Scam
Complaint
Bill
Country: United States
Half way through the presentation, the Direct Buy manager mentioned you had to make a decision of joining by the end of the presentation as they don't let you go home and think about it. That raised a red flag immediately as it reminded me of Timeshare. "It's a one-time offer." Then it got worse as both "gifts" were a total scam. The Direct Buy mailer says you get a "complimentary" 2-night stay at a hotel called Great Wolf Lodge in Williamsburg, Va. You have to book it through the "Spirit Incentives" agency. They charge about $50 per night to book to cover for taxes and travel fees. (What travel fees? We would have drove there.) So the 2-night stay would have been about $100.00. I asked them how they could call it "Complimentary". They said to call Great Wolf Lodge. The man on the phone at Great Wolf Lodge said he knew nothing about it, yet the woman who originally answered the phone at the front desk said "We get this complaint all the time." I was directed to call their head quarters in Wisconsin. They never called back. The other gift is a "Direct Buy" card worth a $100.00 at selected restaurants. Turns out it's not a gift card at all. You go online and select a restaurant you want to use it at and you print out a certificate. But you have to spend money at the restaurant to be eligible for the certificate. The one we wanted to go to was for $25 worth of free food. But you first had to spend $50.00! Not much of a gift, in my opinion. All of the companies involved seemed to have "scam" written all over them. I was reading the other complaints and felt so lucky I didn't write Direct Buy a check for $4,000.00 to join as the whole episode was full of devious trickery.
Comments
"Congratulations! You have been selected to receive a complimentary stay at a participating Great Wolf Lodge for 3 days and 2 nights including waterpark passes for 4 guests."
The only problem is I know about those scams and I am not stupid. But is it really true? It looks legit. It says its not a timeshare. Should I call them? Is Directbuy reliable? I really want to go!
What is the "Attendance at a 90 minute sales presentation?"
What is the retail value of $650-$850?
How did I get this when none of my family is associated with Great Wolf Lodge?
If Directbuy is "NOT affiliated with, nor an agent of Great Wolf Lodge" should I trust them?
Then again I REALLY want to go I've never been to such a highly recommended waterpark near where I live. Please some respond its chaos right now!!!
This company appears to have 198 closed complaints (the phone number is found under "additional phone numbers" http://www.bbb.org/west-florida/business-revi ... ter-fl-11002527
2 nights @ GWL - ~$500-600 MSRP. However, right at this moment, there's a Living Social coupon for the same for $259. So, it's safe to assume that a bulk buyer like DB is getting them for at least that little, but likely less since a) buying cheap is their line of business, and b) they're filling GWL beds at off-peak times. $200 cost to them is a fair bet. Your "reservation fee" will easily cover that cost, plus other expenses in getting you in the showroom door. A certain percentage of people will decide not to deal with the hassle, and a smaller percentage will forfeit their "reservation fee" when they realize what a PITA it actually is to claim their supposedly free vacation.
Where did I get all this? I called my local showroom and got bounced around to a couple of reps who told me, in pieces, how it works. They were very evasive, and no single person would give me the whole story. All the more reason to be suspicious.
So, no, don't fall for this come-on. Seriously, you think an organization like this is going to give away a $600 vacation? Look at their business model. They're very smart about squeezing people for money.
Oh, and that "travel agency" you have to use? I'd love to find out how they are affiliated to DB. Independent, my ass.
Yes, we were told to join tonight or face not being able to return for 7 years. Told the guy I was not forking over $4,500 just because, I need to think about this. Five minutes more of pressure and they guy hands me his phone number on a scrap piece of paper and tells me to call him in a few days and he'll see what he can do. I'm sure if I call tomorrow they would break their so called rules if they could get my money. O & O