False Promises of a Free Cruise Cause Consumers' Hopes to Sink

Those free trips will cost you big bucks.

Austin, Texas, September 4, 2007 Central Texas consumers claim they are being lured to vacation club presentations by slick salespeople who promise them "free" gifts...but fail to disclose the hidden fees they'll have to pay to actually use their prize.

It starts with a telephone call from the Awards Verification Center claiming you've won a prize. The telemarketer says you have to attend a 90-minute presentation in order to claim it. The presentation is for a Florida-based vacation club called Global Escapes, which has offices in Austin and San Antonio.

Although other prizes like cars and television sets are advertised, all of the consumer complaints received by BBB concern travel incentives that promise "free" vacations that turn out to be anything but free. Consumers say hidden fees add up to more than $300.

Global Escapes says they use third parties to market on their behalf and are not responsible for the travel incentives given out during their presentations. They say all questions and concerns should be directed to the companies listed on the travel certificates.

The company also says everyone who attends one of their presentations signs a gift acknowledgement that says they are responsible for any and all government, state and local taxes and for any other fees associated with the gifts.

But "free trips" that aren't really free aren't the only complaints BBB has received on Global Escapes. Consumers pay anywhere from $3,995 to $6,995 for the Global Escapes Software License, which gives them access to the Global Escapes web site. During the sales presentation, consumers say they are told the software will allow them to create their own vacations by giving them access to thousands of discount hotel rooms, condos and cruises.

But Consumer complaints received by BBB allege Global Escapes' salespeople misrepresented their product and that the actual service does not meet their expectations based on what they observed during the sales pitch. Consumers who have accessed the web site say they cannot get the same hotels, cruises and condos promised during the presentation.

Consumers also allege they aren't given access to the Global Escapes web site until well after the three-day recission period and are not able to get refunds.

In response to the consumer complaints, Global Escapes states that exact screen captures of their web site are used during their presentations and that consumers are provided with all of the information they need to make an informed decision to purchase.

The company says consumers are also notified that it may take up to two weeks for their software license to be processed and access to the web site granted.

This BBB has processed 26 complaints about Global Escapes in the past 36 months. You can view the company's reliability report here. In April, 2007, BBB contacted the company due to an emerging pattern of complaints. Global Escapes sent BBB a written response to these concerns, but an attorney with the company said nothing in the response could be used in BBB's reliability report.

BBB warns consumers to check out any business claiming they've won a "free" prize. For more BBB tips on Vacation Clubs, visit: www.bbb.org.

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