- Report: #206212
Complaint Review: Distinct Advantage - Key Largo Florida
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Author Confirmed
Why?
Distinct Advantage
distinct-advantage.net Key Largo, Florida, U.S.A.
Phone:
866-5455486
Web:
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Distinct Advantage ripoff, totally dis-honest and un-ethical business practices, not worthy of any trust Key Largo Florida
Distinct Advantage called me and told me I was to receive gas vouchers and airline coupons I could use domestically or international for free as a selected customer. The continued that in order for me to get these gifts I needed to try out a promotional product and they would need only need the 3 digits from my check. They asked me if I was OK to try out distinct advantage and I said OK, they asked me about Freedom Gold and I declined, they were persistent and I still declined. They finally offered Teliflex long distance phone. When I declined this as well, the lady told me I had to try atleast 2 of 3 products to receive the gifts and I could call back within trial period and cancel. I gave them my account number and that was that.
I recd. the teliflex card within a couple of days and did not get around to using it. When I finally had a need to use it, it didn't work. Next I recd. the distinct advantage info. in the mail, guess what - it was 2 days before trial period would expire, so I cancelled right away. The automated voice response system confirmed that it was cancelled. Next I called teliflex and siumilarly cancelled teliflex before trial period expired - thru the automated voice response system.
Today I checked my account online as I would normally every once in a few days and found an electronic check for $49.95 debited to my account, which I realised must have been teliflex. So I called Teliflex and they said they never recd. the cancellation request, but I insisted I had cancelled it well within trial period and that I was never able to use their service. They asked me to send them the card back and they would then send out a check for $49.95 by mail to me. The cust. rep. also told me that freedom gold had put in a check this morning for $149 and I mentioned I never accepted that offer. The rep. then gave me the number of Freedom Gold (note that I never recd. anything from them). So I called Freedom Gold and the lady was courteous enough to listen to the whole story and confirmed that Distinct Advantage *had* registered me for freedom gold, and that the package was sent to me (which I supposedly never recd - guess because I never signed-up). Anyhow, she then listened to the tape recording of the offer and finally put a note - "customer had refused freedom gold, we listened to the tape and he clearly refused freedom gold, company error". She then said that they would put in a conditional credit - which meant that if my account was debited for the $149, they would send me a physical check. I asked her if all of these promotions stood cancelled and she said I would need to call all companies separately and confirm, but she herself cancelled freedom gold and showed teliflex as cancelled. Fair enough.
I finally called distinct advantage again and asked them if distinct advantage package was cancelled, they confirmed it was. I asked them why they registered me for freedom gold when I declined it and the cust. rep. said that they never called me, and that I would need to call freedom gold. I asked why I would need to call freedom gold when I did not authorise to be signed-up for that and she just repeated "you need to call freedom gold, I show that you have freedom gold, but I am with distinct advantage and you must call freedom gold". She finally did also mention that she was showing freedom gold as cancelled and that distinct advantage was already cancelled.
Well I hope I get the $49.95 that has already hit my account and the $149 that hasn't, but was billed to my account this morning. Furthermore I hope there will not be any more charges against my account.
Un-named
Southbridge, Massachusetts
U.S.A.
I recd. the teliflex card within a couple of days and did not get around to using it. When I finally had a need to use it, it didn't work. Next I recd. the distinct advantage info. in the mail, guess what - it was 2 days before trial period would expire, so I cancelled right away. The automated voice response system confirmed that it was cancelled. Next I called teliflex and siumilarly cancelled teliflex before trial period expired - thru the automated voice response system.
Today I checked my account online as I would normally every once in a few days and found an electronic check for $49.95 debited to my account, which I realised must have been teliflex. So I called Teliflex and they said they never recd. the cancellation request, but I insisted I had cancelled it well within trial period and that I was never able to use their service. They asked me to send them the card back and they would then send out a check for $49.95 by mail to me. The cust. rep. also told me that freedom gold had put in a check this morning for $149 and I mentioned I never accepted that offer. The rep. then gave me the number of Freedom Gold (note that I never recd. anything from them). So I called Freedom Gold and the lady was courteous enough to listen to the whole story and confirmed that Distinct Advantage *had* registered me for freedom gold, and that the package was sent to me (which I supposedly never recd - guess because I never signed-up). Anyhow, she then listened to the tape recording of the offer and finally put a note - "customer had refused freedom gold, we listened to the tape and he clearly refused freedom gold, company error". She then said that they would put in a conditional credit - which meant that if my account was debited for the $149, they would send me a physical check. I asked her if all of these promotions stood cancelled and she said I would need to call all companies separately and confirm, but she herself cancelled freedom gold and showed teliflex as cancelled. Fair enough.
I finally called distinct advantage again and asked them if distinct advantage package was cancelled, they confirmed it was. I asked them why they registered me for freedom gold when I declined it and the cust. rep. said that they never called me, and that I would need to call freedom gold. I asked why I would need to call freedom gold when I did not authorise to be signed-up for that and she just repeated "you need to call freedom gold, I show that you have freedom gold, but I am with distinct advantage and you must call freedom gold". She finally did also mention that she was showing freedom gold as cancelled and that distinct advantage was already cancelled.
Well I hope I get the $49.95 that has already hit my account and the $149 that hasn't, but was billed to my account this morning. Furthermore I hope there will not be any more charges against my account.
Un-named
Southbridge, Massachusetts
U.S.A.
1 Updates & Rebuttals
Joe
Here,Florida,
U.S.A.
FOR THE LAST TIME, IT IS ALL THE SAME COMPANY!
#2UPDATE EX-employee responds
Thu, August 17, 2006
Dear Un-named: It is sad that people don't READ the complaints about this company here on this website. READ CLOSELY ........> It is ALL the same company. The Distinct Advantage program is sold by Suntasia Marketing in Largo, Florida. The "free" gifts they promote which is the gas vouchers are just coupons you send back to them with your receipt from the gas station you made the purchase from. They supposedly give you $100 worth of gas vouchers but you can only turn them in $10 a month at a time. Not ALL gas stations participate by the way. The airline vouchers (I believe it's $400 worth) DOES NOT cover the cost of your whole ticket either. You have to spend for every $500 airline ticket purchased you get $25 off with the vouchers. You can only use the vouchers a $100 increments at a time per ticket. The rest has to be paid by you. There are also many restrictions for using the vouchers in the fine print. Of course the agent makes it out to believe that the vouchers cover the whole airline ticket. IT'S A LIE! The managers at Suntasia will often admit this to their agents but of course they are not allowed to let the customer know. They are told to promote the "free" gifts or vouchers. Suntasia Marketing are the ones who promote ALL these shamless products like Travel Agents Go Direct, FloridaWay, Prism Communications, Distinct Advantage, Freedom Gold. Their corporate address is: 8751 Ulmerton Road, Largo, FL 33771 Their website is: Suntasia.com There are about 8 rooms total that hold about 24 agents in each. Six of those rooms are outbound (an automatic dialer that calls you), the other 2 rooms are for inbound calls (people who call in and are curious about who called them or maybe have a complaint). There is also one big room for customer service ONLY where they're suppose to handle the cancellations or any other concerns from customers, like being billed without having the product in hand. Any phone numbers the agent gives you for their products they're selling (Travel Agents Direct, Floridaway, Prism Communications, Distinct Advantage, Freedom Gold etc), ALL lead to the same place, SUNTASIA MARKETING in Largo. They tell you to call 3 different numbers to cancel your packages but they do that to frustrate you enough so you won't. AGAIN ALL THE NUMBERS GIVEN TO YOU LEAD BACK TO THE CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENT AT SUNTASIA. PERIOD. END OF STORY! As for the calling card, many have been charged anyway despite cancelling over the phone. This is b/c you have to write them a letter stating that you want to de-activate the card and no longer want to use it otherwise you'll get charged. It also isn't surprising to find out your card didn't work. Most of the time it doesn't and people have to either get the pin # re-set or get a new one altogether. Now as for being made to believe that you have to try 2 of the 3 products in order to receive the "free" gifts, this to is A LIE. The agent mis-represented themselves. The reason she told you that is b/c it is a high pressure sales tactic used on many unsuspecting customers. Managers pressure their agents to get the UPSALE and their orders come from the suits above them on the second floor. You see Un-named, they con you into receiving ALL their offers b/c that's how they make their profit. The first offer is the "Travel Discount Card" for $19.95 a month. This charge covers their cost (ie: lights, security, maintenance etc) of running their shameless company building. The $149 and $49.95 is their gravy or another words, PROFIT. The longer they hold your money in the bank the more interest they will make on it. Now you know why they give you the 3 numbers to call. Many times agents have stated that you have "won" this "free" vacation or that b/c you purchased a product at Costco's or Walmart this is how you qualified. ALL A BIG FAT LIE! They bought your name and address from a company that sells the lists. Finally, I suggest you close your account and get a new one. Let your bank know what's going on. Believe me they are very well aware of this scam and will understand your situation. I hope this information I just gave you has made you understand how things operate at Suntasia.
