refund of his travel voucher. This check will be mailed to the address on file this week. Thank you.
10/05/2012	Notify Business of Dispute
10/05/2012	Send Acknowledgement to Consumer
10/05/2012	Case Reviewed by BBB
10/04/2012	Case Received by BBB

(Less)

Case Description:

No longer responding to emails, not sending $99 refund for deposit of a cruise 'Prize' that I will never be awarded because of impossible conditions.
Smart Travel and Incentives is a scam. They claim you will get a seven day cruise if you send them a deposit, however, the conditions state that they will check availability 30-45 days prior to cruise departure. ALMOST ALL CRUISES ARE BOOKED LONG BEFORE THAT TIME. My last two emails were returned as a 'mailer daemon', or undeliverable. Now I am concerned they will never return my deposit, or have simply skipped town. I have filed a complaint with the FBI. See my blog for complete details http://smartravelexperience.blogspot.com/ (Less)

Category:

Refund or Exchange Issues

Case opened date:

10/05/2012

Case closed date:

10/16/2012

Desired Resolution:

I would like my $99 deposit refunded asap. These scammers have already made enough interest off of my money. (Less)

Download a copy of this complaint so you can print it for your records

*** This complaint has been closed. If you have more information to provide to BBB regarding this complaint, please click here. ***
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

New issue with Smart Travel and Incentives

Smart Travel and Incentives insist upon postal money orders when you send in your deposits of 75 and 99 dollars, for the airline tickets and seven day cruise tickets you are supposed to get. Wink. Wink.

Here's the rub: when they finally send your refund, they send you a check.

Now I took the check to my bank, and they said if the check bounces (and with all the trouble I've had with this company thus far, this would be no surprise), I'll be forced to pay $27 for each check that bounces, potentially $54 dollars total. Urrgh!

Since I don't trust this company, I'm going to contact their bank tomorrow and see if they have funds to cover it, and also the Internet to see if anyone has had trouble cashing their refund checks.

I swear, if either of these checks bounce, I'm going straight to small claims court.

After much trouble, I got my last refund check

What an experience this has been.

I am grateful to Smart Travel and Incentives for putting me through is distasteful experience. I've really learned a lot. It was worth being separated from my money for many months.

Hope I'm not speaking too soon. I'll deposit the checks in the bank today. Crossing my fingers that they are good for the full amounts.

Main lessons I've learned: don't waste time attending a 90 minute presentation with ANY company, unless I know it is something they offer that I really want. The process to actually get their "gift" is a monstrous waste of time and effort. Unless this blog helps someone from making the same mistake I did, then it has all been worthwhile.

It is of interest, that the two most viewed posts in this blog have been about how to get a refund from ST&I. That is telling. Many people are trying to get refund.

Sad to say, this company only got back in touch with me after I filed a complaint with the BBB.

Monday, October 8, 2012

Newest update from the BBB

COMPLAINT ACTIVITY REPORT Case # 90096682 BBB of Central Florida

Consumer Info: Malkemus, Mick Business Info: Smart Travel & Incentives, Inc.

9236 Shadow Hill Road 4606 S Clyde Morris Blvd Ste 1E

Santee, CA 92071 Port Orange, FL 32129-7453

619 448-5068 619 448-5068 407 562-1891

mickmalkemus@gmail.com

Location Involved: (Same as above)

Consumer's Original Complaint :

No longer responding to emails, not sending $99 refund for deposit of a cruise 'Prize' that I will never be awarded because of impossible conditions.

Smart Travel and Incentives is a scam. They claim you will get a seven day cruise if you send them a deposit, however, the conditions state that they will check availability 30-45 days prior to cruise departure. ALMOST ALL CRUISES ARE BOOKED LONG BEFORE THAT TIME. My last two emails were returned as a 'mailer daemon', or undeliverable. Now I am concerned they will never return my deposit, or have simply skipped town. I have filed a complaint with the FBI. See my blog for complete details http://smartravelexperience.blogspot.com/

Consumer's Desired Resolution:

I would like my $99 deposit refunded asap. These scammers have already made enough interest off of my money.

BBB Processing

10/04/2012 web BBB Case Received by BBB

10/05/2012 kmc BBB Case Reviewed by BBB

10/05/2012 Otto EMAIL Send Acknowledgement to Consumer

10/05/2012 Otto EMAIL Notify Business of Dispute

10/08/2012 WEB BBB RECEIVE BUSINESS RESPONSE : We are sorry Mr. Malkemus is so unhappy with the terms and conditions of his travel voucher. We print the terms and conditions directly on our vouchers so the customer can read and make sure they are willing to follow prior to them activating the vouchers. Mr. Malkemus did sign stating he read, understood and agreed to follow the terms and conditions. Our email was down for a few days with technical issues and that could be the reason we did not receive or respond to his emails. We are happy to cancel his voucher and give him a refund per the terms and conditions of his travel voucher. We have issued check #1964 for his refund of his travel voucher. This check will be mailed to the address on file this week. Thank you.

10/08/2012 kmc EMAIL Forward Business response to Consumer

10/08/2012 WEB BBB BBB REVIEWS CONSUMER REBUTTAL TO BUSINESS RESPONSE : (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)

While I am glad that they are finally sending the refund, the conditions set forth in their agreement make it next to impossible to ever collect the prize of a cruise. Here's why: they check for cruise availability only 30-45 days prior to departure. Most cruises are fully booked long before that. My research found multiple cruises I could qualify for, if applied for a year or so in advance. This company operates under conditions that make it next to impossible for the average person to comply with, and make money off the interest of deposits and forgotten deposits in the meantime. Full details of my experience with this company can be found here: http://smartravelexperience.blogspot.com/ I am still contemplating small claims court to be remunerated for the huge amount of time I had to devote to these issues. Don't take my word for it, here is another complaint board replete with issues from Smart Travel and Incentives and the San Diego Company they work with "Portfolio to Paradise", located on the upper tier of Horton Plaza. http://www.complaintsboard.com/complaints/portfolio-to-paradise-san-diego-california-c480241.html#c1270103 There are many others. I am surprised that the FBI and the FTC have not investigated this company yet.

Portfolio to Paradise and the "Cali kid"

Below is a complaint I found about the company "Portfolio to Paradise"

This is the company I first became involved with Smart Travel and Incentives through.

Thanks for the supporting evidence "Cali kid". I couldn't have said it any better myself.

____________________________________________________________

Portfolio to paradise

Posted: 2011-07-25 by

Cali kid

Scam

Complaint Rating:

Contact information:
Portfolio to paradise

San Diego, California
United States

People of San Diego do not believe this company called portfolio to paradise i'n Horton plaza San diego I answered there mail brochure stating that if I attend there 90 min presentation they would give me a free cruise . So I did first impression of the place looks shady like if they just threw stuff on the walls sat threw the 90 minutes of bull crock not impressive and people if u attend notice how all the people are from out of town so I refused there sell pitch and the fat sales man got upset cause I said no thanx rip off rip off so I get a voucher for a free cruise from a company called VIP travel but u have to send them 150 dollars i'n the form of a money order I thought well that sounds fishy I I start doing research and I contact VIP travel and they told me they never ask for money up front that portfolio to paradise is running a scam and they are using there name they specifically stated it's a scam there running and there using there company name which is VIP travel so I'm pissed they made me waste 90 minutes of my time so people stay away there is time share company out there that do offer u prizes that ate legit I know I've Dunn several but they never ask for money up front only when u arrive for taxes so stay away from portfolio to paradise i'n San Diego Horton plaza you'll waste your time and if u get suckered your money .

http://www.complaintsboard.com/complaints/portfolio-to-paradise-san-diego-california-c480241.html#c1270103

____________________________________________________________

I'm going to visit Portfolio to Paradise soon to get my refund back from, as Smart Travel and Incentives is not returning my emails, or is out of business entirely. If they refuse to pay me, I'm going to file with small claims court, and charge additional fees for all of my efforts to attempt to get the refund, plus deceptive practices.