Complaint Review: Vacation Store of Miami - Miami Florida

On May 25, 2012, I thought I was booking a hotel reservation directly with the Grand Oasis Hotel in Cancun, Mexico.  The Vacation Store, as it turns out, has purchased a domain name that leads you to believe you are making a reservation
with the actual hotel.  The website is http://grandoasiscancunresort.com/ They have purchased many domain names that
resemble actual hotels, it turns out upon further investigation. 

I proceeded to make the reservation thinking I was entitled to all the rights and guarantees of a real hotel which have cancellation policies of full refund up to 72 hours before arrival.

When I submitted my reservation request and Visa number, there was never a disclosure or contractual terms displayed for me to agree to or disagree to.  I immediately received an email from the Vacation Store confirming they received my request with still no mention of any terms or conditions. I assumed the Vacation Store must be an official representative of the Grand Oasis Hotel. The first email I received simply confirms receipt of the reservation request, with no conditions of sale
disclosed. I received a second email from Eli an hour and twenty minutes later stating that she has already charged my Visa credit card for the amount of $1836 and that it is non-refundable! At no point did they disclose non-refundable terms of contract until AFTER they took my money.

On May 27th, I emailed Eli formally requesting a refund.  She did not respond to my email. 

On May 29th, I called the Vacation Store directly and spoke to four female workers.  The third was Eli, who told me I agreed to non-refundable terms, and there is no refund.  I told her I did not agree to anything, but was instead informed of non-refundable terms after they charged my credit card. 

Eli argued with me and said the best she can do is issue the refund less $100 penalty.  I asked to speak to her supervisor.  She said, the supervisor is on a long distance call and not available.  I said I would wait.

The supervisor came on and I explained that fraud was being committed, that my credit card was charged before non-refundable terms were disclosed.  She tried to confuse me by stating that the disclosure appeared in the first email before the card was charged, but that is a lie, the condition of sale came after my money was taken, in Eli's second email. She still refused to issue a full refund, and said she would call me back.   

I filed a complaint immediately with the BBB of Southeast Florida/Caribbean.  When Eli's supervisor found out, she called me at 11:34 a.m. on 5/29 and stated "I was going to give you the full refund, but now that you have  made me mad and filed a complaint with the BBB, I am going to charge you the $100 penalty fee."

I am still waiting for any kind of refund to post to my bank account. 

I have filed this same complaint with the FTC.