Complaint Review: Preferred Guest Resorts

A pop-up box appeared on my screen stating I had won $3000 in travel/accommodation in Orlando, Daytona Beach, Bahamas and Costa Rica. With a free rental car for one week while in Orlando and also a Cruise option.

I contacted the phone number as it was an Auckland, New Zealand number and I live in New Zealand.

The lady who answered told me her name was Sharon Lane and she very enthusiastically told me all about the trip I had won and all the wonderful places I would be staying and all the tourist attractions I would have the opportunity to see. She came across like an enthusiastic travel sales consultant who was in raptures about the  areas I was going to be so lucky to see for free as I had just won this most amazing trip. Sharon then had to transfer me to Eric as he was in charge of reservations and her job was only to sort out how and what I would like to do in my free holiday.

I was then transferred to Eric Hall who stated he was the representative at Calypso Resort who took the bookings and I was led from another page on the website from where Sharon had me viewing. I couldn't quite follow the procedure here as all of a sudden I was paying them $898.00 USD on the screen. I questioned this and was told that the package I had agreed to with Sharon incurred this extra cost above the $3000.00 package I had won. I was a bit confused and thought I couldn't have understood what Sharon was telling me. Eric then required my credit card details to pay for the $898.00 over the holiday prize I had won. I was feeling apprehensive and started asking a few questions and some sort of confirmation. Eric flicked through to another screen and I am trying to read all the information and take notes and listen to his fast talking all at the same time.

Eric continued to go on about how lucky I was and indicated that Google Chrome had chosen their Company for the holiday prize. Google Chrome were apparently launching a new product and it was Google Chrome paying the $3000.00 holdiday not them. I stupidly passed over my credit card details as by this time he had convinced me everything was fine. My husband was also listening in, to much of the conversation, so we were both sucked in. I was asking more questions and Eric abruptly states that he now has to transfer me to yet another department for voice recorded confirmation of the agreement.

I am transferred to Michelle Donaghue for this voice over part in which she asks me questions and I have to say agree. Talk about everything back to front. If I had completed the so-called taped voice agreement prior to providing my credit card details I might have thought things were fine but I knew right then and there that I had just been taken under and scammed.

These people were professional, enthusiastic, helpful, everything a good sales person should be. They all quoted different website names and when I queried this they said it was because different areas of the world had different websites depending on the promotions that were being run and what country the promotions were for.

These people are extremely dangerous the way the manipulate you. There is no Preferred Guest Resort webpage. They also gave me web page names of www.freecruise.com www.cruiseflorida.com www.startvacationingnow.com www.calypso.com

I feel pretty stupid that I have been duped and thought it would never happen to me. These guys are ratbags and obviously work in a tag team. Each player has carefully crafted their script and they act their respective parts very convincingly. I was unable to pressure Eric Hall he never falted when I questioned him. He remained professional making me believe his bullsh*t.