Complaint Review: Universal Travel Network - Kansas City Missouri

I was soo excited that my husband and I were going to get to go to Jamaica for our anniversary in December.  Little did I know I was being scammed instead.  I contacted Universal Travel Network back in March 2014 and was told by Jason at phone number 877-267-9930 ext. 276 that we could go to Jamaica, stay at the Grand Bahia Principe Jamaica for an all-inclusive stay including airfare for me and my husband for $998.00 TOTAL.  

I had to pay for the hotel stay and airfare at that time; $380.  I paid that and was told I would be contacted by my personal travel agent within days.  I would then have $69/person booking fees that I would have to pay and then $190 to $240/person international fees and taxes.  I did a bit of digging and called Jason back SEVERAL times before I agreed to the trip.  Once I agreed to the trip and paid the $380 I was told that I have 72 hours to cancel for a partial refund.  Which I was ok with. 

Well their personal travel agent was a brown package in the mail that was sent via certified mail saying that my all inclusive stay was a $79/booking fee per person.  I thought well that's only $10 more per person maybe he just read it wrong.  I followed the directions of packet filled out the form and faxed it to the number given and mailed my check for $158.00 for the booking fees.  I then received another letter - still no actual contact from my "personal travel agent" - asking me for my booking information.  I filled that form out and faxed it to the number given.  

A couple of days later I received another e-mail giving me instruction on how to go on-line and book my trip.  I went to the website and found that until I paid another $50/person I could not access the website.  So on 5/21/14 I paid the fee required and then completed yet another form telling them where I was going and when I was going.  This is when EVERYTHING really fell apart. 

I received an e-mail from them stating that I would NOT be staying in the Grand Bahia Principa Jamaica, I would be staying in the Holiday Inn Jamaica oh and I would have to pay an additional $999 to go there.  I immediately started e-mailing and calling to see what the heck was going on.  First I was told they ONLY communicate thru e-mail so they can keep track of everything and I was basically told too bad soo sad about what I was told I would get in the first place! 

After many many many e-mails BEGGING to actually speak to someone, they sent me a phone number to call.  I called and after you sit thru their horrible on-hold music for about 2 minutes a voice comes on saying they are too busy to answer the call leave a message or call back.  I sent several other e-mails after that asking for someone to call me. 

I finally received a call on 6/13/14 from Lisa at The Universal Travel Network explaining to me that I the money I had already paid; $638 to be exact would go towards my trip "sort of".  Basically what she said was that the first $380 I spent thinking that was to cover my airfare and hotel stay was only a "credit" towards my trip it did not actually cover anything.  So after speaking to her for about 45 minutes she gave me other options then the Holiday Inn.  Basically if I wanted to still go to Jamaica I would have to pay an ADDITIONAL $1805.  So I asked her to look at other options and we came up with Las Vegas for an additional $500 total for both me and my husband.  I told her I needed to talk to my husband and explain everything to him.  Then asked how I needed to let her know our decision.  She said to e-mail and she would contact me back immediately.  I e-mailed her on 6/19/14 saying we decided to go with the Las Vegas trip and here it is 6/27/14 and I have YET to receive a call from anyone to book that trip.  I have sent 2 e-mails telling them what we decided but nothing.  I've called and left messages ... nothing. 

SOOO I called the originally folks back saying I was done being run in circles and I wanted a refund.  The first lady I spoke to hung up on me after I had to yell over her saying tuff luck.  So I called back and spoke with Amy (supposedly a supervisor) and she told me that I was told in the beginning that I had 72 hours to cancel and get a partial refund.  I told her I understood that but since they lied to me and that I was not getting the trip I was told I would get I should get a refund.  She and I then ended up in a yelling match and I hung up on her. 

Basically what this all boils down to is this ... IF IT SOUNDS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE, IT IS!  RUN THE OTHER WAY AND DON'T LOOK BACK.