ASTAR Travel I purchased a holiday prize with Astar with my credit card. I cancelled the purchase the next day in writing and requested reimbursement. The company has not reimbursed me yet after 5 months Tampa Florida
Last March 09, I received a call in Brisbane Australia that I have won a Bahamas cruise prize over the internet but it was a discounted holiday in Florida. The prize was for 7 days/6 nights in Orlando plus 3 days/2 nights Fort Lauderdale and 4 days/3 nights Cruise in Bahamas (Optional) or 3 days/2 nights in Las Vegas (Optional). Plus 2-2 day Universal Theme Park tickets or a 7 continuous day rental for four persons. All this for an additional US$998. It was a dream holiday and too good to be true (assuming we paid our ticket from Australia to Florida...)
Somehow the Astar seller had my credit card details and wanted me to re-confirm over the phone. After several questions he "convinced " me that it was genuine and the offer was valid eighteen months. I reluctantly purchased the holiday, the next day I realized I had made a mistake and cancelled the order in writing explaining the reasons of our cancellation. Three weeks later I got the vouchers and mail them back immediately for reimbursement.
After several phone conversations with ASTAR customer service, confirming receipt of the cancellation letter, the returned holiday vouchers and the promise that I will be reimbursed, I never received any money back.
My last correspondence has been to the CEO on 26 June 2009 explaining my situation and I still have not received any response. My next move now has been to contact the Attorney General of the State of Florida and the Tampa Better Business Bureau to file an offical complaint. I will also file a "rip off" complaint with my Australian bank to back charge the transaction and will report to the police.
I will update thir report in due course
Henry
Brisbane
Australia
1 Updates & Rebuttals
David
Wellington,New Zealand
How to get a prompt refund
#2Consumer Suggestion
Thu, January 07, 2010
I was talked into a similar situation in October 2009. I found that one way to get a prompt refund (in less than a week) was to cite the relevant Florida Senate Staute 559.933 when requesting cancellation of the contract and asking for a refund in accordance with the company's own procedures. It is worth looking up the Senate's website and specifically: http://www.flsenate.gov/Statutes/index.cfm?/App_mode=Display_Statute&URL-Ch0559.
It also seems to me that the company may have laid itself open to legal action because in concluding its contract with me it did not comply with all the requirements of Statute 559.932. This may be why it paid up so quickly.