Complaint Review: Wholesale Rewards - Ft. Lauderdale Florida

Member Services Group AKA Wholesale Rewards (954-522-3969, 954-564-3965) cold called me telling me I could get some free trips if I went to their presentation. On March 16, 2014 I went with no plans to buy anything, just get the free stuff. They were very convincing though and gave me a price on a vacation for December that was fantastic. I had been planning the vacation so I knew what it would cost on my own. They also said that they would always meet the best price I could get anywhere for cruises or travel.

I had already been pricing and looking at a vacation on my own for this coming December to Hawaii. At the time the best I could do for one week of a Hawaiian cruise on the Pride of America and for flights from South Florida to Honolulu from December 19, 2014 – Jan 3, 2015 was $6200 give or take $100 by shopping around on the internet. I had not made plans for what I would do for the second week at that time. I already knew the price for the 1 week cruise and the airfare when I went to the presentation. 

At the presentation the salesperson Billy (954-562-0045) stated that after 5 years he would personally refund the difference between the membership price and what the purchaser saved during the five years. He also stated that they would match any prices that could be found on the internet or friends and family prices. I mentioned that I used internet agencies like Crown Cruise Vacations, cruise.com, Costco, and USAA’s travel agency. I gave some examples of prices I could get and he stated “We would have to meet that price.” 

He talked about the condo weeks available and I stated that they would not be very useful for me since I generally travel for Christmas vacation on a cruise. After that I was taken to a separate room and I was ready to leave, but I asked Billy for a price on the Hawaiian vacation for this Christmas. 2 weeks from Dec. 19, 2014 to Jan. 3, 2015 for two people leaving from either MIA or FLL to HNL in Hawaii. I wanted one week on the Pride of Hawaii NCL cruise ship and I wanted one week at a resort.

It took him about a half hour, but he came back with a paper that said $4763 which I thought was a fantastic price. He said he could always get me prices like that for my trips. I said can I give you a deposit right now, but he said no I had to pay for it in full. This was on March 16, 2014 and I told him I could pay for the trip on April 1, 2014, just 2 weeks later. He said to call him and he wrote his phone number down for me.

On March 31 I called to get the cruise. He kept telling me someone would call me, but nobody ever did. I also called the number for booking and they got me prices for all those items separately. After 4 days of haggling with them, the best they could do was $6800 for that package. I also priced the plane fare and cruise myself and could get better rates than them. I had them documented and eventually I purchased the plane tickets for $1000 less than they would sell them to me for. They would not match prices I could get on the internet for cruises although I provided them the documented rates from reputable travel agencies on the internet. They just stated “We cannot match those prices.” 

They charged me $1000 on an American Express card which I am now disputing. I do not know if that will be successful or not, but I doubt it. They also financed $3998 with Monterey Financial Services and the membership fee is $199 per year after that.

Since then I finally did reach Billy and a manager named Joey Russell. Billy has been promising me for the past 2 days that he would make me happy and give me a check for $600 and the week of Dec. 27 in a 5 star condo to honor his commitment for $4763 since I had already purchased the plane fare and the cruise. He has now been stalling on this promise for two days now. I am no longer interested in his promises.