Reviews

Review Details

• Review fromBrian D

  Date: 02/17/2023

  1 star
  I'll keep adding to the stories that others have told. Initially, my wife and I thought we would use this service quite a bit; but in reality, we were a young married couple and we only used them for a week in ***********. We paid a certain amount of money to join the travel club, and then there were dues to maintain it afterwards. We used the service to travel to ***********, which was a great experience. This was circa 2016, and I have emails from that time period showing where I requested to have my card removed from autodraft, and that I was suspending my account. I made it clear that at a later point I was not renewing, and I have emails in the years afterwards saying that in case I wanted to 'renew' my account I could. In fact, here is the opening sentence of one of their emails to me from August 16th, 2016: "We note that your membership in Island Trader ************* has expired and we have some great news for you!" Well guess what, it's 2023 now, and they are sending me pseudo-collection type letters in the mail. I called to say this is harassment and to stop sending me letters in the mail, and they said that I needed to sign a mutual release form, which is the first I'd ever been told of it. I said they needed to send the contract I signed, because I don't believe them. We'll see if they can dig it up... but what a load of hooey.

• Review fromCheri A

  Date: 02/17/2023

  1 star
  This is TOTALLY SHOCKING as I thought this was just happening to me. We signed our agreement in June 2013. We cancelled verbally in 2014. We had not heard from them until yesterday, FEBRUARY 2023...almost ten years later. We received a not very nice letter from ********************************** and was assigned to *****. She stated we could not cancel our membership verbally and *** only accept a written cancellation. We were never told that. She stated they had made multiple opportunities to resolve the debt by phone, email, and offering incentives. None of this had happened. Our price was $1,792.00 to cancel. We are requesting documentation of said communication. I am not sure if we will ever receive anything. I contacted Island Trader Vacations myself and was told by a manager they don't have to send me any bills or communication... that I owe ****** a month... but she would settle for $950.00 to cancel my membership. We used that service one time and have not used it ever again... yet they want me to pay for something we don't use and cancelled. I asked her how often they send a bill. "once a year" most likely. I asked what was the original money we paid when we signed the contract. I think it was over $5000.00. I was told by a supervisor she didn't have that information and I needed to call my bank and get them to look up a 9 year old transaction. If she had read my agreement it states it was on a mastercard (I no longer use that card)... therefore no information. How on earth are they getting by with this? I can pay $1792.00 or they will settle for $950.00? My lawyer doesn't like this either. What type of people do this????? I made attempts all day at work to resolve this issue... no luck as I am NOT paying the unfair high price being asked. (Zero stars was not an option to post... had to pick one)

• Review fromJohn S

  Date: 02/10/2023

  1 star
  Similar scam happened with us. We took trip to ****; their agent used Travelocity to book the room (we could have done that ourselves). When we arrived, the host showed us the room we booked, the bed just barely fit in the room, then said we could upgrade to a real room which we had no choice but to do. When we returned from the trip we called and wrote the travel agency who sold us Island Trader Vacation and cancelled our membership. Island Trader kept sending us bills for annual dues. I called Island Trader directly and they argued that we could not cancel but after many calls over many months someone finally said they cancelled our membership. Several years went by quietly so I discarded my notes about these calls. Then they started sending "past due ********" for every year (5) since we cancelled. The bill asked us to call them to discuss. They want to get paid to agree to cancel the membership. Scam.

• Review fromRobert F

  Date: 12/16/2022

  1 star

  Robert F

  Date: 12/16/2022

  Definitely a scam. Signed up in 2013 and didn't use it once. I called to cancel and was told to just let it expire. I never heard from them and now they want back dues. I didn't ask for and they provided no service. I didn't hear from them for years.

  Island Trader Vacations

  Date: 01/25/2023

  We have been providing Worldwide travel for far more than the 28 years I have worked here. Our member receive the lowest price available at time of booking for what they want plus the cash back bonuses when they apply. These members failed to place even one request so how can they claim it is a scam? A scam is something not real. These members signed and agreed to pay the annual renewals each and every year. The first request to cancel we ever received from these members was 2/15/22. We have never stop billing, rebilling, sending letters of past due accruing balances, an Audit letter again requesting these members contact us to resolve their open unpaid debt all by mail. Then as a courtesy we have called and emailed these members offering (then) current incentives to help them bring their account up to date but again these members failed to respond! We have offered a more than fair settlement agreement to these members to properly close/cancel their membership account through a Mutual Release document. These members simply need to contact our office to resolve their debt once and for all!

• Review fromCindy D

  Date: 12/07/2022

  1 star

  Cindy D

  Date: 12/07/2022

  What a SCAM! We are going through the same thing as many, many others. They keep sending bills even after I called to cancel. That say I didnt do so. We paid the bills for several years and tried to get accommodations for several trips which were always more expensive. At that time, we realized it was never going to benefit us and I called to cancel. We just got another letter and called them once again. The collection agent was rude after she realized we werent going to pay anymore. When we told her that weve read hundreds of letters saying the same thing, she said thats because people dont want to pay their bills. We have always paid legitimate bills. Not sure how they are still able to get away with this. WHAT A SCAM!

  Island Trader Vacations

  Date: 12/09/2022

  Simply another case of a member who rightfully owes a debt but playing follow the leader making untrue statements in an effort to get out of paying a debt the signed agreement to pay the yearly fee. These members have newer called, emailed, or mailed a request to cancel. We have billed, rebilled, sent letters of audit of the membership account, and now our ************************ has sent a letter all by mail requesting these members to contact us to either bring their account up to date or close it out through a fair settlement agreement. The statement of (scam) is not fact but just a word and we have been providing Worldwide travel to our members giving them the lowest price at time of booking plus the after travel bonuses when they apply on their bookings. Members who get pricing from our agents then go out on their own and find travel for less are not doing an apples to apples comparison as there are so many choices in travel. These members should have contacted our agent giving them the what and where they are finding their pricing so our agents could do the comparison telling them the difference between the two so the members could make a better consumer decision on what they wanted. The memberships work just as they are outlined in the terms and conditions not how anyone things or wants them to work! These members are no different than others and have already been offered a more than fair settlement agreement to either bring their membership account up to day or close/cancel properly through a Mutual Release document. These members need to contact out office as we will continue to collect on all debts until they are resolved!

• Review fromEdward B

  Date: 11/28/2022

  1 star

  Edward B

  Date: 11/28/2022

  A scam. Contract is a joke and the one time I used them I was booked in a dump. Here is the exact language in contract. "If I do not pay my annual membership dues for a given year, all my travel services will be suspended until my dues are brought up to current status." My lawyer reviewed and said that based on that language, I can remain in suspended status for life and therefore not owe anything since I am never using their services again. They continue to call and harass through letters which I just discard. BTW, their customer service managers are mean, arrogant and threatening. This company will eventually fold or go bankrupt.

  Island Trader Vacations

  Date: 12/09/2022

  Again, a member will state whatever in an attempt to get out of a debt they owe. These members cancel the booking which was the one and only booking request placed. They were sent three different options to choose from for the request they placed. They chose the option they wanted then requested to cancel before travel and were refunded they monies per the terms and conditions of agreement/authorization. We even waived a year of their annual fees in a good faith effort. They then contacted us the next year wanting us to waive yet another year because they were not traveling that year. We explained then as their contract states the dues are due each and every year and only the benefits are suspended not the yearly fees as their contract does state dues have to be brought current and the contract also states we are allowed to increase their yearly dues rate each year at a rate of 5% or the cost of living which is ever greater and additionally there is a yearly billing fee added if not on recurring electronic debt. We collect on our own debt therefore we do not follow the ***** and will continue to collect on this debt just as we do on all membership accounts which have an open unpaid accruing balance. We previously offered a Mutual Release to these members in another good faith effort to close/cancel their membership account but again they file false/misleading statements in an effort to avoid proper settlement of their open unpaid accruing balance. These members need to contact our office and reach a fair settlement agreement to close.

• Review fromTed O

  Date: 11/23/2022

  1 star

  Ted O

  Date: 11/23/2022

  These people are criminals. The presentation we attended which "hooked" us was riddled with lies, false promises, and deceptive bribes. Not one thing they said is true and now they are hassling us after we have sent five letters telling them we are done with their lies.

  Island Trader Vacations

  Date: 12/09/2022

  These members used the services booking 24 different times receiving discounted prices up front and we also given cash back after travel bonuses on their booking that applied. These members at the time of purchased signed agreeing to the terms and conditions contained within also stating they read, understood, and agreed that they were receiving ever benefit listed in their membership contract paperwork also stating they did not reply on any separate oral or written promises that were contrary to what was listed in the contract its self. We have never received and request to cancel by phone, email or mail-certainly not received any of the five letters these members claimed to have sent! These members like all others who owe a debt simply need to contact our office to either bring their membership account up to date or reach a fair settlement agreement to close.

• Review fromIvan D

  Date: 10/20/2022

  1 star

  Ivan D

  Date: 10/20/2022

  ********************* have the same problem as many of these people do, with Island Trader Vacations. I joined in 2015 and paid for 3 years. 2018 I called my local agent and verbally cancelled my account, never using any portion of it as I became disabled and unable to travel leisurely. Now 2022 out of the blue I'm getting told I owe back dues and that I have to pay before I can cancel it. I never saw anything in the original paperwork that said in order to cancel the contract.

  Island Trader Vacations

  Date: 10/21/2022

  This member has never requested by phone, email, or mail to close/cancel their membership account. Their credit card on file for recurring electronic debit of annual dues had expired and when we spoke to Mrs. on 9/19/19 she said she needed to speak with the Mr. to get new card information.. Then on 9/23/19 we spoke to the Mr. and he inquired about the multi renew renewals and the value of doing the multi year renewal as to doing just one year at a time as these members previously paid a multi year renewal, Mr. then stated to let him crunch some numbers and see which choice of renewal options he could afford. On 9/24/19 the Mr. told us he was under contract with some Military business and just need more time to renew. On 2/22/22 Mr said he cancelled this membership six months after purchase which would have been impossible as they paid a 3 year renewal received on 12/28/15. We have never stop billing, rebilling, sending letter of past due unpaid accruing balances, an a Audit letter all by mail requesting they contact us to resolve their membership account once and for all! Additionally we as a courtesy called and emailed these members offering (then) current incentive to bring their account up to date but they failed to respond. Based on this members statement that Mr. is now disabled they were offered a more than fair reduced settlement offer to close their membership account. These members simply need to contact our offer to resolve their debt.

• Review fromDavid S

  Date: 10/14/2022

  1 star

  David S

  Date: 10/14/2022

  My story is similar to many I have read concerning Island Trader Vacations. I purchased a membership in 2014, and actually canceled it the same day by phone. Never heard a thing from them for years, even though recent collection letters claim they have been providing newsletters, calling me, and billing me three times a year. I've never paid them a nickel, nor have I been called or received a bill. They claim my membership has never been canceled, and want PROOF from me that I canceled! This "business" is a scam.

  Island Trader Vacations

  Date: 10/21/2022

  This response was summited on 10/17/22. These members purchased from an Independent sales/marketing office (Grand Travel Worldwide) and we were never notified by the distributor or the consumer that this had been cancelled within recession time. We have closed this membership account. The customer could have simply provided this information from the start or responded to our calls, emails, ******** and rebilings by mail to resolve this matter much sooner. We have been providing Worldwide travel services to our membership for years and years of which I have been here going on 28 of those years and members who have turned their back on a debt they agreed to pay and do owe simply stating the same thing as others to bring credibility to their claim is just that. We have billed, rebilled, sent letters of past due unpaid accruing balances, and an Audit letter all by mail then as a courtesy we have also called and emailed these members so once again a claim they have not been notified is just that. Additionally we emailed weekly newsletters to these members and the day of purchase each member signed agreeing to the date their renewal were due each and every year. Again, this membership account has been closed!

• Review fromCathy B

  Date: 09/22/2022

  1 star

  Cathy B

  Date: 09/22/2022

  On 9/18/2022 I received a notice of delinquency for my step father who passed away many years ago. I asked them or the balance and advised them these people have been deceased for several years. They asked for me to send death certificates but would not tell me what they balance was when I asked. I advised them that if they wanted the death certificates they needed to tell me what is owed. They accused me of being rude and said they would check public records or death certificates. Then hung up on me. Why did they not check public records in the first place.

  Island Trader Vacations

  Date: 09/23/2022

  We cannot give out private membership information to anyone as the Federal Privacy Act prohibits this, additionally we protect the members private membership information and why would we be checking for death records on members without notification of such. We ended the call because this person did not provide any legal documents that she was an executor.