Complaint Review: Ready Travel & Incentives

We were invited to a travel presentation where the incentive to attend was extremely nice. It was two airline tickets between any two major domestic airports. Plus three days and two nights at hotel operated by Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt, Carlson, Holiday Inn, or Choice Hotels within the continential U.S. Plus three days of economy class rental car with Alamo, Enterprise or Avis. Plus a $50 gift card.

After viewing the 2 hour presentation (advertised as 90 minutes but we were there more than two hours) we were given a one-page "Activation Form". The issue date, 2/7/14, was handwritten at the bottom, as was the expiration date, 7/7/15.

The back of the form was covered with fine print. One of the terms was that we had to complete the activation form with name, address, phone, etc. and mail within 21 days of the issue date, along with $100. We failed to notice that the $100 had to be in the form of a Cashier's Check or Money Order. We mistakenly sent a personal check.

After almost 3 weeks we got a letter dated 2/24/14 that said the activation failed because we sent a personal check instead of the required Cashier's Check or Money Order. The activation form and personal check were enclosed. The activation form had "Void" stamped 3 times on it.

When we received this there was still time to get the required remuneration together and sent to them by the 21 day deadline, but with the form marked void we were prevented from doing so. There is a phone number on the activation form, but that goes directly to voice mail and 4 messages later I still have not received a response. The only address is the P.O. box in Irving Texas, so even though I live close enough to Irving that I could drive there and make my case, I am prevented from doing that.

This company is so insulated where the customer cannot directly contact them for a resolution to a problem, that I have to believe that there is something illegal going on. It has to be a scam. I'm glad they didn't cash my personal check because I believe that had they accepted my money it would have been lost - and I would not have been able to contact them for reconciliation.

I would advise anyone who is invited to a Ready Travel or ReadyTravel presentation that they toss it in the trash as this is a definite ripoff.