The long weekend he spent at the Lady Luck Hotel and Casino was a distant memory to David Burford, who checked into the Las Vegas resort with his family back in 2004. But not to a Boca Raton, Fla., company called First Class Travel Wise, which contacted him out of the blue recently and ordered him to pay an extra $433 for his vacation.
Talk about late billing.
How could a company that Burford had never heard of make that kind of demand? A representative explained that Burford hadn’t fulfilled the terms of a travel package he had allegedly purchased four years ago, at about the same time he booked the Lady Luck room.
When Burford balked, he was connected to someone who identified himself as Christopher Greene, who claimed that Burford had stayed at the Imperial Palace in Las Vegas and had taken a property tour, which obligated him to book future travel through First Class Travel Wise. Greene is listed on First Class Travel Wise’s Web site as its president.
Burford had never stayed at the Imperial Palace.
I informed Greene that I thought his call was part of some fraud attempt at getting me to pay him $433 for a bogus deal. He then related that he could email or fax to me the contract that I had entered into. I asked him to mail it to me, but he declined. He then related that he would contact a collections agency regarding the $433 that I supposedly owed.
Burford checked his records and found that he had paid for show tickets at the Imperial Palace. He also investigated his hotel booking, which was made through a company called Leisure Time Las Vegas. He remembers that the booking enrolled him in “some travel program that I did not want to join,” so he canceled it.
However, efforts to reach the Imperial Palace and Leisure Time Las Vegas were unsuccessful. Leisure Time’s phones have been disconnected, and the Imperial Palace is undergoing a renovation, according to Burford.
I contacted First Class Travel Wise on Burford’s behalf. It hasn’t responded.
Burford is not leaving anything to chance. He has filed complaints with state and local law enforcement agencies, as well as the Southeast Florida Better Business Bureau. The BBB has given First Class Travel Wise a grade of “F” for not responding to customer complaints.
The company’s efforts to collect money from other travelers is also detailed in 800Notes, which catalogs calls from “unknown” companies.
Burford, for his part, is standing his ground.
It was shocking for me to receive the above phone call from Greene claiming I had to pay for something that occurred over four years ago. I totally dispute their claim that I lodged at the Imperial Palace in Las Vegas and took some tour of another facility, which obligated me to a travel package.
Greene appears to be equally insistent. Last Thursday, he called Burford because of his Better Business Bureau grievance. Then he allegedly made yet another ultimatum.
Greene stated that he not only operated First Class Travel Wise, but also owned a collections agency.
Greene said, “You’re still denying staying at the Imperial Palace and taking the Time Share Tour.” Greene stated that he was going to forward this matter to an attorney.
Without seeing the actual contract, it is difficult to determine whether First Class Travel Wise’s claims are legitimate. But you don’t have to be an ombudsman to conclude that the company’s methods — and timing — raise some serious questions.
Maybe those are best answered by a judge.
Update (12/11): I received a blog comment that purports to be from First Class Travel Wise. I can’t vouch for its authenticity (neither the IP address nor the given email address can be connected to the company). In it, someone claiming to represent the company insists First Class Travel Wise is pursuing valid claims against Burford, and that the comments here amount to an anonymous smear campaign against it.
THERE ARE “NO” COMPLAINTS ABOUT US “NOT” FULFILLING THE HOTELS WE ARE SUPPOSED TO. NO COMPLAINTS ABOUT US “NOT” REFUNDING ANY TIMESHARE TOUR PAYOUTS THAT ARE DUE TO ANY CUSTOMER/TOURER. AS A MATTER OF FACT, WE HAVE MADE IT A CORPORATE POLICY TO WORK OUT A REFUND (AT LEAST WITHIN THE INITIAL RESOLUTION PROCESS) WITH ANY ONE WHO HAS A PACKAGE THROUGH US.
ALL OF THESE COMPLAINTS, A COUPLE OR FEW (OUT OF TENS OF THOUSANDS), ARE DOING AND SAYING WHATEVER THEY CAN “HIDE” AND GET AWAY WITH. WHY WOULD THEY NOT TAKE US ON IF THEY HAVE SUCH CASES? WHY NOT IDENTIFY THEMSELVES? AND WITH THIS, PROVIDE EVIDENCE OF THEIR TERMS & CONDITIONS, AND “SUBSTANTIATE THEIR CLAIMS”!!! THEY, LIKE THE UNWARRANTED “DAVID BUFFORD” CASE, SPEAK IN THE THIRD PERSON AND/OR ARE UNWILLING TO ADMIT TO YOU WHO THEY REALLY ARE. AND WHAT “THEY REALLY HAVE” TO SUBSTANTIATE THEIR CLAIMS.
REALIZING PEOPLE WANT TO GET OUT OF PAYING SEVERAL HUNDRED DOLLARS, FOR THEIR “FAILURE TO TOUR” BREECH OF THE TERMS & CONDITIONS IN EVERY CASE– ESPECIALLY DURING THESE TIMES, AND ESPECIALLY FOR TOURING SOME TIMESHARE PROPERTY—EVEN SUCH MODERATE SIZE CORPORATIONS, AS WE ARE, HAVE DONE WELL TO WORK OUT A REFUND OPTION (IN OUR INITIAL RESOLUTION PROCESS), WHICH WE ARE “NOT” OBLIGATED TO DO. (ACCORDING TO THE TERMS & CONDITIONS OF “NONE” OF OUR PACKAGES)
*THE REASON THAT WE ARE STILL IN BUSINESS IS THAT ALL OF OUR PROMOTIONS “ARE” REGISTERED, LICENSED, BONDED. AND, FURTHERMORE, WE FULFILL OUR PACKAGES! NO COMPLAINTS OR ISSUES WITH ANY REAL, LEGAL ISSUES! IF YOU HAVE A BALANCE AND/OR COLLECTION SITUATION WITH OUR COMPANY—AND ARE IN DENIAL, ARE UNWILLING TO RESOLVE, OR ARE TRYING TO DEFRAUD OUR COMPANY– THAT IS JUST A BIT OF A DIFFERENT STORY!
Having read all of the new comments associated with this post, my conclusion stands. I think the validity of these claims need to be considered by a judge.
Sign up for my 
{ 94 comments… read them below or add one }
← Previous Comments
Flint/Windsor, thanks for standing up for consumers.
I’m always worried that for every person who stands up to “First Class Travel” (or whatever their real name is), there might be someone who was intimidated into making a payment. I’m really glad to hear that so many of you have filed complaints with the BBB and FTC.
They tried the same thing with me. They broke all kinds of FTC rules along the way. Legit companies pursuing legit debts would never jeopardize collections by breaking the law.
We too were scammed by this business in November. Same names, same amount owed, same story. I disputed with our credit card company the next day and submitted all our documentation and they did not honor our disbute because they apparentely thought the “emailed” contract we got from them while arguing on the phone for 2 hours was legitimate. We have perfect credit and did not want to ruin it. We’ve never had anything like this happen to us before. They did actually send us a package with instructions on how to book our trip to get our $400 refund. However, the new paperwork uses fishy language that suggest we will have to take more than one trip to fullfill terms even though on “recorded” call they repeatedly said we’d only have to do one trip to get our $400 refunded. I just found this blog and will now not sleep at all tonight. I will follow up with all suggestions to report them and will be contacting our credit card (chase) again first thing tomorrow morning.
Good Luck Suzanne.
It’s sad when we as victims have to prove our innocence.
If you know the phone number that the call originated, you can possibly locate more victims/cases to share as evidence with your credit card company. http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-702-421-7510 is a sample of more of the victims. (You are able to put in the number they called you from, and see the experiences others have had.)
Please don’t stop with complaints only to the FL BBB and FL Dept. of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Contact also the FL Attorney General’s office, the Attorney General’s office in your home state too. In our case, our state’s Dept of Commerce is looking into this also, after our complaint. The FTC(*******VERY IMPORTANT TO DO!!*****) and the FCC are other places to complain. Most all of them have online complaint forms. Also Google “The Do Not Call List”, and complain there if you are registered on their lists. Complain to as many offices as you can think of—THESE SCAMMERS HAVE TO BE STOPPED. It seems that First Class Travel Wise threatens people with lawsuits, but maybe because they have no “proof”(because we didn’t ever have an agreement with them) or because there are so many of us, nothing ever happens. They are scaring people into paying with threats.
If you still have questions about whom you originally booked thru, and don’t have records of your stay or billings, email to the hotel, and ask them to look up your dates of stay and the company that made the reservation. Make sure you save this as proof if needed. In our case, that’s how we KNOW we did not work with this fraudulent company.
We need to, as victims, see this thru to the end to make sure First Class doesn’t continue to put others thru what we’ve been thru! PLEASE STAY WITH THIS EVERYONE!!!!!!! To be victims of this intimidating telephone call is a frightening experience, and needs to be stopped.
Suzanne—I’m here to echo your story only we got scammed a month after you. They did not send us anything in the mail, only an email stating how to get the $400 back. It was to take a time share tour in Vegas. Well, I looked up the timeshare that they were going to send us to and guess what? Yep, they are a fraudulent bunch too. I think there are a group of businesses all running scams together. This sounds like a job for the FBI, FTC, state authorities and a class action law suit. Unfortunately all the BBB can do is rate them and warn folks, which, unless someone looks up the rating before they get scammed, doesn’t do much good. I’m disputing the charge, like you did, and this thread is one of the documentations I sent. Hoping for the best, but mad at myself I didn’t hang up on them in the first place, then find this web site. This has made me suspicious of everyone and everything now. Andy
Okay every one, these guys have new names and new numbers and they are threatening new consumers as much as ever. Here is a new web site designed especially for us consumers to collectively decide what we each want to do about the people who scam us. Give me time to get it organized. Look through the site I have allot of information that I have collected on First Class Travel Wise / First Class Cruise Vacations, Inc. i.e., C Greene, and it is a start.
http://wiki.stopscams.info/index.php?title=Main_Page and http://wiki.stopscams.info/index.php?title=First_Class_Travel_Wise
Okay every one, these guys have new names and new numbers and they are threatening new consumers as much as ever. Here is a new web site designed especially for us consumers to collectively decide what we each want to do about the people who scam us. Give me time to get it organized. Look through the site I have allot of information that I have collected on First Class Travel Wise , First Class Cruise Vacations, Inc. i.e., C Greene, and it is a start. http://www.stopscams.info
I vaguely remember checking into the Frontier Hotel in Vegas in 2004. We were immediately directed to the sales office. We couldn’t even get a room key until they talked to us about “offers” which I am sure included timeshares. Then they gave us a receipt and told us we satisfied “whatever” and could have the rest of our package – discount coupons – show tickets and so forth. I would think that if this travel company considered us “customers” for the intervening four years we would have received follow-up marketing attempts. When Steve Cox told me Trave Wise had not gotten paid for the timeshare marketing I told them to go back to Frontier and collect it from them since we had satisfied whatever requirements they deemed to have placed on us for showing up at the hotel. Have you noticed how careful they are about sending anything through the mail?
I talked to Chris Greene today, First Class Cruise Travel, First Class Travel Wise , Ex Consultants, what ever they want to call themselves today, he says he is suing me for fraudulent actions, too funny. New phone number folks (561) 929 9223, I better follow my own advice and file with the BBB…………….lol.
Allot of people will probably get scammed tonight, to sad… I only have this advice for them……Call your credit card company and have them reverse the charges. THIS IS A FINE RAN SCAM….gotta give em that!!
http://www.stopscams.info , look folks I know these guys might somewhat sound legit, but they are not. They must be stopped, keep filing complaints.
These First Class guys are scam artists, granted. The question no one seems to be asking tho:
How did these putzes get the names and phone numbers of people who stayed in Las Vegas in 2003-2004?
If they have private information from, say, the billing receipts of a travel agent, hotel, or ticket office that all of these people used, shouldn’t the person who gave that information to them also be liable for something? *Especially* if credit card numbers are involved! If they bought it, can’t the seller be held liable for damages from the scam? If they stole hard copy receipts or hacked it from some company’s system, isn’t that a crime?
At the very least someone should be asking the businesses that handled the Vegas vacations about the security of their records.
Curious consumer question: Can’t credit card companies flag this business so that people trying to buy from them have to call in for confirmation, first?
Seems like it would save the credit card companies a LOT of time and money by not having to chase down disputed charges. I know the AmEx does this because I had to call to verify a charge at one of those seasonal kiosk calendar stores in a shopping mall. AmEx told me very politely that they were sorry for the inconvenience, but those types of stores were responsible for a higher number of fraudulent charges so they insisted on card holder verification. Fine by me.
So, instead of just calling in to dispute the charges, call your credit company and tell their fraud protection department about your dealings with these businesses. It would put a serious crimp in Green’s business if the credit companies flagged his operations as frauds. :)
I wish it were that simple. #1 the credit card companies can not do anything UNTIL a person has a charge on their credit card. I can call my credit card company and ask them about it but they will most probably say well lady did they use your credit card…….no because I didnt give it to them…. AND C Green does not have the credit card number, that is what all the yelling and intimidating is all about so he can get the number. This is what he has, your name or a part of your name, the last four digits of the credit card you used, the fact that you MAY have stayed in a motel, the fact that you have a good credit score, and your phone number, he has a few email addi’s but not all…………. BUT, because it is a wonderful ideal I will be calling my credit card company tomorrow to see if I can put an alert on this company not just for my card but for all others with my credit card company……… I do know that C Greene did use a paypal account with one consumer if I could chat with that consumer I could get that information and put in a complaint to paypal which has ALLOT of information on the persons that charged on their paypal account….
stopscams.info …………please any suggestions WILL be followed through with.
Actually, these people DO have the full credit card numbers of some of the people they contact! They had my complete credit card number, and I was just grateful that I had lost the card a few years ago and had the number changed, so they can’t charge my card without me knowing about it.
Also, they are going by a couple of different names. So, I hope the credit card companies can flag their company, but they are going by First Class Travel Wise, Executive Travel, Executive Travel Consultants/Consulting, ETC, and so on.
And, you are right Denise, there is a real security breach going on here! HOW did these bozos get this info? Were records stolen? Who is liable for this? This seems like it could be a problem that could get even worse…like identity theft.
If you check the BBB rating for this company, though, it says they have only 9 complaints against them in 36 months. If everyone who has been a victim or been contacted by them about this scam, would file a complaint, then I think something COULD be done!
Actually, back around the middle to end of Nov., when our incident occured, we filed our report under “First Class Cruise Vacations, Inc.” on the BBB website. The phone number they were using matched that name, although they gave us the name “First Class Travel Wise” representing “Executive Travel Consultants”. There was no listing for “First Class Travel Wise” then on the BBB site. At that time, I believe there were around 20 complaints on the “FCCV, Inc.” site, and it’s now 50. Some of the confusion is that this “company” continues to change names and phone numbers(along with now employee names and $ amounts it seems) perhaps to make it difficult for us to complain to the agencies, and stay ahead of investigations. About all we can do is continue to complain, and WAIT…
In the meantime, for those that know they have your entire number–call the credit card company, explain this to them and most likely they will change your number and offer suggestions. And be sure to continue to monitor your credit history.
This message is to DAN………… We are continuing to attempt to track this company and we could really use the information on HOW they charged your credit card i.e. the name of the company that they used to charge your credit card. Please contact me at flintwindsor@gmail.com or stopscams.info pls pls pls
Was you successful in getting your July money refunded?
On January 13th, 2009 at 3:59 pm Dan said Update:
I just got the phone with my credit card company(Chase) and they are refunding me my money. I am now going to see if I can call my other credit card about getting the $833 back. It was back in July of 08 so I will see what happens.
I also filed a complaint at the BBB and the FTC. I was so mad after getting harrased that I was up to 2:30 a.m. to see if there was any other agency that can shut these guys down.
I would urge anyone that payed these jerks money to try and get a refund from your credit card company.
Yes, I was taken too. Same story as the rest. They had my entire CC number and stated that it had expired from when I used it in Las Vegas in 2004. I was so concerned about them reporting it on my credit report, that I gave them the new CC number. I was going to go to Orlando and stay at their Resort to get my $400 back. I as well, had a screaming match with a very rude man from Travel Wise. He said that they would allow me to go to Orlando only, they would pay for one night and I would pay $79 for 2 more nights to fulfill my committment to get my $400 refund.
I then thought , before I send these folks more money, I will look on Google. Then I found this info. I am such a fool!! Susan
You are not a fool Susan, you are human. How could you know you were being seriously scamed? This will continue to happen if each and every one of us do not take action. http://www.stopscams.info
This is an update for flintwindsor.
Yes my credit card card company gave me back my $833 from July after I filed a dipsute. I had to fax all my paperwork to the credit card company. The info they (First Class Travel Wise) sent did not say there was no refund and I did not use any part of their rip off vacation package. I also told them they misrepresented the vacation and my credit card company refunded my account.
I filed a dispute for the $433 with my other credit card company. They canceled that card number and sent me a new card. My credit card company said they credited my account but I need to verify that.
I keep getting calls from several different numbers. I am sure it is the scammers with a PC to change the numbers on our caller ID. I never answer the phone any more if I do not recognize the number. I am about ready to change my number. It would be realitively easy for someone(First Class Travel Wise) to change the caller ID number through a PC.
Thanks for the info Dan, I would love to have those numbers if they are saved on your caller I.D. and yes I bet that it is them too…. I dont blame you for changing your phone number or if you tell them one time to never call again they can be fined for every time the call you….. put your number on the not to call list….Congrats on getting your money back I wish everyone would call to get their money back.
Hi. I would like to know how you got your money back? I am in the process of filing a dispute with Citibank and they said because I authorized the credit card payment, they might not be able to refund me my money. I stated that it was a scam and that First Class did not initially deserve this money and that I felt bullied and threatened into paying, but because I authorized it, I would be responsible for it. The woman at Citibank said that just because I THOUGHT it was a scam, doesn’t make it one. How do I get proof this is a scam? I need to get the proof thru reputable means, not just because we have all experienced this. Like thru the FTC or something. Now what? Has anyone actually taken the second timeshare tour and received the promised refund if the “back end tour” was taken now? I don’t know what else to do.
Number one, you need to talk to the manager of your credit card the lady you spoke to at your cc company is an idiot, number two you need to change cc companies because they hire idiots to work with them. Number three YES someone has took the tour and STILL did not get their money back so their cc company was VERY HAPPY to work with them either way!!!!!!!!!!!!!
http://www.stopscams.info please leave names and numbers and dates you were contacted by travel wise in any form they contacted you and please make all formal complaints and please insist you get your money back.
Perhaps you could use the BBB sites–especially the portion that states the complaint experience for both First Class Travel Wise and First Class Cruise Vacations as your proof. The BBB sites have a documented history of complaints that have occured( and happened to us)posted on the site. Even the site we are now on and also flintwindsor’s stop scam site might be helpful as documentation. I agree with flintwinsor’s suggestion that this credit card rep was not willing to work with you–call them again and demand a higher level of supervisor.
Also, please give flintwinsor as much info as you can, as everything will help fight these scammers. Good luck to you, let us know how you turned out…..and maybe you will have suggestions of what worked for you.
Thanks for the support. I don’t think that Citibank will allow all of these experiences as proof of a scam. I am waiting for Citibank to send me the response that First Class Travel provided, however I am sure they will say that i authorized this charge, which I did (and it was “recorded” supposedly) I know I was bullied into paying, fearful my credit would be ruined, but now that I paid up, that will probably make me responsible for that amount, darn it! I feel so stupid. But, at the same time, I would like to know what I do next. I don’t want to give in and just pay it, but then I have to go through with filing a small claims against them? Asking for proof that I orignally agreed to the “back end” deal? Or by me paying the $433, that might be proof enough that I believed I owed it.
First Class Travel Wise will say, like they told us all–that your credit card number at the hotel was your agreement to abide by their contract. This company has no signatures it seems, and by telling you this, make you think you had an agreement with them. I’m guessing that what the credit card company sends to you will be the documentation the same as above, sent to this site in response to the original entry question.
Do you know for a fact that you stayed at the hotel on the dates they told you? In our case FCTW had all the information, but we couldn’t verify it. (Of course FCTW wouldn’t send us a hard copy as proof. ANYONE can falsify a document in an email–even me, and I’m not trained whatsoever in working on a computer! They can change the dates or whatever to make it fit your case.) I emailed the hotel as the only possible way to verify what FCTW was telling me was true. Our trip was actually taken previous to when they told us, AND the room was booked under Leisure Time Travel(one of the reasons First Class Travel Wise uses that name now too). The HOTEL told us it was a scam. According to documents obtained from Florida records, at the time of our trip FCTW wasn’t even formed! How could we have an agreement with them? They have obtained all these lists somewhere, and are using them!
I would definitely try using verification from the BBB site complaint experience with your credit card company. Did you send formal complaints anywhere else? Possibly the contact letter from the FL Division of Consumer services (if you had complained there) would give you an individual that might be able to help?
I’m wondering if your only other method to get your money back would be small claims court? I am not a lawyer…. My fear is that you paid them, and if they keep your money now, they will say that there is an agreement with you, and continue to get money from you.
Try this website too:
http://www.fraud.org/
They actually had someone call me back, but couldn’t really help me since I didn’t give FCTW money. Keep us posted!
No you don’t have to file a small claims…. CALL YOUR CREDIT CARD BACK, by LAW they MUST protect you…….AND NO IT WAS NOT RECORDED… they just said that… and IF you were recorded then the company hurt themselves by doing so since they threatened you…
Get on that phone and tell your credit card that you want to challenge that charge, PERIOD! The worst the card can do is say well I will have to send you paper work for you to explain and sign….. Then you tell them to FAX it to you and that you will FAX it back…. then they HAVE to temporarily take that charge off your card, THAT IS A FACT….. and the card company that made me do it that way got their card cancelled that MONTH….. This is ridiculous…….. your credit card MUST protect you, so you call the top manager if you have too!… I do not care if you gave your permission or not, you did not know you were being scammed at the time you said YES! Also ask for the fraud unit of your credit card company and report this incident to them… THIS IS A SCAM and if you fight your credit card over it, you will get your money back and IF you HAVE to fight your credit card over it, you seriously have the wrong credit card, there are many GREAT credit card companies out there that value’s you as their customer. flintwindsor@gmail.com
http://www.stopscams.info do you think that your credit card will read the report on the bbb……..look on my site to see what the scores on these companies are currently at……as of this morning it was 2 D’s and 1 F……………….. but you shouldn’t need any of that, you should only need to say to your cc company, I contest that charge, PERIOD! Please what company called you, what was the numbers they used, what was the name of the speakers.
These are the phone numbers I received from this company:
954-603-7951, 972-2208594, 626-692-7525, 315-319-9960, 404-856-9336, 702-421-7510, 480-319-9960,703-859-9336. I spoke to a Nicole Rogers. I am still waiting to hear FCTW’s response to my credit card. I will do my best to fight this, however I am still concerned that because I authorized this last transaction for the $433 that FCTW now has a case. That because I paid, that meant I agreed that I owed the money. I tried to research more about the law in CA about this, and that is what I came up with. I wish I had gone with my got and not pay them! I just wonder if my credit card denies this dispute and I actually try to attend the next timeshare tour and don’t get my money refunded, I DEFINITLY have a case then. However, I really don’t want to do that. I complained with all the listed sites, like FTC etc…
to PS……………………Have you been to my site? Please email me directly!
http://www.pueblo.gsa.gov/
Beware of bogus debt collectors that try to trick consumers into paying debts
they don’t owe. Ask your state or local consumer protection agency how you can
confirm whether the collection agency meets licensing or registration requirements in your state and what to do if you don’t think the debit is valid.
I will be posting this site on my site http://www.stopscams.info
flintwindsor@gmail.com
Hi. Has anyone that paid the $433 and disputed it with their credit card and got the money refunded from their credit card been further contacted by FCTW or their “collection dept”? I am thinking that once the credit card determines this is a scam, do FCTW still pursue their “victims”?
Actually to my knowledge, FCTW is full of one thing “threats” they have threatened everyone including attorneys, credit card companies, this site etc… but NO they have not gone one step further and I know the reason why too! email me at flintwindsor@gmail.com
I am transitioning my website to http://www.consumersteam.com so stopscams.info should forward you automatically to http://www.consumersteam.com
AND ON ANOTHER NOTE:
By the way First Class Travel Wise and your other alias, while you are sending threatening letters to all these other consumers that have wonderful credit standing, I would like to know why you haven’t sent me one! You haven’t one lick of proof and you know it… you must truly be so ignorant as to believe you will continue to get away with this fradulent behavior…….. it’s not over till it’s over, come after me you FRAUD, I dare you too and your right, all of us consumers are doing every thing we can to STOP your ridiculous SCAM and when they drag you into court I will fly in to celebrate as they take you and your playmates to prison. Come on buddy you want some one, here I am, waiting for you, come get me! Go after my credit !…………IT ISN’T GOING TO HAPPEN, because you are an illegal FRAUD……your words are meaningless……… flintwindsor@gmail.com….
Here is at least one new number these guys are using under the name now of Executive Cruise Travel and Executive Travel 916 550 6056 Please report to all the agencies so they have these guys new number and the BBB recently opened up new page for these guys the link is on the http://www.consumersteam.com website. They may be working on a new state license number too (florida) if anyone knows be sure to post it, if I find out what it is I will post it myself… sorry so many people fall prey to these school drop outs…. they can’t get a job, can’t make their own money, too afraid of getting shot robbing a bank so they do the cowardly thing and go after innocent people to take their money.
First Class Travel Wise may also be known as Executive Cruise Travel
First Class/Cruise Vacations, Inc. First Class Executive Travel
Executive Travel Consulting, Inc. FCTW Travel, Inc Executive Consultants
Executive Travel Executive Travel/Leisure Time TMC TRAVEL
Their main consistant phone number that is always linked to ANY number they choose to use to contact you is (877) 948-8900
They currently have 3 BBB accounts that I know of
#92013299 #92012243 #9002124
And they no longer have a Florida State License as of 02/23/2009 their License was #ST36484
Caller ID: Chris Greene the “main” scamer
Caller: The company’s name should be Fraud
I was also called from the 916-550-6056 number and had the exact same experience with these people. I have called the FTC, contacted all of my local news stations and am in the process of reporting to BBB. Is there anyone else I should contact? I didn’t have any money taken from me but I am furious that they have the ability to violate people like this. They have to be stopped!!!!
I just got the same call this evening at 8:35pm CA time from the 916 number. I kept asking the rep. questions, got referred to a legal counsel who works for the legal dept. He said off the cuff that he works for them part time and is in school So much for a legal dept. He said that he would email me some documentation and because of our conversation will send me off to collections immediately. I refused to pay anything or be recorded in the beginning of the phone call. He just kept going with the threats. I am very good at watching my back so I was not going to give out anything to anyone until I did my research. That’s what brought me to this site. I will contact the BBB, FTC, etc. tomorrow to file complaints. They will not be receiving anything from me. Period. Good luck trying!
Amanda, I agree these guys must be stopped. I have at least 20 pages of information on my site allot of research allot of effort, take advantage of it. Raise the roof and don’t stop that is what I have done since they called me in nov,dec,jan. I paid them no money I will fight till they go down. Offer all info you got from them first and last names numbers address’s etc don’t stop your efforts till they are stopped. For every person that makes a post on all these sites there are100’s that are successfully scammed. Please help please don’t quit
My husband and I were also coerced into paying $433.88 on November 18, 2008. We have contacted our credit card company who reversed the charges for now. FCTW has yet to produce a signed contract, and we are insisting that our credit card company keep the charges off. I will submit a printout of this blog as further evidence that I am not the only victim, and that this looks like a scam. In addition, in that FCTW is reaching across state lines, I am sending a copy of the package I submitted to my credit card company to the U.S. Attorney, Southern District of Florida, located at 500 E. Broward Blvd., Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33394 (954) 356-7255 and also to the Florida State Attorney, Office of the Attorney General, located at 110 SE 6th Street, 10th Floor, Fort Lauderdale, FL 3301-5000 (954) 712-4700. I am also submitting a copy of my paperwork to the U.S. Attorney’s offices and Attorney General in my home state.
Kristina, Thank God for consumers like you! Thank You!
i fell victim to the fraud and ended up paying the money after their harassing and bullying tactics. i ended up going to the timeshare presentation and contacted fctw for my refund. they sent me a letter with horrible handwriting and misspelled name. the letter was addressed as executive travel consulting, inc. the letter details that they will not refund the money because “we made no extension to refund you contingent to you touring in the location, date, and time you toured.” Interesting enough, i have the email they requested i fax over to them with my signature detailing the the refund and date, time, and location of the tour. unfortunately, i did investigate more thoroughly prior to giving the money but will contact the legal authorities.
I believe the best way to retrieve your monies is to have your credit card fight it. FCTW hasn’t a leg to stand on AND they know it. They no longer have a license to operate in their state, the BBB has given them a steady F on all sights. The Florida Dept of Consumers is all over these guys (which happens to also be the dept that issues the license they MUST have to operate) These guys says anything but they are as illegal as any scam running right now..
I just received from my Calif Attorney General a letter on my behalf and all of California, a DEMAND for FCTW to respond or that legal action will follow…. these guys are going down, you can’t even find their web site any more… GO to your credit card and get your money back, let your credit card fraud unit take care of these jerks….. that is just advice of course…
flintwindsor@gmail.com http://www.consumersteam.com
“Michael Greene” called me saying he was from FCT Travel, a B+ rated Company. He said I had agreed to visit a timeshare in 2003. He had my street address and what he said was an old credit card number. I told him I never made any agreement, and he said I was committing fraud. If I didn’t pay immediately, he would send it to collections. He said I couldn’t check my records or have a bill in the mail because this was a “courtesy call” and he was giving me one chance before sending it to collections. He said his company was offering an extention for me to visit a timeshare in Napa and I would get a $400.00 refund. We argued for what he said was 104 minutes until I finally paid. When the payment came through, it wasn’t the same company, it was First Class Cruise Travel. I checked the co. on the BBB and online and found it to be a fraud. I called the number he emailed me to schedule a time share visit and it wasn’t a company, but a personal number. She said she’s been receiving a lot of calls from people about time shares and she was going to have to change her number. I emailed him asking him to leave the money considering my findings. Then “Thomas”, with the same voice and same yelling and threats called saying he was from First Class Travel’s Fraud department. I hung up on him. He called from 561-929-9223 and 312 912 8533. I posted a complaint with BBB and added these phone numbers to the 800notes.com site for unwanted calls. What a jerk!
Hello, I am so sorry you were pulled into this scam… they called me in Nov 2008 with ALL THE SAME THREATS! Boy was I hot under the collar. I told them to give it their best effort and I would take the loss if they succeeded. I have a wonderful credit rating and it can’t be touched. Anytime ANYONE says for ANY REASON, give me your credit card number ON YOUR PHONE this is a very CLEAR CLUE it is a SCAM….
I set up a site to stop these guys and spent countless hours making calls. First Class put up a fight at first but then the government agencies started bringing down the heat on them and I see they have moved on… NOT STOPPED, just moved on…..
IF I HAD OF FELL for their scam… I would of insisted my credit card company stood behind me and if that meant taking my credit card company to court I would of done that also… I called my credit card company and they told me HAD I fell for this scam that they would of credited my credit card and RED FLAGGED this company as a SCAMMER for any other consumers that the same information came in through their company….
YOUR CREDIT CARD COMPANY MUST STAND BEHIND YOU ON THIS AND YOU MUST MAKE THEM IF THEY ARE RESISTANT TO DO SO……
Yes you MAY HAVE indeed authorized the charge BUT you did it under duress and intimidation and fraudulent terms and therefore you were scammed and your credit card needs to make it right………PERIOD!!!!!
On the site I set up is all kinds of agencies to report these guys to, please do it.
I talked to Florida Dept. of Agriculture and Consumer Services Stewart Scott today and the investigation is still ongoing.
For anyone that didn’t get their money back because their bank or credit card company did not stand behind them NEEDS to turn in a complaint about their credit card company to the FTC….. that is just new information that I picked up….any ammunition is good ammunition.
*The one common denominator in this whole scam is YOUR Banking/Credit Card company! Simply put, if your banking system will stop playing ball with these snakes, then these snakes will no longer be able to scam. So for the people whom has tried to get your banking system to respond appropriately and it has failed, it is of my opinion that you need to indeed attack your very own banking system…. SEND a letter of complaint to the FTC. The banking systems MUST stand up and stop encouraging these crooks by making you fight for what is rightfully yours!
I CANNOT believe what I am reading! My inner spirit felt like this was not right, but like everyone I have read about, I too just yesterday was harrassed, intimidated, and bullied into either paying up or be taken to collections. Because I didn’t want to damage our credit, I authorized the $650 onto my credit card. This call came from Florida (although I’m not sure where it came from, because when I asked where the location was, the one I was speaking to hesitated??!!??)
The guy I spoke with told me that there were companies out there that would sue me for statements I was making when I was questioning the validity of this charge. But that he would not. Of course he called me at work, and told me he would stay on the line while I faxed the authorization back to him. Twice the fax numbers given me did not work, and then he told me to scan the emailed authorization. Which like a total idiot! I did.
The email came from Michael Greene (fctwqualitycontrol@ymail.com). Is this going to be the same scenario as the Las Vegas? My purchase for a trip was to Orlando, Daytona, and Fort Lauderdale. I purchased this trip last July 2008, and because I was not able to take the trip from California to Florida as of yet, I was being charged $650 for a “Refund and Extension Option”. It does state that it would be required to take (3) timeshare tours, 1 at each location. That it was to be completed within 6 months, but could be extended by calling customer service. I could say so much more, but would like to hear from you first. I do have the names of the ones I spoke with.
Simply have your credit card reverse the charges that is my advice! To my knowledge these yahoos are not running anything legally…. but what do I know..
ANYTIME ANYONE WANTS YOUR CREDIT CARD AS A RESULT OF A PHONE CALL IS THE FIRST CLUE IT IS A SCAM! my opinion only!
Why are these people threatening you on the phone to pay up or else! second clue this is a scam.
Flintwindsor, here is our experience with this company and would like to ban together with anyone who would like to go after this company. They have to be stopped.
Several years ago we were approached to book a trip to Myrtle Beach, by First Class Travel Wise. We had to take a time share tour during the vacation. We traveled to Myrtle Beach and took the tour, as promised.
A couple of years later, we were contacted by First Class Travel Wise, telling us that we did not fulfill all of the requirements of our vacation package, and therefore we owed them another $299.00. If we did not pay and/or book another vacation through them, they would turn us over to collections and our credit would be ruined. As our credit scores are spotless, we booked another vacation through them. The terms of “this” trip was two tours – one in Orlando and one in Daytona Beach. We took this trip in the summer of 2007. We attended both tours, as promised.
Yesterday, 6/30/2009, we got a call from First Class Travel Wise – now using the name First Class Cruise Vacations. They advised us that this was the “last” courtesy call they would make to us, to let us know that our account was in default because we did not fulfill the terms of our Florida vacation package. We were put in touch with a David Wells, who stated he was the legal director of the company. He was insulting and rude and again, threatened to turn us over to collections and ruin our credit if we did not pay $650 AND book another vacation.
The call lasted over an hour and we got nowhere. When we returned home, we dug out all of the information we had accumulated on this company, from all of our dealings with them. In the paperwork we found an E-mail from Chris Greene – Director. In that e-mail he advised that once we completed both tours in Florida, we would not be obligated to travel with them any further, nor would we EVER owe a balance to First Class Travel Wise/First Class Cruise Vacations.
Therefore, we called Chris Greene. He was very cordial at first, seemingly wanting to help us with our problem. He told us the only thing he could do is charge us $550 instead of $650, but we would have to book another vacation and go on “three” tours this time. We asked why this pattern continues to occur with them and this is when Mr. Greene started getting impatient. We then asked for a copy of the terms and conditions of our vacation package. He e-mailed us a generic form letter that could’ve been typed by anyone and handed to anyone. Our names or signatures appeared nowhere on this document. We, again, asked for a copy of the terms and conditions that we “signed & acknowledged”, so we could have proof of our alleged “violation” of the same. Mr. Greene said it was not his responsibility to provide us with a copy of paperwork that we don’t conveniently remember and obviously lost. He went on to tell us that if we did not abide by his offer he would file a police report against us and ruin our credit. He e-mailed us a form to complete and return to him, otherwise, he would proceed as outlined above. We received the e-mail. We then called our credit card company. By the time we called them,. Mr. Greene had already started the process of debiting our card $650.00 – not the agreed upon $550.00, but even worse – we hadn’t even signed and returned the authorization form!!!!
We have now filed a fraud report with our credit card company and have closed our credit card account in question. We found that this company has an “F” rating by the Better Business Bureau and a slew of negative blogs on the internet, commenting on how this company has scammed money from a multitude of people.
← Previous Comments