Before signing contract, I was ensured that condominiums/hotels were available in certain areas, which is not true! In October 2013, my husband and I went to a presentation after receiving mail stating that I won free airline tickets, which is not true. I attended a 2-hour presentation in Scottsdale, Arizona and we then spoke with a sales representative. We distinctly told her that we travel often to San Francisco, Portland, and planning a trip to Atlanta on July 1st, 2015. The representative then said that if we joined, we would be able to get accommodations in Portland, San Francisco and in Downtown Atlanta.
During the presentation, we were instructed on how to use the Global Connections website and since we did not see any locations to the sites we were interested in, the presenter assured us that they were many more not listed as all we had to do was call their “Travel Agency” to make arrangements. They presented their raving reviews posted on the website and my husband and I bought in to the service. The three day cancellation notice was a concern to us since but we were assured they had no unresolved complaints with the BBB. Come to find out that Global Connections aren’t event members of the BBB.
I began the long arduous effort of claiming my “free” airline tickets. I sent in my $100.00 in a form of a personal check, which was cashed, and I never did receive the airline ticket from the so called airlines. I called the number on the brochure given to me by the Global Connections representative when my husband and I signed up. I was instructed to look at the brochure again with a magnifying glass by the rude customer service representative. The so called airline representative informed me that I should have sent the $100.00 in the form of a money order AND that it should have been made to another business entity altogether in small print. I gave up on the “free airline ticket from the fake airline.
After signing up for the four, (4), star program, giving a down payment of $1,000.00 and paying $241.00 a month for several months, In June of 2014, I went to their website. I was planning an August, 2014 trip to San Francisco. It was then that I realized that they do not have ANY hotels or any accommodations anywhere near San Francisco. I called the so called, “Global Connections travel agency”, and was informed that they do not have any accommodations in any metropolitan area to include Atlanta for my trip in July of 2015. I was emailed an itinerary of sorts for my San Francisco trip and I would have to pay $6,500 or so for a 7 day stay. I ended up on Expedia.com and got a way cheaper price for a hotel on the Warf for half the cost!
I called Tinley Park office and was told I should have read my contract, reminded me of the “free airline ticket”. I told them that the reason I signed the contract was because I was assured that they were able to accommodate my husband and I at the above destinations. In was informed that it was IMPOSSIBLE that any of the presenters would have informed that there were accommodations in any metropolitan area. I was given the complete runaround. I decided to look up Global Connections on the website and found so many others in my position. My husband and I are so disappointed, we’ve spent thousands of dollars with Global Connections that we could have used on our San Francisco, Atlanta and Portland trips.
As of to date, with the $1,000.00 deposit, and $241.00 a month payment plus finance charges of $89.54 a month because of the 19.8 percent interest charges we still owe $5,516.07 on our contract. My husband and I have yet to use any of the Global Connections’ services. At this point, now that my husband and I live in Portland, I do not want to pay the $389.00 annual fee plus the $159.00 for accommodation fee for the up and coming trips to Phoenix. I would like a refund of all monies paid to Global Connections and cancellation of my contract immediately.