Complaint Review: Florida Passport - St. Petersburg Florida

FLORIDA PASSPORT UPSELL!!! (Changed to Floridaway) As a new VIP member The Florida Passport (FloridaWay) would like to sponsor your first travel agent fam trip. Its called the Fun in the Sun Dream Escape, you'll receive 6 days 5 nights of hotel accomodations in Orlando and Fort Lauderdale, Florida. You will receive this on a 7 day free review basis. This fam trip is subject to blackout dates of Christmas, New Years & Special Events. These vacations are fully transferable and will be sent to you with a travel date of 1 year from today, which can be changed at no additional charge. This vacation package comes to you risk free for 7 days. If, during your free review period, you do not call to cancel,the promotional fee of only One Hundred Forty-Nine Dollars will be applied to the checking account we have just verified with You. OK? Great. (Must Get an Affirmative, Yes, Ok, or Correct) !!!Teliflex Communications UpSell!!! (Changed to Prism Communications) As a Special Bonus you will also receive a free 21 day trial of unlimited long distance with voice mail from Teliflex communications (Now Prism). This has nothing to do with your home phone its in the form of a calling card and comes with a pin number. You can use this service from any touch tone phone at your home or office and call anyone, anytime, anywhere, coast-to-coast and talk as long as you want, free for 21 days. If after your free trial you decide to continue its only $49.95 a month billed to the checking account used today and thereafter, but keep in mind you are under no obligation to continue. If You feel its not for you simply call the customer service number within the free trial period and you will never be billed... its that simple... So with your permission under the terms described your billing information will be transferred to TELILEX Communications (Prism) and they'll send out your free trail in the mail. OKAY?? (must get an affirmative) *** Thank you for your time and have a good day/night. *** Note You are told to hang up immediately and not engage in any other conversations with the customer b/c he or she might end up asking too many questions. END OF SCRIPT.. Notice a few things on this script. I capitalized some words purposely b/c it lets you know how they get away with charging you. The words are "Now read back to me the account YOU PROVIDED" or ". . .billed to the checking account YOU JUST PROVIDED". This places YOU responsible NOT them for giving out your information in order for them to have the right to bill you. Another thing that sticks out is they tell you to call an 800 number that's on your package to cancel the travel program but on the second package (Florida Passport or Way) they just say to call and cancel. On the last package (Teleflex or Prism) they say to call customer service # to cancel. Why? Because the truth is that they have 3 different numbers for you to call if you want to cancel everything. The agents are told NOT to give this information out to the customer in fear that they may cancel on the recording. They are also not allowed to give out the customer service number b/c many of them cancel everything on the same day. When the customer starts asking questions like, "Do I have to call 3 different numbers to cancel everything?" The agents are told to say, "if you have any questions or problems just call the customer service number on your package and they will handle everything". The customer might ask what is that number and the agent will say, "it will be on your package the day you get it". The truth is that any numbers that the customer sees on the packages or gets from the agent themselves ALL lead to the same place Suntasia Marketing customer service department. When you call they tell you in order to cancel the other two packages you must call these numbers. Again it ALL leads back to the same place. They do this to frustrate you enough so you get tired of trying to cancel thus buying enough time to be billed later. As for the travel discount card and the 21 day trial calling card, if you don't send back the travel card you'll get billed. The calling card has to be de-activated, by you writing a letter to them to do so, otherwise you'll get billed. Another thing is even if you liked using the calling card (most of us have cell phones so there's no need for this unless you are that dumb to pay $49.95 a month for long distance), the pin number often doesn't work at all and you constantly have to call in to customer service to either get it fixed or get another pin number. Some have posted here that they were told by the agent they needed to confirm your bank account number b/c the shipping & handling fee is $1.95 and we need your number so we can debit your account. THIS IS A BIG FAT LIE!! IT'S ALL A TRICK!! There is no $1.95 b/c Suntasia ships out the packages (if they ever REALLY do) through regular mail and they pay for that. Of course once they bill you then they make that money back and much more. This is why the agents are told to add the other two packages (FloridaWay which is a timeshare and the calling card) b/c that is where their profit is made. The $19.95 travel card just covers cost of the regular expenses (lights, security etc) in the company. Hopefully this will bring you more insight on how these crooks work. I also know what rebuttals they use in case the customer has any objections to the products they sell. I will post those in the near future.

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HERE IS AN ACTUAL SCRIPT THEY USED OR STILL USE. When they call people they use this Script. *Agents Travel Network Script & Verification!!!! Hi, (Customers name) My name is __________ I'm a registered agent calling on behalf of *Agents Travel Network (or Travel Agents Direct which is what it's called now)in regards to your bank account. As a valued customer we are going to send you $400.00 in American Airline Saving Vouchers and two free nights of hotel accomodations, just for accepting a 14 day free trial into our *Agents Travel Network program. * Note IT IS NOW CALLED TRAVEL AGENTS DIRECT This program will give you the same hospitality benefits usually only available to travel professionals, such as discounts of up to 50% on cruises, rental cars and airline tickets. You'll also receive major discounts at thousands of resorts and hotels nationwide, including Hilton, Marriot and Radisson and you'll save a ton of money on selected theme park tickets. Your membership will arrive with your own personalized Agents Travel Network (now TAD)identity card. After your 14 days, if you decide to keep it, it's only $19.95 a month billed to your checking account, with a one time activation fee of only $40.00. If you decide to cancel, just call the 800 number in your package during your free trial period, you'll never be billed, and there's no further obligation, Either way you still keep the airline vouchers and your free hotel accomodations, as our way of saying thanks for looking over the program. So you can't lose! Now we will be shipping your package to (Verify Address) is that correct? How does your name appear on your checking Account? If different from customers name: are they authorized signer on this account? What is the name of your bank? And you opened your account in (Customers City and State) Now we are going to pull up your information to confirm that everything is correct. Please Hold. (Obtain the nine digit ABA routing # from your manager) OK, (Customers Name) I'm going to verify your ABA routing number that's on the bottom left hand corner of your check book. If you can follow along with me to make sure the numbers are correct. (Confirm ABA Routing Number with customer) Is that Correct? ** Now there will be a symbol after those numbers I just verified with you, please go ahead and verify the next set of numbers, which is your account number. Thank You! ** ASSUMING YOU GAVE THEM YOUR INFORMATION THEY THEN PREPARE TO RECORD THE CONVERSATION FOR BILLING PURPOSES. NOTICE ON THE RECORDING SCRIPT BELOW THAT THERE'S NO DATE SO YOU DON'T KNOW WHEN YOUR FREE TRAIL ENDS. THE ONLY DATE THEY RECORD IS THE DATE THEY CALLED YOU. ALL THE AGENT TELLS YOU IS THAT AFTER TWO WEEKS WHEN YOU RECIEVE THE PACKAGE IS WHEN YOU WILL BE BILLED IF YOU DON'T CALL TO CANCEL. PROBLEM HERE IS THAT YOU NOR SUNTASIA KNOW THE DATE YOU'LL GET THE PACKAGE EXACTLY B/C IT IS SHIPPED REGULAR MAIL. THIS IS SO THEY CAN CHARGE YOU AT ANYTIME IF THE PACKAGE EITHER NEVER ARRIVES OR GETS TO YOU LATER. Verification Must Be Read VERBATIM. Thanks for holding, the remaining portion of this call will be recorded OK?? (Must get affirmative, YES, OK, OR CORRECT) I'm speaking with (customers Name) and todays date is __________. Now we will be shipping your package to (Customers Address) Is that correct? OK. Great ! And I'm showing your telephone number as (read customers telephone number back) For security purposes we need to attach a password to your file. What city were you born in ? And what is your email address? These will act as passwords whenever You contact us. How does your name appear on your checking account. If different from customer name:(Are you an authorized signer on this account?) What is the name, city & state of your bank? Now, please read your routing number back to me that starts with a 0,1,2 or 3. Now please read back to me the account nunmber that YOU PROVIDED. Ok great. After your 2 week free trial period, the program is just $19.95 a month with a one time activaction fee of $40.00 billed to the checking account YOU JUST PROVIDED to us. If you decide to cancel your membership, just call the 800-number in your package. Theirs no further obligation and the airline vouchers and hotel vouchers are yours to keep just for accepting the membership for the first 2 weeks. With your permission we'll rush your Agents Travel Network card (Now TAD) and materials to you and your benefits will start immediately. OK? If funds are unavailable upon deposit after the free trial your bank may charge you a processing fee. Now, (Customers name), you qualify for 2 additional packages !!AGENTS TRAVEL NETWORK ---> FLORIDA PASSPORT UPSELL!!! (Changed to Floridaway) As a new VIP member The Florida Passport (FloridaWay) would like to sponsor your first travel agent fam trip. Its called the Fun in the Sun Dream Escape, you'll receive 6 days 5 nights of hotel accomodations in Orlando and Fort Lauderdale, Florida. You will receive this on a 7 day free review basis. This fam trip is subject to blackout dates of Christmas, New Years & Special Events. These vacations are fully transferable and will be sent to you with a travel date of 1 year from today, which can be changed at no additional charge. This vacation package comes to you risk free for 7 days. If, during your free review period, you do not call to cancel,the promotional fee of only One Hundred Forty-Nine Dollars will be applied to the checking account we have just verified with You. OK? Great. (Must Get an Affirmative, Yes, Ok, or Correct) !!!Teliflex Communications UpSell!!! (Changed to Prism Communications) As a Special Bonus you will also receive a free 21 day trial of unlimited long distance with voice mail from Teliflex communications (Now Prism). This has nothing to do with your home phone its in the form of a calling card and comes with a pin number. You can use this service from any touch tone phone at your home or office and call anyone, anytime, anywhere, coast-to-coast and talk as long as you want, free for 21 days. If after your free trial you decide to continue its only $49.95 a month billed to the checking account used today and thereafter, but keep in mind you are under no obligation to continue. If You feel its not for you simply call the customer service number within the free trial period and you will never be billed... its that simple... So with your permission under the terms described your billing information will be transferred to TELILEX Communications (Prism) and they'll send out your free trail in the mail. OKAY?? (must get an affirmative) *** Thank you for your time and have a good day/night. *** Note You are told to hang up immediately and not engage in any other conversations with the customer b/c he or she might end up asking too many questions. END OF SCRIPT.. Notice a few things on this script. I capitalized some words purposely b/c it lets you know how they get away with charging you. The words are "Now read back to me the account YOU PROVIDED" or ". . .billed to the checking account YOU JUST PROVIDED". This places YOU responsible NOT them for giving out your information in order for them to have the right to bill you. Another thing that sticks out is they tell you to call an 800 number that's on your package to cancel the travel program but on the second package (Florida Passport or Way) they just say to call and cancel. On the last package (Teleflex or Prism) they say to call customer service # to cancel. Why? Because the truth is that they have 3 different numbers for you to call if you want to cancel everything. The agents are told NOT to give this information out to the customer in fear that they may cancel on the recording. They are also not allowed to give out the customer service number b/c many of them cancel everything on the same day. When the customer starts asking questions like, "Do I have to call 3 different numbers to cancel everything?" The agents are told to say, "if you have any questions or problems just call the customer service number on your package and they will handle everything". The customer might ask what is that number and the agent will say, "it will be on your package the day you get it". The truth is that any numbers that the customer sees on the packages or gets from the agent themselves ALL lead to the same place Suntasia Marketing customer service department. When you call they tell you in order to cancel the other two packages you must call these numbers. Again it ALL leads back to the same place. They do this to frustrate you enough so you get tired of trying to cancel thus buying enough time to be billed later. As for the travel discount card and the 21 day trial calling card, if you don't send back the travel card you'll get billed. The calling card has to be de-activated, by you writing a letter to them to do so, otherwise you'll get billed. Another thing is even if you liked using the calling card (most of us have cell phones so there's no need for this unless you are that dumb to pay $49.95 a month for long distance), the pin number often doesn't work at all and you constantly have to call in to customer service to either get it fixed or get another pin number. Some have posted here that they were told by the agent they needed to confirm your bank account number b/c the shipping & handling fee is $1.95 and we need your number so we can debit your account. THIS IS A BIG FAT LIE!! IT'S ALL A TRICK!! There is no $1.95 b/c Suntasia ships out the packages (if they ever REALLY do) through regular mail and they pay for that. Of course once they bill you then they make that money back and much more. This is why the agents are told to add the other two packages (FloridaWay which is a timeshare and the calling card) b/c that is where their profit is made. The $19.95 travel card just covers cost of the regular expenses (lights, security etc) in the company. Hopefully this will bring you more insight on how these crooks work. I also know what rebuttals they use in case the customer has any objections to the products they sell. I will post those in the near future.