United Travel Club - free trip offer???

[Lisou]

Hopefully someone can ease my mind! I received a call from someone from United Travel Club US, saying that I visited their website on Dec 8 at 2:12 pm and I apparently provided them with my personal information such as credit card number, date of birth, address (which I do not remember doing and I am a very cautious and skeptical person) ...I apparently now won a trip with them but then they told me they needed to charge me 500$ USD and will need to attend one 90 minute time share tour once on site. Has anyone ever done this kind of thing??? I will call my credit card company to verify this charge and may revoke it...I feel uneasy about this whole situation!

[Keith1010]

This sounds like a scam. If this was me, I would have said thank you but no thank you.

 

I hope that you did not provide them with your credit card. How do you know they are even legitimate.

 

If you did, I would call your credit card company to figure out how to undue this.

 

 

Keith

[paul929207]

I would not even consider following up. These people are almost certainly ripping you off. There is almost no chance you will get $500 trip for your $500.

[Lisou]

Thank you for your responses. The problem is that they had my credit card number and other of my personal information and told me because I had signed up for this ``contest`` on line they could not revoke it! I just called my credit card company and reported it and they will take the charge off of my account and have terminated my credit card and are reissuing a new card which I will receive in 48 hours...how scary!

[Keith1010]

Thank you for your responses. The problem is that they had my credit card number and other of my personal information and told me because I had signed up for this ``contest`` on line they could not revoke it! I just called my credit card company and reported it and they will take the charge off of my account and have terminated my credit card and are reissuing a new card which I will receive in 48 hours...how scary!

 

If you don't mind me asking, if you've already taken care of this, then what feedback are you looking for since you started off the post by saying hopefully someone can ease my mind.

 

Just trying to clarify the question.

 

Keith

[EGG]

Personally, I always like to see posts such as this. It makes us all a little more careful. I am curious to find out more about this company and how they can be closed down.

[Lisou]

Keith,

 

Your comment is a good one...I actually waited a bit and read the two first comments and saw that it did not seem kosher so I called my credit card company right away and made arrangements to have them revoke the charge and cancel my credit card...I`m a fast worker!;)

 

But as the next poster after you remarked, part of my reason to post was to advise people. They told me that I went on their site to `sign up` for this `contest` and won but I don`t remember going on their web site and I certainly do not usually provide my personal and credit info online so I`m suspecting that they either purchased a list from somewhere or they `stole` my info somehow:confused:. Either way, it is scary and worrisome and also annoying because now I have to go through the whole scenario of cancelling my credit card, reissuing etc.

[Keith1010]

Lisou, now all of this makes sense.

 

I am glad that you contacted your credit card company.

 

The other issue is if for some reason you feel that they have other information such as address, date of birth, etc, etc. you may also want to be sure that at last for the near term that you sign up for a credit monitoring service to be sure that no one tries to open up credit cards in your name. Hopefully, that iwll not happen but these days one never knows.

 

Good luck with all of this.

 

Keith

[h.shaikh]

OMG

 

the exact same thing happened to me. they called me on friday saying the same thing, and my credit card has also been charged 498 USD, which is odd because my credit limit could not support that purchase. So i think this company is definately a fraud and they somehow increased my credit limit. I just realized it today and am about to call my credit card!!!

[G'ma]

Hopefully someone can ease my mind! I received a call from someone from United Travel Club US, saying that I visited their website on Dec 8 at 2:12 pm and I apparently provided them with my personal information such as credit card number, date of birth, address (which I do not remember doing and I am a very cautious and skeptical person) ...I apparently now won a trip with them but then they told me they needed to charge me 500$ USD and will need to attend one 90 minute time share tour once on site. Has anyone ever done this kind of thing??? I will call my credit card company to verify this charge and may revoke it...I feel uneasy about this whole situation!

 

Scam.....

 

Here's a link to a bunch of video newslinks about this outfit.....

 

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1220466843073032894&ei=BW0lS-P9A4yQqAKzhowR&q=united+travel+club+scam#

[toberman]

Hopefully someone can ease my mind! I received a call from someone from United Travel Club US, saying that I visited their website on Dec 8 at 2:12 pm and I apparently provided them with my personal information such as credit card number, date of birth, address (which I do not remember doing and I am a very cautious and skeptical person) ...I apparently now won a trip with them but then they told me they needed to charge me 500$ USD and will need to attend one 90 minute time share tour once on site. Has anyone ever done this kind of thing??? I will call my credit card company to verify this charge and may revoke it...I feel uneasy about this whole situation!

 

And you should feel uneasy - however, I don't know the 'rules' in the US, but in Canada, this is called "phishing". They SAID they had all this info on you, but didn't supply any supporting documentation. What they are probably doing is TRYING to get you to supply your CC # etc in order to confirm the 'free' trip. Good idea to change your CC, but you shouldn't worry too much. Never, ever, respond to these people!! We get these emails all the time, and they go in the junk mail file. Never had a problem if I didn't respond.

Good Luck (don't really think you'll need it though)

Doug

[toberman]

OMG

 

the exact same thing happened to me. they called me on friday saying the same thing, and my credit card has also been charged 498 USD, which is odd because my credit limit could not support that purchase. So i think this company is definately a fraud and they somehow increased my credit limit. I just realized it today and am about to call my credit card!!!

 

You checked, and your CC was actually charged $498?? Or they SAID it was?? Have any idea how they got your phone # ???

Doug

[imsulin]

I heard/read somewhere that if you order something on-line (giving them all your info.), there are often pop-ups that you expect to be part of the company you're ordering from. It often says something like "Need More Information?" If you click on it, it apparently gives them access to your info. Don't know if this is the deal, but I often order on-line with no problems. I just don't click on anything else.

[beachchick]

If your credit card was actually charged without you providing any information, you should also file an identity theft statement with your local police department. Consider this: If you did not provide this so-called company with your personal information, they either bought it or stole it from elsewhere. This is identity theft, pure and simple. Having a police report can prove helpful down the road if some other criminal tries the same thing or tries to open credit in your name or commits a crime using your identity. I don't mean to sound alarmist, but there are so many people who have had to spend thousands of dollars restoring their own good name and credit; some have even been imprisoned based on someone using their identity to commit a crime. Please, don't just cancel the card and get a new number. Follow it up and go to the government-sponsored website (not the "free credit report dot com" or similar, which claim to be free, but are in business to make money) and run one of the three credit reports you are allowed each 12 months. (That's one report free from each of the three recognized companies; you can do them 4 months apart to keep fairly current.) If you have fraudulent charges on your credit card or other accounts, you are also entitled to a free credit report from any or all of the three recognized companies, but you must provide proof that you are a victim of identity theft or false charges. Sadly, I know this because someone stole one of my credit card numbers several years ago and it was a bit of a PITA. Another note: Never, ever give personal information solicited via email. Real companies do not request it. And even if an email looks legitimate and provides a link to a website that looks legitimate, it may not be. There are scammers who create "mimic" sites to reel in victims. If, for example, your credit card company sends an email saying, "We need to update your personal information," it's likely (1) not from them and (2) even if it is, you should call the customer service number on your actual credit card or statement to vefiry and (3) you should go to their website independently and not through the so-called "official" email.

 

(Caveat: I'm not a laywer and have no legal expertise; what I am is a sceptical and untrusting consumer. Sorry, this is all a bit OT and soapbox-ish. I just don't want my fellow CC members to get taken in by cyber thieves!)

 

beachchick

[h.shaikh]

YEA they actually charrged my credit card. I saw it on my online statement. I reported it as fraudulent....and my credit card company is working on investigating it.

[bob brown]

If your credit card was actually charged without you providing any information, you should also file an identity theft statement with your local police department. Consider this: If you did not provide this so-called company with your personal information, they either bought it or stole it from elsewhere. This is identity theft, pure and simple. Having a police report can prove helpful down the road if some other criminal tries the same thing or tries to open credit in your name or commits a crime using your identity. I don't mean to sound alarmist, but there are so many people who have had to spend thousands of dollars restoring their own good name and credit; some have even been imprisoned based on someone using their identity to commit a crime. Please, don't just cancel the card and get a new number. Follow it up and go to the government-sponsored website (not the "free credit report dot com" or similar, which claim to be free, but are in business to make money) and run one of the three credit reports you are allowed each 12 months. (That's one report free from each of the three recognized companies; you can do them 4 months apart to keep fairly current.) If you have fraudulent charges on your credit card or other accounts, you are also entitled to a free credit report from any or all of the three recognized companies, but you must provide proof that you are a victim of identity theft or false charges. Sadly, I know this because someone stole one of my credit card numbers several years ago and it was a bit of a PITA. Another note: Never, ever give personal information solicited via email. Real companies do not request it. And even if an email looks legitimate and provides a link to a website that looks legitimate, it may not be. There are scammers who create "mimic" sites to reel in victims. If, for example, your credit card company sends an email saying, "We need to update your personal information," it's likely (1) not from them and (2) even if it is, you should call the customer service number on your actual credit card or statement to vefiry and (3) you should go to their website independently and not through the so-called "official" email.

 

(Caveat: I'm not a laywer and have no legal expertise; what I am is a sceptical and untrusting consumer. Sorry, this is all a bit OT and soapbox-ish. I just don't want my fellow CC members to get taken in by cyber thieves!)

 

beachchick

This is an excellent response to the topic. We can all learn from this reply.

And always remember...if it seems to good to be true, it's probably not.

[tarabear27]

Here is a just snipet of what has happened to us! I have documented every conversation in a word document that is now 5 pages long.

 

1.) January 19th 2010 (8:39 pm) while at work I received a call (on my cell phone) stating that my name had been drawn for a free trip to Orlando. It included 6 days, 7 nights in Orlando, as well as an extra 3 days 4 nights in the Bahamas….so “welcome aboard”. I hang up.

2.) January 19th 2009 (8:40 pm) she calls back again. I quickly tell her I am at work and hang up again.

3.) January 19th 2009 (8:49 pm) my husband texts me :”we won a trip to Florida”.

4.) After work I ask Pete what happened. He explains they had called the house (at 8:37 pm) stating that I my name had been drawn from a contest that I registered for and I won a free trip. He tells her that he needs to talk to me first. She suggests they do a conference call, but I had hung up on them.

5.) He then explains that he gave them $500. Before which he asked the girl “if my wife doesn’t want it, can I call and cancel?”. She assures him that he can.

6.) I immediately call them to cancel. No one answers the phone. I leave a message.

Since then I have involved the BBB, the Federal Trade Commission and Attorney General Office in Ohio. Our credit card compnaies are working hard to get the charges reversed, but it has been an exhausting week. Hopefully, things will work out. Lessons learned: never ever give your credit card info out (common sense for most of us!!), and never ever let your husband answer the phone!!

 

I was estactic to find this post, it proves everything we have been saying. United Travel has denied using the words "won", "draw", "registered for", etc.. Liar, liar pants on fire!!

[klfrodo]

Great post but might want to change the dates. 2009 or 2010?

[Traveler353]

Here is a just snipet of what has happened to us! I have documented every conversation in a word document that is now 5 pages long.

 

 

 

1.) January 19th 2010 (8:39 pm) while at work I received a call (on my cell phone) stating that my name had been drawn for a free trip to Orlando. It included 6 days, 7 nights in Orlando, as well as an extra 3 days 4 nights in the Bahamas….so “welcome aboard”. I hang up.

2.) January 19th 2009 (8:40 pm) she calls back again. I quickly tell her I am at work and hang up again.

3.) January 19th 2009 (8:49 pm) my husband texts me :”we won a trip to Florida”.

4.) After work I ask Pete what happened. He explains they had called the house (at 8:37 pm) stating that I my name had been drawn from a contest that I registered for and I won a free trip. He tells her that he needs to talk to me first. She suggests they do a conference call, but I had hung up on them.

5.) He then explains that he gave them $500. Before which he asked the girl “if my wife doesn’t want it, can I call and cancel?”. She assures him that he can.

6.) I immediately call them to cancel. No one answers the phone. I leave a message.

Since then I have involved the BBB, the Federal Trade Commission and Attorney General Office in Ohio. Our credit card compnaies are working hard to get the charges reversed, but it has been an exhausting week. Hopefully, things will work out. Lessons learned: never ever give your credit card info out (common sense for most of us!!), and never ever let your husband answer the phone!!

 

I was estactic to find this post, it proves everything we have been saying. United Travel has denied using the words "won", "draw", "registered for", etc.. Liar, liar pants on fire!!

 

Welcome to CC. I receive at least twice a week a fax to my work number telling me I have "won" a free cruise (Bahamas) or trip to somewhere (Disney or Cancun usually). Of course that free trip is going to end up costing me several hundred $$$. Common sense: Nothing is free in this world.

[cb at sea]

If you WIN something, there should be NO CHARGE to you to claim it....even if you have to pay taxes and stuff, that would go to the actual merchant...not the "sweepstake" people.

[FlyerTalker]

Remember...TANSTAAFL.

 

That applies to promotional companies as well as governments. If it sounds too good to be true, it is too good to be true.

[tarabear27]

Thanks! Not sure how to change it here, but duly noted!!

[tarabear27]

Great post but might want to change the dates. 2009 or 2010?

2010. We have been fighting them for 10 long days. Sigh....

[Jimena de Romana]

I've been a victim of this as well. It happened months ago, they called me, recorded the phone call, I don't know how they got my credit card info, they told me I had registered before (which i didn't), and said I should just call them to arrange all the details. I've been calling since then and nothing.. wrote a letter and everything complaining about this and nothing. no response. called my bank and they said I should ask for a refund, which I did, but the agency refused to give my money back. at this point, I don't know what else to do. I am 21, a college student, it's not like i have millions of dollars to spend, and I could really use those 500 dollars for something important. maybe we should all sign a pledge, or do something about this, we gotta fight for it because it's not fair. i just noticed the webpage doesn't exist anymore....

 

any ideas?

[6rugrats]

I've been a victim of this as well. It happened months ago, they called me, recorded the phone call, I don't know how they got my credit card info, they told me I had registered before (which i didn't), and said I should just call them to arrange all the details. I've been calling since then and nothing.. wrote a letter and everything complaining about this and nothing. no response. called my bank and they said I should ask for a refund, which I did, but the agency refused to give my money back. at this point, I don't know what else to do. I am 21, a college student, it's not like i have millions of dollars to spend, and I could really use those 500 dollars for something important. maybe we should all sign a pledge, or do something about this, we gotta fight for it because it's not fair. i just noticed the webpage doesn't exist anymore....

 

any ideas?

 

You should have immediately filed a dispute with your credit card company for this unauthorized charge. It may be too late for you though.