Ramada Plaza Resorts ripoff tricked and lied to us Fort Lauderdale Florida *EDitor's Comment *UPDATE ..Thanks to this website
This is what had happened to me:
I received an offer thru mail in the spring of 2001 from ramada plaza resorts and i called the number on that offer and purchased a florida/bahama vacation package of $1196 for two people. i paid $598 at that time and i was informed that the package is valid for 18 months. but i couldn't work out my schedule so i call in april 2002 to have it cancelled. but the representative told me it couldn't be cancelled yet instead she could extend it for another 18 months for me. i agreed that.
On Oct.30 2002, i got another phone call from ramada plaza resorts, a woman named leslie platt told me that i owed $598 to them and i need to pay the full balance otherwise my package is expired. i argued that i called beforehand and got extended but she insisted that there's no record on it. she transfered me to a mr. robert deners, who was her supervisor. i told mr.deners that i'm an international student and if i go to bahama i have to re-apply my visa so i haven't got a chance to use that vacation package. he said that my package was expired at the time and offered me to modified the content of the vacation package and turned it into a land-based orlando vacation and i need to pay the full balance of $1196 to keep my vacation package valid.
so i agreed to pay another $598.00 from my credit card.
during all those conversations with those representatives they all did the same things as stated in the following:
1. I would be subject to time share presentations.
2. They pressured me by creating a false sense of urgency to make a decision immediately on the phone.
3. They didn't tell me that I had 3 days to cancel.
4. They misrepresented that nature of the offer.
(They said it's special, highly-discounted offer only for me but I purchased it on what seems like a regular price)
fortunately i found out the notice of cancellation myself. in that notice it says i can get a full refund without any penalty and obligation if i mail this notice with in 3 days upon receiving the package. i also found out from my credit card statement that they took $21 from my card for a "give-away" vacation package, which i had never agreed to order. so i mailed out both notices (one for the package i bought, the other for the gift package) with a request in writing for full refund of $1196+ $21. but two weeks passed i got no response at all. i called them on Nov.25 and requested for a refund but the representatives i spoke to were rude and refused my request.
I even got hung up while i was talking to a supervisor from cancellation department. on the same day i found out that this company is a national scam and they have many victims just like me. I called on Nov.26 and talked to ms. joan smith. she told me that they can only refund me $598 (i didn't even bother mentioning the $21 one). she also told me a quite different story. she said that what i purchased is two different packages and that's why i can only get refund for the second one, the land-based orlando package. the first package is still valid, and there is a record showing that i called in april 2002 to extend my package.
The first $598 is secured and can't be refund. i don't know who's lying, this women or those people who called me on oct.31. from my understanding, i have bought a land-based orlando vacation worth $1196 and i have every right to get a full refund. ms.joan smith tried to convince me that i misunderstood ms. leslie platt and mr.rober deners but i'm very sure that i didn't because i made notes while they were selling me the package.
During my conversation with ms.smith she did admit that those representatives misled me and what had happend is not my fault. however, she refused to refund me the first $598 and said that i can only cancel the "second" package. now the company agreed to credit me back only $598 within the next few days (i hope that will happen) but i think i shouldn't be satisfied because i didn't get anything from the money i paid.
Dejun
Brookly, New York
Click here to read other Rip Off Reports on Ramada
7 Updates & Rebuttals
I got my money back! ..Thanks to this website
#80
Mon, December 23, 2002
Thanks to this website and those who had provided very useful information to me. RPR agreed to refund me only half of the money in the last phone call I made. Then I sent a certified letter to RPR and requested a full refund on Nov.26th. I also filed complaints in Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services, and in BBB NY at the same time. All these efforts worked! After about 10 days I received the first refund of $598. I've just checked my credit card account today and they've refunded me the second half of my money. From my own experience I suggest victims like me never stop taking actions against RPR and also spread out the words so that more people would know the truth about this vacation package.
Debbie
Floral Park,New York,
U.S.A.
Here is a good place to start your complaint
#8Consumer Suggestion
Tue, December 10, 2002
Dear Dejun,
I had a similar problem with Ramada Plaza Resorts and it got resolved and I did get my money back.
Here is to whom you should write .. and also since you are in NYS as I am .... write to the NY State Attorney General
-1-
NYS Office of the
Attorney General Eliot Spitzer - 3rd floor
120 Broadway
NY, NY 10271-0332
-2-
Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services
Charles H. Bronson, Commissioner
Division of Consumer Services
407 S. Calhoun St.
Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0800
1-800-HELP-FLA
www.800helpusa.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-3-
Ramada Plaza Resorts
2419 E. Commercial Blvd.
Fort Lauderdale FL 33308
telephone: 954-630-9449
Leslie Maynard - Compliance Department Manager
Gina Johns - Admin. Asst. to VP
Mr. Lambert - VP Ramada Plaza Resorts
Mr. Lambert's personal fax: 954-331-4180
JUST AS IMPORTANT TO POST ON RIP-OFF REPORT, ATTORNEY GENERAL & MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE BBB
#80
Wed, December 04, 2002
Listing your complaint on many Government links sometimes are no better than the BBB and are most likely just a waste of time, giving you false hope. Many government sites (like the BBB) just collect all information from you, the consumer, but never make that information available for all to see, so consumers will NOT be educated as to what exactly they should be looking out for. By these agencies not letting you see these complaints, making them public, you never know how bad the company or individual rip-off really is.
On the other hand, many government agencies have and do come to the Rip-off Report for information. We have been assisting many government agencies for some time now, including the FBI and Attorney General offices from around the country..
Now that all these Rip-off Reports are out in the open for everyone to see, in a way, this embarrasses these agencies into doing something when they see so many reports on a Company or Individual, because they are now out in the open for all to see. Unfortunately, many (not all) Attorney General Office's and government agencies will not move against a rip-off unless you are well connected, or there is going to be some sort of publicity on the rip-off. By reporting your experience on the Rip-off Report, is the next best thing to getting your story on TV or in a newspaper. Most national TV networks and many local TV stations from all around the country also come to the Rip-off Report for information they will not get from the BBB, Attorney General office's or any other government agency.
Rip-off Report has instigated many local and national stories, resulting in help for victims' world wide, in one way or another. Most government agencies will never even bother with rip-offs unless it involves $50,000 or more. Now that government is cutting back even more dollars for these types of programs, this number will even get higher and we can expect even less to get done, by even less people to work on all these rip-offs.
Additionally, by filing a Rip-off Report, you might be contacted by us notifying you to contact a law firm that has shown interested in your case. We get requests now every week; bringing victims together with lawyers willing to sue the company they field a Rip-off Report on.
ED Magedson
EDitor@ripoffreort.com
Joyce
Liberty,Missouri,
contact the Florida Attorney General's Office ASAP
#8Consumer Suggestion
Tue, December 03, 2002
Run, don't walk, to the Internet or the telephone and contact the Florida Attorney General's office and tell them your story. At one time there was an investigation going on against Ramada Plaza Vacations.
Also, look through the Rip-Off Report at Ramada Plaza and you should find the name and address of the owner of RPR. Someone posted his name on the site quite some time ago. Find it and write to him, keeping copies of all your correspondence and forwarding it to the Florida AG if these people try to stonewall you. KEEP ON THEM! Be polite, but let them know you WON'T go away and you're keeping the AG's office informed. Good luck!!!!
#80
Tue, November 26, 2002
#80
Tue, November 26, 2002
#80
Tue, November 26, 2002