Tags: Scams
Ameri-scam.
May 23rd, 2005, by Rich.
Two months ago I wrote a short article about a telemarketing call that I received from AmeriVacation. It has very quickly become one of the most viewed pages on this site, and also the most commented upon, by many people who are worried that they have been conned.
With just a little digging I’ve started to unearth some more information on AmeriVacation, and some “companies” that appear to be related.
It appears that AmeriVacation is only the latest front. They set up a website, to appear legitimate and then cold call people, anyone whose number they can get using an automated calling mechanism (which is very simple to do with a computer). They then sell a package that is not what it appears to be and then make it very difficult to obtain a refund.
Sadly the people that get scammed are often the most vulnerable people who can least afford to lose such a large amount of money.
Through my digging I discovered a little about the history of the scams, and a little about how they’re all related. What follows is a brief review of the links so that others may pick up the trail more easily.
The currently active websites (which can be linked through identical wording, identical phone numbers, IP addresses that resolve to the same physical machines, etc) are:
- www.amerivacation.com
- www.expertholidays.com
- www.yourvipholiday.com (bad press) (more)
- www.flbahamastravelhome.com
- www.mydiscountholiday.com (bad press)
- www.doublevacations.com
- www.affiliatedtravelnetwork.com
- www.brilliantholiday.com (bad popup press)
- www.destinationcenter.net
- www.myffc.com (bad press)
- www.mydiscountholiday.com
- www.floridaholidayusa.com - discovered July 2005
- www.holidayfloridausa.com - discovered July 2005
- www.sunrisetravels.us - discovered August 2005
- www.imperialvacation.com - discovered August 2005
- www.5starholidays.net - discovered August 2005
- www.floridatouristbureau.com - discovered August 2005
Now, anybody that sells a holiday from Florida, or sells a holiday to Florida must be registered. The last entry in the above list , “mydiscountholiday.com” claims a Florida Seller Of Travel License Number of ST35170. In fact, this next list of sites all claim to have that same license number.
- www.mydiscountholiday.com (bad press)
- www.usafamilygetaway.com (bad press)
- www.sandyvacationsllc.com (bad press)
- www.floridabureauoftourism.com
- http://www.destinationsforyou.com
- http://www.celebrationpromotions.com
Another useful thing for linking companies is the address, several of these companies have used “600 North Highway 1792, Suite 120, Longwood Fl 32750″ including:
- www.yourvipholiday.com
- www.usafamilygetaway.com addres link also mentioned here
That link is important because without it these appear to be two separate groups of companies, when in fact, it’s one big cloud.
The next link in the chain is the phone number, all the sites below are connected because they use the same UK freephone number 0800-917-7462. What’s especially nice is that three of them have also decided to share testimonials too!
- www.windsorvacations.com
- www.myvacationschoice.com
- www.vacations-paradise.com (bad press)
- www.sohovacations.com -bullshit testimonial (bad press)
- www.centuryvacations.com - bullshit testimonial
- www.firstclicktravel.net - bullshit testimonial
- www.usafamilygetaway.com
The other address in use is “7632 Southland Blvd, Orlando, FL 32809″ and this is used by:
- www.myffc.com
- www.mydiscountholiday.com
- www.brilliantholiday.com (bad press)
- www.destinationcenter.com
Currently www.destinationcenter.com looks like a bit of a sales force advertisement. However, by looking at the caches on google and web.archive.org, it’s apparent that it was also used as travel sales site (hence I got the address match above), selling these same packages - i.e. not just a coincidence, this was the same outfit.
So, who’s behind it? Well, according to this story, it all comes back to to a Altef Hemani (aka Alex Hemani), who has a history of such scams.
His name is as good as mud on the internet, so he’s tried to combat this by buying a few websites and and writing eulogies about himself.
Each of those sites, incidentally, is owned by the same company: Travel Express Investments 385 Center Point Cir, Altamont Springs, FL 32701.
What’s especially interesting is that the administrative contact for the domains is Arif Rajan who may be the same business man whos only newsworthy moment until now was that in 2002 he was was questioned and released without charge regarding money laundering for terrorist organisations.
Sources
Naturally the information I’ve been able to gather and present here is all freely available to the public. Please feel free to check, corroborate, dispute, disprove or otherwise extended it through your own investigation.
I have found the following resources most useful:
- http://whois.net/ which provides information about the owners of domain names.
- http://sunbiz.org/ which provides information from the Florida Department of State regarding companies, and the persons legally responsible for those companies.
- http://www.doacs.state.fl.us/ the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, which regulates travel in Florida.
July 19th, 2006 at 11:10 am
I have been caught too.Iam presently using my CC Co to nullify my payment
July 21st, 2006 at 10:24 pm
I just had a call from a bestvacations.com saying i had ‘won’ a vacation to orlando..s.t
so i listened…then it came…my ‘free’ holliday would cost $349 per person… they then wanted my credit card info… i said i would require then to send me the offer by letter…they refused… i refused to give them my credit card details…and that is itit
it. Oh the ‘canadian’ phone number they gave me was 1-800-824-1533… when i called it they said they were calypso cay vacation… basicaly they are a scam of some sort.
note their domain name is run by http://www.godaddy.com
July 21st, 2006 at 10:33 pm
oh…if you want to complain their internet provider regarding bestvacationsworld.com (calypsocayvacations) go to http://www.godaddy.com or just email abuse@godaddy.com
July 22nd, 2006 at 6:08 pm
Having read this site I am very concerned. I promised my sisterinlaw and her new husband to be the use of the package which I received in the mail because my timing at work does not permit me rest time ant time soon. I got my package in May 2005. I was given until Nov 2006 to use it. Now I am ready to make arrangements my calls have not been returned and emails unanswered.
July 23rd, 2006 at 3:52 pm
I replied to a pop up on the internet thinking i was winning a holiday idont have money to blow away but its looking like ihave been well and truly conned is there anyone i can complain too as me and my husband have paid £600 and they shouldn’t get away with it and its a lot of money gone
July 26th, 2006 at 10:51 pm
i was called by best world vacations that i won a discount trip while i was on the phone with them i gave them my credit card info,and then while i was onr the phone my friend looked up the site and it said it was a scam so itold the person on the phone to wait while i canceled my credit card on my cell phone thank god my card was not charged.after i refused the deal he got pissed off and said i messed with the wrong person and i was getting scamed .thank god for my friend!!!!!!!!
July 27th, 2006 at 1:18 pm
hey crew just got scamed
pop up saying concradulations your the 10′000′000 visitor to a website you have won a holiday call this number the rest is like every one elses experiance i have lost $453 aust dollars before i could cancled my card can any one send some info re: getting my money back
July 27th, 2006 at 1:32 pm
For a fairly comprehensive list of suggestions see “Florida Vacations - How to Cancel“… and if you’re up to it, tell us more: the who, the how, the the numbers, the websites, etc. Everything you can mention will help the next “unwitting customer” who searches for the things you mention.
July 29th, 2006 at 11:12 pm
I too was hoodwinked by celebrationpromotions in May 2005. Got the pop up on internet etc etc.Said could take vacation anytime within the next 18 months.
It wasn’t until April 2006 when I tried to call & book
that I realised (when all the lines were dead etc)it
was all a Scam! Then,thank goodness I found this site
& followed the advice given.I contacted the D.O.A.C.S
& my CC card company. Just wanted to report that I got all my money back to the tune of £606.00 in July 2006.
I hope that others conned by these unscrupulous people,
dont give up ! Dont be beaten
Once again thanks a million for this site-I wouldnt have got my money back without your help.
August 2nd, 2006 at 8:14 pm
I was caught by the Royalty Holiday con. I have had the most frustrating 8 months but I am happy to report that I got my money back from my credit card company. My message to anyone caught in this net is DO NOT GIVE UP. That is what they expect, indeed I believe they bank on it. If only a few people relentlessly demand their money back, they always profit from those who dont. Not to mention the interest they make from our money if they hold if for months before being forced to refund.
I called, wrote, kept records of my calls and letters and reported them to the Texas Attorney General’s office and the Carrollton Police department (who were very responsive). My documentation and reports convinced my credit card company to support my position although they got involved almost 5 months after the money was received by Royalty. I should have gotten interest on my money!….nevertheless although I did not, I am relieved to have all of the original sum back. Wont happen to me again!!!
Dont stop fighting, tell everyone you know, report it to every appropriate body.
GET YOUR MONEY BACK !!