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Discount Global Travel, Global Explorer, Mid-American Connections Travel Services, Travel, Discount Travel, Royal Oaks Michigan
All I can say is I'm both sorry and elated to find individuals like myself that were scammed for travel services by Discount Global Travel. This company is a total consumer ripoff. How dare Peder Seglund and his cohorts, at whatever satellite office they have moved into this month, even try to defend what DGT is promoting. All of your stories sound so familiar to what has happened to my Fiance and I. Luckily we negotiated a rate of $3750 instead of the $7500 they were originally asking. This company couldn't be more of a joke. As you all have probably have figured out this is how it works.
They start by calling you on the phone stating you have a free trip(usually 2 nights, 3days)with a choice of 5 or 6 places to go for attending a 90 min presentation for consolidated travel services. After you agree to the 90 min presentation you drive to whatever office they have set up for that time period. I have noticed that all of them have closed. Interesting!!!! After you hear what great discounts they have (and I'm the first to admit how embarrassed I am for buying in) they negotiate a minimum 10 year contract. Some as high as 20 years for a fee ranging from $3750 to as much as $10,000.
Here's the scam. They have a couple of people working out of an office that is undisclosed(I still have yet to find this place). It is not where they give sales presentations because they know that whoever bought into their scam will be looking to go get their money back and they don't want people raising a stink back where they give the presentations. This would scare potential buyers off. Once the consumer buys in they have 3 days to break the contract. The travel services department (if you want to call it that)is only open Mon-Fri.
Being that most of the presentations are given on a Friday or Saturday by the time you call on Monday and by the time you get a response usually 3+ days you can no longer void the contract. Once your stuck they rely on your frustration to take over. Most people only get two-three weeks of vacation a year with a couple of long weekends. This equates to only being able to go on 4-5 trips or so a year, if your lucky.
All that DGT now has to do is hunt down your typical low rate airfare and car companies for certain destinations. If your going to Hawaii they'll check Hawaiian Airlines, If your going to Cabo San Lucas they'll check Aeromexico, if your flying from the west to the east coast they'll check out Southwest or Jet Blue. If your renting a car they'll check Dollar. They call back with a rate(in my case it was always equal or over the price that I would find in a 10-15 min search) and if your lucky to be home you then have to hunt down a better rate within a couple of hours or they have to do it over again. Who want's to hunt down better rates everytime? I don't.
So now you have figured out that the discounts they give aren't really discounts at all. It's just a few people looking up what you can do yourself. This goes against everything they told me in the presentation of buying airline tickets in bulk and buying blocks of rooms each year for members.
So then there's the rebate. OK so they really don't do anything special for you other than look up a few rates online. In order to get the rebate you have to find a cheaper rate online within a two hour time period. Your bound to find a few but most are equal to what they looked up because they went to the typical locations. So you get 3-4 rebates a year maybe. At a 10% discount you'll get back maybe a couple of hundred dollars a year for the vacation time you receive from work( I still haven't recieved my rebate and that was from May 06').
You'll go about doing this for maybe two years before your so frustrated you just give up and DGT is rolling with your hard earned cash. Being that you pay $99 a year(covers most of the rebate money) for renewal they rolling out of there with a whole load of pre-paid cash. By the time you get your money back through rebates your too old to travel.
Ok now your stuck because if you want your money back you have to write a letter to the main office to the Attn: Peder Seglund. Peder, as you all know, will give you the runaround stating that DGT's specialty is discount condos not other travel services like international and domestic flights. How come they threaten to take away all the airline and other travel discounts if you don't sign up that day if they are only in the Condo discount service business?
Why do they claim 30-50% discounts on international airfares and 30-70% discounts on hotels if they don't specialize in that. Have any of you received rebate checks yet or is it just me? I wonder if they plan on giving back rebates at all to those that don't call them on it.
As for the employees that were defending DGT, give me a break. You guys know as well as we do what your company is doing. Anytime I have called trying to get information about the company I am either forwarded to voice mail or given to "Gus" if that's his real name. He then says he's on it and never calls back.
I would be more than happy to be a part of a class action lawsuit against DGT if anybody is interested. I am already pursuing a small claims lawsuit in California now that I finally have a physical address for Peder in St. Clair Shores, Michigan. Who know's how long that will take. Luckily I'm pissed off and stubborn. If anyone would like to talk to me regarding the info I have dug up on Peder as well as the other business pursuits he has ventured into please contact me. I will be keeping a close eye out on new reports.
This is not an isolated incident. There are many other travel companies scamming people out of their hard earned cash. In fact we had received a call from Star Vacation Club a few months after we signed up and they have they same scam going with only a 5% rebate. In fact the same guy that signed us up with DGT in Carlsbad, Ca was now working with Star in Carmel Valley, Ca. His name is Leif Kaufman. Let's blow this thing out of the water people so nobody else get's affected. If necessary let's take it to the media so others can be aware.
Ryan
San Diego, California
U.S.A.
14 Updates & Rebuttals
Christie
Oak Hills,California,
U.S.A.
c-list
#15Consumer Comment
Sun, July 27, 2008
Michael,
I did a search of c-list (craig's list?) Do not know how to pull up your posting. Can you give a little more detail. Have never used craig's list. Would love to find a way to communicate with you about this issue. My husband and I would love to file suit to retrive our money.
Christie
Christie
Oak Hills,California,
U.S.A.
c-list
#15Consumer Comment
Sun, July 27, 2008
Michael,
I did a search of c-list (craig's list?) Do not know how to pull up your posting. Can you give a little more detail. Have never used craig's list. Would love to find a way to communicate with you about this issue. My husband and I would love to file suit to retrive our money.
Christie
Christie
Oak Hills,California,
U.S.A.
c-list
#15Consumer Comment
Sun, July 27, 2008
Michael,
I did a search of c-list (craig's list?) Do not know how to pull up your posting. Can you give a little more detail. Have never used craig's list. Would love to find a way to communicate with you about this issue. My husband and I would love to file suit to retrive our money.
Christie
Christie
Oak Hills,California,
U.S.A.
c-list
#15Consumer Comment
Sun, July 27, 2008
Michael,
I did a search of c-list (craig's list?) Do not know how to pull up your posting. Can you give a little more detail. Have never used craig's list. Would love to find a way to communicate with you about this issue. My husband and I would love to file suit to retrive our money.
Christie
Christie
Oak Hills,California,
U.S.A.
Discount global travel ripoff
#15Consumer Comment
Sun, July 27, 2008
Hi all,
My husband and I are also victims of discount global travel. As many of you have said, we tried numerous times to book vacations through them only to be left frustrasted and booking on our own. We have a large family and thought this would be a wonderful way to afford family vacations. Needless to say, when we booked a vacation to Florida through them and had to cancel due to medical reasons, we were not afforded any of our money back. They claimed they would re-book the condo and we would then receive a rebate (never happened).
We would love to join in on any lawsuit to recoup our money. We signed up in January of 2006 for $6,500 in Irvine with Leif Kaufman and Marisol Villegas and also have a $99 yearly renewal fee.
We have never received anything about a new company taking over.
Christie
Michael
Long Beach,California,
U.S.A.
Count me in on your class action
#15Consumer Comment
Wed, July 09, 2008
We were taken by DGT in Irvine, CA in 8/2004. We have only gone on three vacations through them and the savings were minimal. They are a hassle to deal with, too. Now we find out that they're out of business and feel like fools. We will join any class action lawsuit against the owner and company.
Michael in Long Beach, CA
(((ROR redacted)))
CLICK here to see why Rip-off Report, as a matter of policy, deleted either a phone number, link or e-mail address from this Report.
Ryan
San Diego,California,
U.S.A.
DGT ripoff
#15Author of original report
Mon, November 26, 2007
Anyone interested, I posted an ad on SanDiego C-list. Its under item wanted/ DGT.
Loghed
Trenton,Michigan,
U.S.A.
I got screwed too!
#15Consumer Comment
Sat, November 24, 2007
They got me too! Call with any info! Jay (((phone number redacted)))
CLICK here to see why Rip-off Report, as a matter of policy, deleted either a phone number, link or e-mail address from this Report.
James
Oceanside,,California,
U.S.A.
also got ripped off
#15Consumer Comment
Thu, November 01, 2007
Hello. I am in the same boat as many people. I have also been ripped off by these people. If there is a Class Action Law suit how do i get in ?
Ryan
San Diego,California,
U.S.A.
DIscount Global Travel Update
#15Author of original report
Tue, May 08, 2007
In Response to Piera: How are you? Its unfortunate that Ripoffreport pulls your information but we will figure out a way to contact each other. First things first. Whomever was in charge of signing the contract is now liable under law to compensate if the contract is broken. That someone is Peder Seglund. It does not matter if he sold the company or not, he is still responsible. Check out AquiEssence, Inc online and look up the contact information. Surprise!!! I also have what I believe is a home address. Anyway please respond to this rebuttal and we'll figure out a way to make contact. Thanks
Piera
Center Line,Michigan,
U.S.A.
I want to join your class action lawsuit
#15Consumer Comment
Fri, April 06, 2007
Hello
I have been looking for someone to join me in suing this company and the employees that knew what was goin on. I live in Warren so St. Clair Shores, MI is not far. Give me more details and maybe we can work together to get our money back. I really could use it instead of giving it to that jerk. They backed out on us and our contract so by law they owe us our money. (((ROR REDACTED EMAIL FOR SECURITY PURPOSES)))
Piera
CLICK here to see why Rip-off Report, as a matter of policy, deleted either a phone number, link or e-mail address from this Report.
Michele
Irvine,California,
U.S.A.
Fulfillment
#15UPDATE EX-employee responds
Fri, April 06, 2007
Most of the clients were very happy with the service. There were dozens of agents booking discounted travel for clients every day. I was with the company for years. Most employees were grateful to have an owner who did everything in his power to satisfy clients and employees alike. I personally busted my butt for clients every day and Peder was one of the best employers I ever worked for.
Companies go out of business every day. Peder invested hundreds of thousands to keep the company afloat and instead of just closing after exhausting all options he gave clients 2 other services for options to transfer their benefits to. Most of the bad information being said about the company are lies and half truths. I take that personally since I was an employee with many satisfied clients.
Judy
Strongsville,Ohio,
U.S.A.
THANX YOU CARDS???
#15UPDATE EX-employee responds
Thu, April 05, 2007
Those thank you cards you are refering to are DGT employees that went on a vacation and sent "thank you" postcards back to their own place of employment!!! And, those exact words came out of my managers mouth. Who are you kidding???
Joseph
Royal Oak,Michigan,
U.S.A.
DGT saved thousands of clients money on travel
#15UPDATE EX-employee responds
Thu, April 05, 2007
There is no mystery how DGT saved clients money on travel. They either rebated any commission that was attached to a vacation or they received it wholesale and gave it to their clients at cost. Travel is not a perfect science nor are the people who book it perfect. However, every day thank you cards and letters streamed in from people who were difficult to satisfy and yet felt compelled to thank the agents for the service they gave.
Not everyone can be satisfied as there is no magic powder that can be applied to create whatever a client demands. Travel is a tough industry and after doing business for years with thousands of satisfied clients DGT went out of business. They have given former clients an option to continue with other discount travel services if they choose to after a free trial of the alternative companies service.