I am writing as a victim of high tech scam in the travel industry. I searched for cheap tickets travelling July 20th 10 and return in August .I landed on Predators called wholesale flights .com. who have a well designed trap that swallows cheap ticket seekers like myself. It was on 05/06/10 when searched wholesaleflights.com and put my details, 1 adult, 1 child and an infant traveling to Africa it gave me total of $3520. At that time the airline was charging $3700, I though I would save some bucks by using this company it was not so. Gave the agent Mr. Ron Ext 308, the detail the total was $3600.that was still less than emirates. They asked for full amount, I made payment with two cards $3000 credit card and$600 debt card. In few minutes while still on the on phone, he says the price has changed to $3720 I told him straight away to forget it, he then called his supervisor Brian, I told him why would I buy the tickets from them at that much when I can get it from the airline at $3700 please cancel everything and don’t charge any of my cards. Mr. Brian told me to wait for a moment after some few minutes, Brian says it was ok, they will take $3600.
In about one hour, Ron calls and he told me to check my email; for the ticket release form, the total was $3760, I objected to that amount asked what are you up, he said the $160 was for insurance in the plane, I told in fact I don’t want to deal with this company, he said uncheck the box for insurance and the total went back to $3600. Is this the final total Ron said yes that is when I signed the ticket release form, and he acknowledged receiving the form?
After 5 days 05/11/10 Ron calls me and said they don’t want use credit card they want me to wire money to their account because if they use the credit card the airline will charge 20% interest. The next day I went to the emirates office in Houston, They do not charge 20%. I called Ron and nobody would pick, I left him a message to call me back but he didn’t call. in the mean time I researched on the company, unfortunately whole sale flights is not a member of BBB. Ron calls me 05/15/10 and tells me the only way out was to wire the money to the account, when I inquired from the bank; they said its very risk, in the mean time whole sale flights had already withdrawn $500, from my credit card and when I talked to Ron about it he said that was a deposited, I told him they didn’t need deposited I paid $3600.I was not amused, I spoke to Brian the Supervisor, and he said they were trying to save me from incurring 3% interest, told him charge it on my credit card, that’s an increment of $108, earlier Ron had told me 20%. I thought all was well, on 05/17/10, 3.59 pm to be exact I received a mail from Ron saying please sign this form and fax it back as soon as possible, the $ 500 we took from your credit card is now taken as a cancellation fee, if you don’t wire the money to our account. That is when I realized I had fallen into a deep pit called wholesalefilght trap.
The next day I called the office and found a well spoken man by names of Edward Austin, very friendly, when I narrated my story story, he promised all will be well. On 05/19/10 Wednesday, He said the boss couldn’t allow credit card, or else they will charge me 5% more on top of the 3% as financing charge. I told him no I will put the money in the account on Friday, he said the latest time to put the money in the account was Thursday, that was the next day, I got the money and called him Thursdays morning, I had the account number and routing number with no bank name, he said the bank is either Wachovia or Wellsfargo, when are you banking the money? he asked, I told him I was on my way to the bank, he said wait don’t bank until I call you back, need to cross-check with my boss, in 15mns he called and said the price had changed the total is now $3890.That is when it occurred to me that these guys are made of same material. I told him to put back my $500 I don’t want anything to do with wholesale flight, he went and consulted with the owner, according to him the owner said they were going to refund $200 to my account, $300 was a cancellation fee, why would I be charge for somebody’s incompetence, he talked to the owner again and they decided to spilt the $300, and instead they sent a gift certificate of $150 only applicable if I buy ticket from wholesale flights. Having gone thought this I can not buy a ticket from them what I want is my $300 back. Please somebody out there help.