Examples of scams / spams

If you read this article you are lucky. Someone on behalf of EXPEDIA (maybe EXPEDIA itself?) is fighting in the internet to prevent people to read negative aspects about EXPEDIA (including this blog). One well documented example of what I’m saying is the wikipedia affair (someone was deleting negative aspects of EXPEDIA in wikipedia. Can you believe that? Read the full story: http://www.victimsofexpedia.com/wiki.htm ).
My point is that if you find this information useful send it to your friends and relative because they might not find it since someone is doing something in the internet to prevent people to read it. I don’t know exactly what they are doing but in some way they are preventing people to reach this site. After all censoring internet information is a widely practice in some countries and big companies might do it to avoid bad publicity. If they do something to prevent people to read this blog that is an attack to free speech. An attack to the right to alert people about something dangerous and should not be tolerated.
It would be nice if everyone that can reach this site start a “chain letter by e-mail”, (copy and paste this page and send to your friends and family). Advice them to do the same (to avoid large number of e-mail addresses).
                   
Everybody should be alerted. Your relatives or friends may be the next victims of EXPEDIA (and be scammed or lose thousands of dollars). EXPEDIA tried to scam me(1254.95 U$D). I was clever enough and acted fast,  but they can try to scam other people. There is no other possible explanation for all they did after they failed to arrange one of my trips. In addition EXPEDIA never denied my case (they cannot since I have proof of their lies). They don’t need to deny because their business is still very profitable (they can cheat millions of unaware people unless you help to spread the word).

Read my case (all detail in my website: http://www.victimsofexpedia.com -non profit website)

This is my story

I  bought (online from USA) a roundtrip from Europe to South America. For this trip I needed a paper ticket (not e-ticket) that EXPEDIA failed to deliver to me (one ticket was lost and the second was sent me to a wrong address - I provided the right address- ). I have proof of this (tracking number from UPS).  Anyway, one of their representative advised  me by phone to go to Europe and they will arrange with the airline I get a ticket at the airport. They never did it. I called to EXPEDIA many times from Europe and the airline that I was supposed to travel with (KLM) also contacted EXPEDIA. EXPEDIA never did anything to solve that problem that EXPEDIA generated and they didn’t give me another solution. I had to buy (in Europe) another ticket from a different travel agency and I had to spend 15 extra days in Europe plus one extra week in South America. I’ve also lost many days at my job. I had lost a lot of money and my trips were useless because I had to use the money I had to solve this problem instead of enjoying my trips. TO MAKE IT SHORT, I WAS ABANDONED IN EUROPE BY EXPEDIA AFTER THEY FAILED TO PROVIDE ME A TICKET I HAD ALREADY PAID WITH MY CREDIT CARD.

 EXPEDIA claims that it was my fault (It is a lie because I have e-mails from the airline telling me that EXPEDIA never arranged my trip). EXPEDIA claims that they had put all the information in the airline system. But when I asked where and when they cannot give me that information. I have documentations showing how many times I called them (and copies of e-mails I sent to them), I also have an e-mail from the airline telling me that EXPEDIA never contacted them and never put on their system the information necessary to issue me new ticket from Europe. I showed that documentation to EXPEDIA but EXPEDIA just ignore it and never made an attempt to contact the airline. Why? because EXPEDIA can lie to customers but it cannot lie to the airline.
In summary, EXPEDIA charged my credit card for 1,254.96 U$D for a ticket that was never delivered. They advised me to go to EUROPE. Once I was in Europe, EXPEDIA abandoned me  there at my own with no ticket. I had to re-schedule my trips by my own and I had to buy a new ticket from another travel agency in Europe to complete my trips. EXPEDIA ignored my complaints when I was abroad . After I came back to USA, EXPEDIA tried to keep the money EXPEDIA charged in my credit card for that ticket I never had a chance to use. EXPEDIA  lied to me many times and tried to keep money from my credit card in a fraudulent way.  Thanks to my credit card I could recover (after almost 7 month) the full amount of that ticket but I suffered huge monetary loss due to that trouble that EXPEDIA generated.

This was EXPEDIA’s official response to my case         :

During my trip (before returning to USA). One of EXPEDIA’s supervisor “admitted” that it was EXPEDIA’s fault and told me to submit all the receipts I had for “extra expenses” .  This was done by phone, however he also sent me an e-mail confirming the address where I had to send it. (read that e-mail). I sent to EXPEDIA all my receipts and a detailed amount of all my expenses. But it was another lie, EXPEDIA’s “customer advisor team” (a higher level than supervisors) denied all responsibilities.

1) First, EXPEDIA try make it look as if it was my fault and they reimbursed me part of the ticket (800 U$D) they never delivered (read the e-mail EXPEDIA sent to me). Is this fair? Does it make sense? Why EXPEDIA will reimburse money if it they are sure it was my  fault? They just tried to make me happy with 800 U$D and actually steal part of my money (> 400 U$D) because EXPEDIA actually never provided the service (this is simply fraud).
 
2) EXPEDIA tried to steal the rest of the money. It didn’t work: With the help of my credit card (VISA) I recovered another 429.99 U$D.
 
3) At this point, EXPEDIA still kept 59.99 because EXPEDIA charged my credit card in a way to cheat me and my credit card (see details). It didn’t work again. With the help of my credit card I recovered the rest 59.99 U$D. This was after almost 7 months. Does an honest company keep customers money for seven months? This long delay only showed that EXPEDIA tried to steal (and failed) my money no matter what. I could recover that money because my credit card fought for me and because I showed them overwhelming evidence of EXPEDIA’s lies.
 
4) EXPEDIA claims that I could not use the ticket I bought because the airline gave me wrong information. If this is true, EXPEDIA can provide me with names and dates when EXPEDIA contacted the airline to arrange for my trip. If I have that information I can stop bothering EXPEDIA and complain to the airline. Moreover, EXPEDIA can show that is an honest organization that care about their customers. I asked many times for this information but EXPEDIA was not able or did not want to give that information. Why? Because in fact, EXPEDIA never arranged my trip, thus, EXPEDIA has no proof of what they claim. EXPEDIA can contact the airline and clear this point with them: EXPEDIA never attempted to contact KLM.
 
5) I forwarded to EXPEDIA e-mails from the airline where the airline tells me that they tried to contact EXPEDIA and EXPEDIA never responded (Read the e-mail from KLM). EXPEDIA responses were several “automated” responses (since early april-2006) telling me that someone “in the appropriate department” is working on my case. But no one from EXPEDIA called me or e-mailed me after that. Even after showing them another letter from KLM telling me that EXPEDIA never attempted to arrange my trip EXPEDIA ignore my complaints.
6) When I asked for proof that EXPEDIA indeed contacte KLM to arrange my trip I received THIS E-MAIL (more lies)
7) The last thing EXPEDIA did was to disable my account I had with them (and I used to send e-mail to them) and completely ignore my e-mails I sent using another e-mail address.
 
This was the very last message from EXPEDIA:

To: xxxxxx@z2mail.com
Date: Jul 19, 2006 10:34 AM
Subject: Re: Other questions, comments, or feedback - Case ID: [REQ:26607842]
Dear XXXX
Thank you for contacting Expedia.com.
I  wish to apologize for the fact that you have not been contacted.  I have once again forwarded your request to the appropriate department and have earmarked it with high priority, within 72 hours you should have a response.

If you have further questions regarding this concern, feel free to reply to this e-mail or contact Expedia.com customer services at 1-800-397-3342 and reference case ID 26607842. You can also visit the Expedia.com “Customer Support” page (http://www.Expedia.com/daily/service/default.asp) for more customer service information.
Thank you for choosing Expedia.com.
Melody
Expedia.com Customer Support Team
 
In response to my message: :

To: Expedia Travel Support
Date: Jul 19, 2006 10:23 AM
Subject: Re: Other questions, comments, or feedback - Case ID: [REQ:26607842]2
Dear Sir/Madam
 
(Case ID: [REQ:21826350]
It has been around one month since I received this e-mail from you regarding the e-mail address or postal address of your CEOs and regarding documentation proving that EXPEDIA indeed provided the information to KLM (as you claim).
 
Why are you denying me that information?
 
Comment: I was updating my web site:(http://www.victimsofexpedia.com), as usual I’m asking you to tell me if something I put there is wrong. Please visit the site regularly and just tell me if you find something that is wrong or untrue.
 
Sincerely
XXXXXX
Of course, They never contacted me again.
If you that think that what I’m writing here is not true. Simply copy and paste the following letter and send to : travel@customercare.expedia.com and/or travel@expedia.com (I doubt EXPEDIA will ever answer you (they only want your money), if they do, please let me know their answer).
Dear EXPEDIA customer support team                                                     

 I would appreciate if you can give me your version about the “victimsofexpedia.com” affaire. Apparently there is a guy who created that site (http://www.victimsofexpedia.com) and claims that EXPEDIA tried to scam him.

He claims that EXPEDIA failed to deliver an airline ticket (twice) and later, instead of fixing the problem (originated by EXPEDIA) you ignored several messages from him and from KLM to arrange his trip.

He also claims that EXPEDIA, repeatedly lied to him and tried to scam him by reimbursing only 800 U$D when actually EXPEDIA charged his credit card for 1,254.95 U$D.  

According to him, he could recover the full amount of his money after 6-7 month only after he provided to his credit card company proof of your lies and attempt to scam him.

Since I don’t know his name, I’m providing his Case ID: [REQ:21826350]. I’m sure you have all the details about his case.

Since it is difficult to believe that a legitimate company like EXPEDIA would do such horrible things to a customer I would also like to know why EXPEDIA does not sue him for libel and slander.

Sincerely Yours truly,If you read this article you are lucky. Someone on behalf of EXPEDIA (maybe EXPEDIA itself?) is fighting in the internet to prevent people to read negative aspects about EXPEDIA (including this blog). One well documented example of what I’m saying is the wikipedia affair (someone was deleting negative aspects of EXPEDIA in wikipedia. Can you believe that? Read the full story: http://www.victimsofexpedia.com/wiki.htm ).