PRICELINE.com Systematic Deception, Bait-and-Switch Tactics, and Egregious Customer Service Failures - A Consumer Horror Story Internet
As a longtime VIP customer of Priceline, I feel compelled to warn others about my recent nightmarish experience that reveals what I believe may be systematic consumer fraud. What began as a simple booking for a Falls View room at Niagara Falls Marriott—a special occasion for which I specifically paid a premium—devolved into a shocking display of corporate deception and incompetence spanning multiple levels of their organization. After discovering my confirmed Falls View room had been downgraded to a City View, I was shuffled between seven different representatives (Johnel, Johanna M., Rogelio B., Jennifer A., Esperanza C., Jasmin F., and Melanie E.) and two supervisors (Kramer and Soetoro), each seemingly designed to obstruct rather than assist.
Priceline not only switched my confirmed Falls View room to a City View without notification but then orchestrated what appears to be a calculated campaign of stonewalling and deception. Their initial admission of error through representative Johanna M., who promised a full refund, transformed into weeks of systematic obstruction, culminating in a flat denial of any responsibility.
Their actions—advertising premium rooms they can't deliver, confirming these bookings in writing, then systematically erasing evidence of these promises while cycling customers through an endless maze of representatives—suggest a disturbing pattern that may constitute intentional consumer fraud worthy of FTC investigation. This isn't merely about a room with a view; it's about a company that appears to be deliberately deceiving customers and then deploying an army of representatives to exhaust them into submission.
Priceline’s business actions was injustice, unfair to a customer or victim like me. It is not fair playing series of low-level dirty tricks to cover their mistake, and letting victim to pay for their mistake. This behavior is neither fair nor just and has no business ethics.
For anyone considering using Priceline: proceed with extreme caution, document everything, and be prepared for a potentially fraudulent experience.
The Unfolding Nightmare - A Detailed Account
The Initial Deception
On September 29, 2024, while planning what was meant to be a special autumn trip to view the falls and fall foliage (观瀑èµæž«ä¹‹æ—…), I booked what should have been a memorable stay at the Niagara Falls Marriott on the Falls through Priceline (Trip #650-194-915-17). Understanding the once-in-a-lifetime nature of such a view, especially given my wife's mobility considerations requiring careful accessibility planning, I specifically selected and paid an additional $50 premium for a "Falls View" room. This wasn't merely about a room with a nice view—it was about creating precious memories with my wife, experiencing the majestic power of Niagara Falls from the comfort of our wheelchair-accessible room, and ensuring our limited vacation time was spent in the best possible way.
Priceline's confirmation (Room 1: 472577967) was explicit: I received multiple written confirmations clearly stating I had secured a "Falls View" room. These confirmations, which I fortunately preserved, would become crucial evidence in the debacle that followed. However, I now notice a disturbing detail: in the online documentation, Priceline mysteriously omitted any mention of room type—a detail that, in retrospect, appears less like an oversight and more like a calculated attempt to obscure their liability.
The Devastating Discovery
On October 4, 2024, just days before our eagerly anticipated trip, I received a shocking revelation—not from Priceline, but from Marriott directly: our supposedly guaranteed Falls View room had been downgraded to a City View. This wasn't merely a minor inconvenience or a simple booking error; it represented the theft of an irreplaceable experience, a magical moment that can't be replicated or postponed. The vista of Niagara Falls from these rooms isn't just a view—it's a cornerstone of the entire travel experience, a spectacle that transforms a simple hotel stay into an unforgettable memory.
The Corporate Maze Begins
On October 5, my first contact with Priceline representative Johnel exposed the beginning of what would become an elaborate corporate dance of evasion. The next day, October 6, Priceline representative Johanna M. appeared to take responsibility, acknowledging their error and offering three options:
I initially considered the relocation option, requesting a transfer to Embassy Suites Niagara Falls with a Falls View room. However, after receiving no concrete response, I changed my mind and requested the full refund option, naively believing this would lead to a straightforward resolution. Instead, it marked the beginning of what would become a bewildering journey through Priceline's labyrinthine customer service system—a system that appears designed not to help customers but to exhaust them into submission.
The Systematic Stonewalling
Over the next three weeks, I witnessed what I believe to be either stunning incompetence or, more likely, a well-oiled machine designed to frustrate customers into abandoning legitimate complaints:
1. The Information Black Hole
After Johanna M.'s initial acknowledgment of error, Priceline entered a phase of strategic silence. Representative Rogelio B. claimed they were "unable to reach" their hotel partner. Jennifer A. promised to keep me "posted once we have the resolution." Esperanza C. offered to "escalate this reservation for research." Each promise led nowhere, creating an information vacuum that left me increasingly anxious about my travel plans.
2. The Representative Carousel
The progression of representatives was dizzying:
Each new representative seemed to start from zero knowledge of my case (Case #2060722766), forcing me to repeatedly explain my situation, each time reliving the frustration and watching precious time slip away.
3. The Corporate Gaslighting
The situation reached its apex of absurdity when, after weeks of delays, Priceline suddenly claimed through representative Jasmin F. that my "concern had been addressed" and declared the reservation "non-refundable"—a brazen contradiction of their earlier admission of error and promised refund. This felt like a calculated attempt to make me question my own understanding of events, despite having documented evidence of their previous commitments.
4. The Management Mirage
Every attempt to escalate to supervisors Kramer and Soetoro was met with promises of callbacks that never came, emails that went unanswered, and assurances of resolution that proved empty. This pattern suggests a deliberate strategy to wear down customers through attrition.
The Secondary Deception - The Oakes Hotel Incident
As if the Marriott situation wasn't enough, my attempt to salvage our vacation by booking with the Oakes Hotel led to a second disturbing incident. Despite having prepaid through Priceline, upon arrival on October 7, the hotel demanded an additional payment of 429.83 CAD. When I refused this double-charging attempt, explaining I had already paid Priceline in full, I was denied check-in. This second incident suggests a broader pattern of systemic issues with Priceline's booking and payment systems, forcing customers into impossible situations at the worst possible moments.
Evidence of Systematic Deception
The methodical nature of these failures suggests something far more troubling than mere incompetence. The documented pattern of interactions with over seven representatives and two supervisors across a period from October 5 to October 26, 2024, reveals what appears to be an orchestrated system:
This methodology bears all the hallmarks of intentional deception, designed to extract premium prices while delivering inferior services.
The True Cost of Priceline's Deception
Personal Impact
The ramifications of Priceline's actions extended far beyond mere inconvenience. What was meant to be a special autumn trip to view the falls and fall foliage (观瀑èµæž«ä¹‹æ—…) became a nightmare of cascading problems:
The impact was particularly severe given the careful planning required for accessible travel. My wife's mobility considerations meant that last-minute changes and uncertainties created not just inconvenience but genuine hardship.
Broader Implications
This experience raises serious concerns about Priceline's business practices, especially regarding their handling of:
Legal and Regulatory Concerns
Potential Legal Violations
This case potentially involves multiple violations of consumer protection laws, documented through interactions with representatives from Johnel to Melanie E.:
Regulatory Oversight Needed
The documented progression from Johnel through Melanie E., coupled with supervisors Kramer and Soetoro's non-responsiveness, demands attention from multiple regulatory bodies:
The Human Cost and Accessibility Impact
This situation was particularly egregious given the special considerations required for our trip:
Documented Timeline of Deception
A clear pattern emerges when examining the chronological sequence:
September 29, 2024: Initial trip planning and booking
October 4, 2024: Initial discovery of discrepancy
October 5-6, 2024: Initial Priceline Response
October 7, 2024: Crisis Point
October 8-25, 2024: Escalation Period
October 26, 2024: Final Denial
Call for Systemic Change
Immediate Demands
Required Corporate Reforms
Final Warning and Call to Action
This experience, spanning from September 29 to October 26, 2024, involving over seven representatives and two supervisors, represents more than individual incompetence - it reveals what appears to be a systematic scheme to deceive and exhaust customers. The progression from Johnel to Melanie E., through supervisors Kramer and Soetoro, demonstrates a calculated pattern of obstruction and denial.
Priceline's business actions represent a severe injustice that defies any notion of fair treatment toward customers like myself. Rather than playing fair and accepting responsibility for their documented mistakes, they orchestrated what appears to be a calculated series of unfair and deceptive practices, forcing their victims to pay - both financially and emotionally - for their errors. It is not fair when a company first confirms premium services in writing, then systematically denies those same commitments while deploying an arsenal of low-level delay tactics to exhaust legitimate complaints. This behavior demonstrates not only a complete absence of business ethics but reveals a troubling corporate culture where being fair to customers has been abandoned in favor of protecting profits through deception. Such unfair treatment, particularly egregious in cases involving accessibility needs, reflects a company that has chosen to institutionalize injustice rather than honor its basic obligations to customers.
To Priceline's Management: Your company's actions through representatives Johnel, Johanna M., Rogelio B., Jennifer A., Esperanza C., Jasmin F., and Melanie E., alongside supervisors Kramer and Soetoro, reflect either stunning incompetence or calculated fraud—neither is acceptable.
To Potential Customers: Consider this detailed account, supported by confirmation numbers, dates, and documented interactions, as a serious warning. The time you save booking through Priceline could be dwarfed by weeks of fighting their deceptive practices.
To Regulatory Bodies: Case #2060722766 merits thorough investigation. The systematic nature of these practices, documented through multiple representatives and supervisors, suggests a pattern affecting countless consumers.
I maintain complete records of all interactions, including:
This evidence is available to support regulatory investigation and protect future consumers from similar deception.
All communications, confirmations, and interactions from September 29 through October 26, 2024, have been preserved and are available for verification of these claims. This complaint will be filed with multiple consumer protection agencies and shared across all available review platforms to warn other potential customers.