Ripped Off by 1800SkyRide

ComplaintsScams1800SkyRide

Complaint

0
Nat M.
Country: United States
1800SkyRide is a telemarketing fraud. They sell trips and sporting events that do not exist. The company operates under different names:

1800Skyride
Adventure Skydiving Center
Adventure Sports
Luxergy
IGO Vincent
Spagoda
Tandora
Granter Media
Thrill Planet
Soaring Sports
Hot Air Balloon Team

The address of the company:
2593 Kennesaw Due West Rd Ste 300
Kennesaw, Ga 30144


They refuse to give refunds to customers, there are hundreds of unresolved complaints with BBB. Stay away from this company. When a customer wants a refund because most of the time they were sold something that did not exist or was given false information on locations, they refuse to give it and offer a different activity which again is either a fraud or hundreds of miles away from the client.

I've launched complaints with BBB, FTC, and The Attorney General. If you are reading this because you paid this company money and want it back, send your complaint to the above places as well. I hope we can beat this company if we do it together.

Comments

  • 0
    J Shah
    | 3 replies
    Hi,

    I think I am eventually believing that I was scammed by 1800skyride.

    Here is the background information:
    We had brought Skydiving deal from Groupon for Sportations (http://www.sportations.com/). On my first call to Sportations Customer Service , their representative offered me a one time deal to add photo/video package for additional 95$s person (x3 of us =285$). I thought it will be good to have some documented memory of this event and brought the deal. At no point during my phone call was I informed that this photo video Package was from 1800skyride. I was charged on my card and the reciept was given to me, only then was I able to see that the bill was under 1800skyride. The receipt was under 1-800-skyride but The deal was offered and brought from a Sportations CSR. So I believe SPORTATIONS is equally responsible for the fraud.

    CURRENTLY:
    We ended up having to reschedule it for last one year for some or the other weather conditions every time.
    And few due to negligence in rescheduling us by SPORTATIONS.
    And every time we would also reschedule photo/video package through Sportations.
    Finally we got scheduled for skydiving for tomorrow and while talking to a Sportations CSR again, I was informed that they won't reschedule my photo/video package this time because they have parted ways from 1800skyride back in November 2011. This is a complete shock.

    This split should have been informed to current customers by SPORTATIONS and 1800skyride.
    I have been calling 1800skyride since today morning but no one picks the phone.
    SPORTATIONS is useless too. It has raised it's hand in air and won't cooperate.

    It's like buying branded accessory from MACY's or JCPenney and when there is a problem with the goods, will you go back to MaCYs and JCPenney or the original vendor?

    Groupon, Sportations and 1800skyride, all three should be sued.
    I know Groupon is already sued for $8 million. Groupon for not really checking the authencity of the vendor whose services they are selling. I hope there is a class action lawsuit against SPORTATIONS and 1800skyride both.

    Anyone else had this problem  with Sportations?
    And keep the efforts against 1800skyride strong!
    • 0
      Ben replies to J Shah
      J Shah,

      I was scammed as well by Sportations!  Do you know if there is any kind of lawsuit that I can get in on?  It is really not about the money but the principle of it all.  We need to put these guys out of business and in jail once and for all.  drop me a message if you can provide anymore information.  Thanks.  benjamn.stern@gmail.com
    • 0
      NEW PHONE replies to J Shah
      | 1 reply
      My lawyer just confirmed that this 1800skyride company was owned by Lilliam Dejesus of 304 Trotter Way Dallas, Ga. 30132.

      The other posts here to the contrary are likely meant to confuse those that have been scammed by Lilliam Dejesus and her partner Fred Burke. I now have a judgment against her and Fred and am looking for information about where they have a bank account. My lawyer also obtained her latest phone number and verified it today.


      Call her at 770-265-7334 and you can verify this for yourself.
      • 0
        Barbi replies to NEW PHONE
        I just tried thus number and it goes to voicemail...i wonder if they're up to their same old tricks again...so annoying
  • 0
    Liz
    Does anyone know if there is going to be a lawsuit in IL, or does it apply to the full country?  I would like to be a part of any suit.  I got scammed for over 300 dollars from them.
  • 0
    Jamie
    I would like to know what we can do to get our money back... This is complete BS and I am very upset that so many of us are being scammed by this so called business.
  • 0
    Melissa
    My friend and I purchased a balloon ride from this company last year. We were told at the time of our purchase that we had up to 2 years to take our ride. We have made numerous calls and sent emails. We have yet to hear back from a company rep. I am ready to take some next steps in making this company either fulfill their end of the deal or give us a full refund.
  • 0
    Carissa
    Oh no! My husband got me two gift certificates for my birthday. He was so excited to give me this present. I called several days ago to make a reservation and no one answered and I am still waiting for them to call me back. My heart aches knowing how excited he was to do this with me and now it sounds like we can't.
  • 0
    Nick
    | 1 reply
    Yes it sucks.  Anyone who has given money to this company has been screwed.  I'm sorry to tell you that.   Just make sure you file your complain with the Atlanta consumer affairs office.  

    Governor's Office of Consumer Affairs
    2 Martin Luther King Jr. Dr.
    Suite 356
    Atlanta, Ga. 30334

    I was screwed out of $850 in June 2006.  I finally got a check in 2010 by bringing my original complaint to the GA consumer affairs office.  The guy that helped me get my money back was fantastic.

    Good luck and I'm sorry for anyone that has to go through what I did.
    • 0
      NEW PHONE replies to Nick
      My lawyer just confirmed that this 1800skyride company was owned by Lilliam Dejesus of 304 Trotter Way Dallas, Ga. 30132.

      The other posts here to the contrary are likely meant to confuse those that have been scammed by Lilliam Dejesus and her partner Fred Burke. I now have a judgment against her and Fred and am looking for information about where they have a bank account. My lawyer also obtained her latest phone number and verified it today.


      Call her at 770-265-7334 and you can verify this for yourself.
  • 0
    Mark Nelson
    As far as Skyrides goes, I hope they make it,
    And good luck if they don't. I have $ 4000 at loss myself.

    As far as the comment concerning me or my company and a flight canceled   What I think is interesting  is that after 35 years Ballooning a another balloon Pilot publicly questions my judgement and Ethics..  

    I do understand this is how people learn so I will take the time to explain my position & comment on the blog comment that "I should be ashamed of myself"  posted on this site.   

    First their are few things you should understand,  I have a full time company in the furniture industry.  

    So ,  I fly balloon charters as a contract charter company.

    Very simply put , I don't sell rides myself I just fly internet charters and that works great for me. 

    Second -  I did what I thought was the safest and best thing to do under the circumstances.  You should never second guess those decisions where you do the safest thing. 

    Third-  you shouldn't believe everything you read from a Balloon passenger 

    During this flight in January  we launched pie balls from the  7-11 
    that morning and I launched from a golf course  next to that 7-11.

    And we always have the passengers involved with the Balloon inflation. 

    Basically if people are paying for a private charter I may run 2 crew but on low end shared basket charters I  run one crew on my 8b. 

      What happen that morning was we launched the Balloon and with weather briefs and pie balls we flew in the opposite direction directly towards the york river.  

    It doesn't happen often but sometimes the winds will will just go the wrong direction.  I see it more on the peninsula with the rivers and near the Chesapeake bay and Hampton roads. 

    And, On  winter flights we do not cross the rivers because they are 3 miles wide and flying over rivers in the Winter is not safe. 

    So after I launched and the Balloon and the winds had reversed its directions. 

     I landed safely after flying  20 to 30 minutes in flight.

    In fairness to the customer I told them I would give them a re flight on their charter.  Which was the right thing to do. 

    So, after trying to  fly a over the winter a few times the client becomes unreasonable and makes comments that I become up set with.

    I believe in the Joy of Flying 
    and if I lose that Joy of Flying 
    or the passenger loses that joy of Flying.  
    It's over.  They should go fly with someone else.

    Please understand , I don't sell rides,
     so they should go back to who ever they purchased the ride from. I will choose to take a pass. 

      I will not fly a customer that threatens to sue me,  slandered me
    Or that has a attitude and question my judgement. 

    And the fly no fly decision or decision  or the decision to land early was the safest and best decision then and still is now. 

    I don't have their money and really 
    don't plan to fly the passengers in the future or put any more time into them.

    I lost the joy of Flying them,  they should go fly with another pilot at this point in the future. 
      

    Mark Nelson
  • 0
    Sally
    Paid $450 to sky dive and can't get anyone to call me back. I keep "reaching the customer service voicemail" or something like that.... I have also emailed BOTH the person that sold me my gift certificates  (Lilliam De Jesus) and I also emailed Chelsea... at chelsea@1800skyride.com and neither of them have ever answered me.Chelsea actually called me the day after I purchased my ticket from a 770 area code # and asked me to "follow up with her" at the above-mentioned email to make sure I "got my certificate". Of course I did... and then never heard from them.

    So, all the people on here, whether you're a rep from the company or someone from the BBB, who are claiming that this company is "fixing" things.... THEN FIX MY ISSUE! I've left several voicemails for "one of the sales representatives" to get back to me. I WANT MY MONEY BACK.... even if someone DID call me from the company... I DONT WANT TO JUMP WITH YOU. Horrible customer service. Horrible.
  • 0
    Tim K.
    I recently was a victim to this scam. I am contacting the PA Attorney General's office tomorrow. I am wondering if there is a class action law suit already in progress. If so i would like to get added in. If need be feel free to contact me. Also if anyone can provide me with any information, please contact me. My email address is tkoch50@gmail.com. This scam company needs to be stopped!!!

    Thank you.
  • 0
    Chaz C.
    My girlfriend and I were also scammed. Weve been trying since January to get ahold of Custer service, I got through to someone one time and was scheduled for a flight, an email confirmation was supposed to be sent to me and since then I never received an email nor have I been able to get through (this call was about 3 months ago). If anyone had info on how to get my money back or get involved in the lawsuit against this company please email me at pbchazz@gmail.com.

    Any help is greatly appreciated
  • 0
    got scammed
    what a fraud!! they should be behind bars!!  STAY AWAY, THEY ARE STEALING FROM EVERYONE,   KARMA KARMA KARMA
  • 0
    Kerri
    1800skyride also operates, or contracts out to Balloons over Virginia. I called sky ride and booked a ride on a particular date. I booked it for my husband and I for our anniversary. They said I would be receiving a phone call soon from the pilot. A couple of weeks later Balloons over Virginia called and told me my pilot's name and number, and said that I need to contact him for an exact time and location. Shouldn't he have called me? I called him, and he said to meet a KOA campground at sunrise. I said what time is sunrise, he said call me the night before, and I will let you know. The night before we arranged the time to meet, and that morning, right before we were getting ready to leave, he called and said his crew was not able to make it, and asked if we could come in the afternoon. We agreed. When we got there, we noticed another couple waiting, also for their anniversary. All four of us then met with the pilot, who said for us to get in his van and he drove us around stopping at my random locations to see how the wind was. It all seemed very amateur. He also did not have his "team" with him. He only had one other guy, who was going to follow the balloon in his car, and help with the landing. We were actually asked to help set up, and break down the balloon before and after the ride. Isn't that what his "team" was for? When I pay money for an experience, I expect not to be put to work.
  • 0
    Amy
    I cannot believe this company is allowed to do this for so long.  I have left several messages with no return call, and all I was trying to do was book my husbands skydive.  Not now, I am going for a full refund.  I talked to the jump sites in my area, the ones that the rep last year told me they use, boy did I get an ear full.  The jump sites will not use them, they told me they are fraudulent and many customers have been ripped off and not been able to redeem their adventures.  I already filed a complaint with the BBB, next will be calls to Georgia.  I will not stop until I get my refund, they took my husband's birthday present that he was looking forward to, and turned it into a heart wrenching nightmare to fight for what is right.
  • 0
    Laurie S.
    | 1 reply
    Ditto here in Maine - I believe my purchase was through Living Social also as I frequently buy through them and Groupon.  For the record, I bought a skydiving cert. for a local company from Groupon - when I called to redeem I found out the company had changed owners and the new owners were not honoring the groupons.  I called Groupon and they politely and easily refunded my money back in a day.....no trouble ever with them!  So, I have a $200 gift cert. I bought for skydiving (1800skyride) from living social and after 2 months of calling, I have finally googled BBB and am reading all this - Guess I am out the $200 but I would certainly add my name to a group lawsuit, although after my experience, I will not be giving one person any money who I do not personally know!  (sorry - but I am sure you understand). So, not knowing how class actions work, I just need to let that be known.  I have called the employees of 1800skyride you listed - left messages - doubt I will hear back or ever see any of my money.  First time anything like this has ever happened to me.  Disappointed in people......makes me mad and sad that people can be so mean, dishonest and be such thiefs and thats there isnt anyone from BBB taking care of it, despite that they arent on the BBB list voluntarily.
    • 0
      Amy replies to Laurie S.
      BBB just emailed me back that the company did not respond, the case came back unreachable.  This is such BS.
  • 0
    William Boumenot
    Im in the same boat as many of the people here, I would love to help out in some way. Anyone know a suggestion? I purchased 2 tickets for Sky-diving and basically can;t get in contact and BBB also showed no results

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