My Free Travel/Grocery Rebate review: fraudulant claims 63

In May, I purchased appliances from Bernie's. A grocery rebate was offered as incentive to buy. The original certificate was invalidated, because supposedly, the original company that offered it went out of business and a new company was taking over the offer. The new company - which I guess also took over the web domain, required a $9.95 payment to register. By August, over 2 months after the Bernie's purchase, we were finally set up and I sent in my first coupon. It's October 27 and I've sent in my September coupon, and I have receipts for my October coupon all ready to go. Except, I haven't received my first gift card with the promised full refund on the registration fee.

I went to call their customer service number, which is posted on their website, and the call was forwarded to a disconnected line.

I don't frankly care who gives me my money, all I know for sure is -someone- owes me $500, and that rebate was offered through Bernie's as incentive to do business with their store.

In Feb I purchased furniture from Carl's Furniture outlet in Upstate NY, received a $500 rebate, sent in all necessary information, heard nothing, received a letter from Carl and he advised me the company that was giving the rebate went out of business, I already knew they had filed bakruptcy after searching on the web, I had to to back to the outlet store and pick up another rebate certificate, which was also with My free travel.com, I submitted all my paperwork per the instructions on the website, no where did it mention a copy of my drivers license, but I was to send a check for $9.95, this was in August, I received a decline letter via email due to no copy of my drivers license, one week later I receive a nother email indicating they are giving me a 2nd chance, just send in another $9.95 to register, I did all this and have submitted, Sept voucher for $25. gift card and also Octobers voucher, still nothing, called the phone number on the email and low and behold it has been disconnected...what a scam...

To Whom it may Concern:

My name is Nicole and I am a supervisor at My Free Travel. I would be happy to assist you with your rebate and any concerns you may have. I understand you are frustrated, but I would like you to know that I will help you in any way that I can. Since I do not have your contact information, I would like to offer you my telephone number so that you can contact me at your convenience. I can be reached Monday thru Friday, 9 am to 5 pm CST, at [protected] ext. 129.

Tried to register on line www.Claim Your Visa Cards .com that was okay. Went ahead and put infood certificate password. That was easy all you had to do was click continue. The next thing was to click the button where it says that you agree to the terms and conditions when you click it thats it you can not go any further. Tried it numerous times nothing. My E-mail is kkilgus@sc.rr.com tell me what to do.

Anyone that is experiencing any difficulties with their rebate, please contact me. I would be happy to help and assist you in anyway that I can. I can be reached Monday thru Friday, 9 am to 5 pm cst, at [protected] ext. 129. If I am unavailable, please leave a detailed message and I will return your call within 48 hours. You can also contact me directly at nicole@myfreetravel.com.

Sincerely,

Nicole
Customer Service
My Free Travel

Update from my post of 24 days ago (that's me up there: Annoyed10272009).

After several weeks of dealing with two phone numbers, each of which were disconnected at alternating hours, I got in touch with Nicole. She, as one might assume by her bot-notes, was useless. She continued apologizing, saying it was delayed, the card was processed the 10th, and I should be getting it any time now.

WELL..I finally did get my first card. The one I've been waiting for since June. Got it in today's mail. I called the number to activate it, put in the card number and the PIN it told me I needed to put in (the brochure in the envelope even instructed me what the PIN is). And - you guessed it - invalid.

So I'm staring at this lovely $35.00 VISA debit card that is invalid, and I got it on Friday when I came home from work. Of course I do my grocery shopping on the weekends, but I'll have to wait *another* week to use this, assuming I can actually get it validated, because there is no actual person to talk to until Monday, between 9 and 5 CST.

still waiting for $25.00 card from October and about to send in November certificate, this company needs to be investigated, maybe it's another Bernie Madoff type scam where they take all the money and run until they get caught,

Tried to contact them at rebates@myfreetravel.com and the note came back undeliverable. I will be contacting Nicole Monday. Interesting that we have to wait months before they send us the giftcards, but I noticed they cashed the $9.95 registraion check within 4 days of me writiing it.

I, too, have been waiting for my VISA cards. Should have one for Aug, Sept., Oct. but as yet nothing. I wondered if anyone has had any luck going through the business that gave you the coupon in the first place. Ours was a furniture store in Billings, MT. I am going to contact them today. If I get any positive suggestions I will pass them on.

I am experiencing this same problem from a store in St. Cloud, MN. I submitted receipts for two months and thought it was odd that I still have not received my first month's gift card. And my $9.95 check was already cashed. Interesting to hear others are having the same problem for even more than a couple months...do we keep sending in the receipts or what?!?!?

I have been told that there is a law suit pending against My Free Travel for not sending the gift cards. You can contact the Illinois Attorney General's Office at [protected] to get forms to fill our so you can become one of the class action participants. If there is any money awarded, you can then get some back.

still waiting for my Sept. Visa card. I guess I have longer to wait ince the above person just got hers from June. Hope I live long enough to receive it since I am a senior. Disgusted in Ct.

Still waiting on gift cards...I've done everything by the book, and sent in "valid" receipts after they denied my first one. I'm out $9.95 and a bunch of wasted time. These people suck.

I would like to see everyone do this! Go to the Better Business Bureau web site, choose the state of Illinois and register a complaint against My Free Travel. It is easy to do. I did one today and they have already e-mailed me that the complaint has been reviewed and has been forwarded to the business. You will get a case # to keep track of the progress. Also - look at www.IllinoisAttorneyGeneral.gov and find the consumer complaint form. You have to fill it out on-line, print and mail it in. I think we should all follow through on our complaints and see if we can't get something out of this company. I HATE SCAMS!

I have had similar experiences with My Free Travel and I just filled out my complaint on the BBB website. I included in my complaint that the BBB should check out the marketing materials My Free Travel uses because on my Certificates it says, "Log onto www.bbb.org to check our our 'A' rating with the BBB!" but if you go on the BBB site My Free Travel is categorized as "Not Rated." I bet that will get them fired up.

I pursued my complaint with the store I received the grocery rebate certificate from. They e-mailed My Free Travel and got a message back that says my gift card has been sent as of 11/30. We will see if it really arrives and if I can activate it. Stay tuned!

Today I am going to file a complaint with the BBB regarding the Grocery Rebate program through My Free Travel. We bought into the program In July of 09 to help support a fund raiser for the local high school. We shop at Costco all the time anyway so we thought it would be easy to do. First thing, my husband got online to register us. The next month we started sending in the coupons with the reciept. Months went by and we had not received any visa card rebates in the mail. Finally, by the first of December I called to find out why we hadn't received any rebate cards. It was then that I found out we had made a "mistake" when registering. Apparently, we didn't provide an ID number (or something like that). I said, okay, so how do we do that so we can start getting our rebates back? The guy tells me that they sent an email to my husband back in August regarding the ID. I got my husband on the phone and he cannot find an email in his account, nor does he remember getting one. He said if he had he would have responded to it. But it doesn't matter anyway because apparently it's too late, we are disqualified for not answering the email we never got. In addition to this initial "mistake", which by the way, you are only allowed to make one "mistake" or you are disqualified, we made another "mistake" the first two months we were sending in our reciepts. Had we read the fine print we would have known this, but like most people we did not and of course they count on this in order to make money, nevertheless, we sent in receipts from Costco that included non-food items like paper products or cleaning stuff. I guess we have to take responsibility for that. This is why I am never going to support these fund raiser things again. The kids selling them don't really know all the rules to inform you before you buy. And, the way that these type of companies make their money is to count on a large percentage of people not reading all the fine print, or if they do, then they may catch them making another mistake that will disqualify them. And, they don't want to work it out with you when you accidently make a mistake or misunderstand something. I could have easily provided an ID number, and submitted receipts that included enough food purchased in those months once I found out the problem. Costco has a record of everything you buy and we spend enough there every month to qualify for the "food only" rule. Still, I would have been willing to just forget those months and start doing it the "right" way from here on out. But no, I've already made more than one "mistake" and that's just unacceptable; we are hereby disqualified. Why can't I just get the damn ID and start sending in my receipts; there's still 18 months left in the program! It's like I've broken the law and there's no going back to make things right. The fact is, the company wants to make it complicated and loaded with "rules" so that most people don't want to deal with it. One more thing...groceryrebate.net does NOT have a rating with the BBB as their pamphlet states: "A" rating. Sorry kids, we will no longer be supporting fund raisers period!

I called the rep who sold the carpet company I bought from. The carpet company said to call him for immediate redemption. I called him directly and received my card right away.

I think he owns the company behind the promotion.

Good luck.

TS

Submitted my documentation in September, which suprisingly was approved when you send them $9.95. Submitted receipts every month since and checked the status on line. States Visa card is "in process" and it's now been over 100 days since I submitted the first one. I submitted an inquiry a month ago and no response. I agree with a previous poster and will notify the Illinois BBB and perhaps the Illinois Attorney General.

I went through the business that gave me the promotion and after they contacted the company, I had my first card within a week. Now I just have to pursue getting my cards for September, October and November! The parent company seems to be Loyalty Products International based in AZ. Good Luck to everyone trying to get these scammers to pay up!

Just finished reading all of the above complaints & I'm amazed at how many people have been going through the same crap as I have. I joined Curves and they were having a membership drive that included $300 in VISA gift cards, and that really helped me make up my mind to join. Ok, got registered with the first company & sent in my first set of $100 food receipts & you guessed it, they went belly-up. Then we were given a "new" certificate with a "new" company - My Free Travel. This company has been a freaking nightmare to deal with. I too, sent in the $9.95 registration along with all that was requested of me (very hesitantly sent in the copy of the driver's license) but did it anyway. It took me weeks to get my registration "validated" then of course they told me that I had made an "error" on my September receipts (which was my first set of grocery receipts). I was informed (when I finally got to talk to a Customer Service Rep.) that we are only allowed one mistake, so ok, I'm very careful to submit way more than the $100 required in receipts. I only submit those for food because I had paper towels, candles, etc. on the ones that I made a mistake on. Well, my October & November receipts show that they are "approved" & that the VISA cards are in "process". Well, guess what, the site to check your status is "under construction" & I called the office to try to speak to someone about this & guess what, they are closed for the holidays. Now, I ask you who will be there to process any new receipts we submit, or better yet process those dreaded "pending" VISA cards? This company is a joke & I've questioned their validity from the beginning. I called the Attorney General's office & got some idiot who did'nt have a clue what I was talking about when I inquired about any possible complaints against My Free Travel. I agree with everyone else on here that have said that something needs to be done. I mean they cashed my $9.95 within 3 days of receiving it, but I have yet to get any of the VISA cards and I've been going through this crap since August of this year. I will never accept an offer like this again. Once is enough for me. I would not be surprised if they have gone out of business.

I received an advertisement from Grant's appliances that if I purchase an appliance worth $399 or more on a specific day I would receive a certificate for $500 in either gas or grocery rebates (Visa card would be sent at a rate of $25 per month for 20 months) for every $100 I spent. I chose the grocery option and Target was the store I would be spending my $100 per month in edible grocery items only. In July I submitted my registration materials as well as the required $9.95 fee. The fee was to be rebated back to me with my first month's Visa card. I have yet to receive anything. I have made repeated phone calls to Grant's. I have made repeated phone call to and emails to groceryrebate.net. Despite assurances that my receipts were received and approve, I still have not gotten any Visa card or even refund of my $9.95 fee. I feel Grant's owes me this money now. I don't want to hear anymore excuses, I just want the promised rebates. I purchased the appliance from Grants because of this offer. Money is tight and it's the holidays. I need the $100 in rebates (August, September, October and November) plus my $9.95 back.

Hello from California. Sounds like a lot of us have been scammed by My Free Travel. As of a few days ago their webpage to check the status of our rebate visa cards has been suspended. Also, the customer service phone line indicates they are closed for the holidays with no indication of when they will reopen. I have filed BBB complaints in CA againist the furniture company that promoted this scam: with the BBB office in IL, and with the Attorney General Offices in both CA and IL. We all need to fight back so these companies will stop riping us off.

I justified the purchase price of a vacuum cleaner based on the $300.00 grocery rebate. We have sent receipts in for Sept, Oct. and November and, like everyone else, nothing. When I called, they said I should have received email (which I didn't) stating there were delays. Really?! I filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau. If you look on the BBB website, it states their accredidation was suspended in October, 2009 pending reviews of customer complaints. I have sent letter to company I purchased vacuum cleaner from but have had no response as of yet. SOMEONE needs to satisfy this. I am going to take another's advice and go to the Illinois Attorney General's website. I can't believe this company is still in business. Oh, by the way, if you go on groceryrebate.com, their website is "under constrution".

I also partispated in a free travel program as well as many others that purchased certificates from a small home town appliace store. They keep saying they are sending them out blah blah and it has been months and no one has received anything! now the site is under construction and they are closed for the holidays! bunch of bs!

I just found this article from myfreetravel when they first took over the other defunked company that was a ripoff before them

http://www.openpr.com/news/4624/Travel-Company-Steps-in-to-Help-Travelers-Caught-Holding-Travel-Vouchers-and-Certificates-from-Defunct-Company.html

Wanted to share what I found on the BBB's own website:

Out of Business
My Free Travel has informed the BBB that as of December 17, 2009 it has laid off its entire staff and has ceased operations.

Consumers with complaints against this company should contact the IL Attorney General's office by calling the Chicago Consumer Fraud hotline at [protected].

Just as I suspected. I called them last week to check on the status of the website that was "under construction" and the message said they were "closed for the holidays". Now I ask you what "legitimate" company closes it's doors on December 16th for Christmas? I knew then they were gone for good. This company took God knows how many $9.95 registration fees from hundreds of us and they are gone. I tell you this though, I personally have learned a very valuable lesson. And for those that will sit out there reading our comments and say that we were either "greedy" or "stupid", I say you are wrong. I pride myself in believing that anything that sounds too good to be true, usually is. However, many of us were shopping for furniture, etc. and would have purchased it anyway, but the opportunity to recieve $300 in free grocery and/or gas rebates basically helped seal the deal so to speak. Afterall, these companies I'm sure had to pay My Free Travel some kind of fee in order to offer this to their customers, so they were burned as well. I will only allow myself to be burned like this once though because I will run like the wind if an offer of this nature comes my way again. I'm sure most of you feel the same way.

I am having trouble with this rebate company also, but my rebate is through Curves. Currently the "rebate" site is "under construction" and there really is no way to contact them. There is a phone number, but I can't get anywhere with them either. I have even sent "snail mail" but no one responds. I got a friend to join Curves because of the rebate offer also. It sounds like this company (Free Travel) owes some folks some money. They were very quick to cash my $9.95 processing fee, but are very slow in updating info and have us waiting months for the Visa cards.

I have forwarded a mountain of paperwork to the Illinois Attorney General, Fraud Department. I figured with the holidays I may not hear from them until next week. I encourage everyone to do the same in their resident state. Television stations work great too...big consumer advocates.

The only people that will gain from a class action lawsuit (if it's even possible) are the attorneys. don't waste your time or money.

It says on their certificate that they are protected and insured by by National Union Fire Insurance Comany of Pittsburgh, PA. Still trying to track that down. Phone for Nicole is worthless. I will join class action suit if it happens. The attorneys in a class action suit are usually paid by defendant, all though I don't know if it is all ways the case. I am also notifing BBB not that will help.

I never thought of notifing the TV stations. Thanks

This MY FREE TRAVEL is totally a fraud/scam. I have been waiting as long as five months now for their gift cards. But nothing came. I called a couple of times but it took half an hour to get through. Now their website is gone. They stole my $9.95 plus my $600 worth gift cards. I am from Surrey, British Columbia, Canada

MY GIRLFRIEND WORKED FOR MY FREE TRAVEL AS AN ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT. SHE CAME HOME EVERYDAY TALKING ABOUT THE PROBLEMS THAT THE COMPANY WAS HAVING. THE MANAGEMENT OF THIS COMPANY HAS BEEN ENVOLED IN FRAUDULENT SCHEMES FOR YEARS. THEY KEEP CHANGING THE NAME OF THE COMPANY TO STAY IN BUSINESS. WHEN THE COMPANY CLOSED ITS DOORS THEY DIDN'T EVEN RECIEVE THEIR LAST PAY CHECKS. THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT RELOCATING TO FLORIDA. BUYERS BEWARE. THEY WILL RUN THIS SCAM AGAIN. THE PRESIDENT OF THE COMPANYS NAME IS EUGENE VINNYKOV. THE OPERATIONS MANAGER IS MELISSA NOVOTNY. THEY ARE SPENDING YOUR MONEY ON VERY EXPENSIVE ITEMS. THERE WILL BE NO MONEY LEFT WHEN YOU GET A CHANCE TO SUE THEM.

If you have a complaint, I called that insurance company! (Thanks yellowsun). They are owned by AIG (you know, the one we all own now). Send all info you have (copy of voucher, check, contact info, etc.) to

Attn: Dudley @ AIG
FAX: [protected]

They currently have a legal team working on this.

My story is the same as ALJohnson's, so I won't repeat it except to say that ALJohnson could have written my story too.
I intend to file a complaint with the BBB and do whatever is needed to get some satisfaction.
If there are any retailers reading this post, be forewarned, DO NOT TRY TO RUN THIS KIND OF PROMOTION! Sounds like there are plenty of people who have been burned and will not respond to any promotions of this kind.
I am curious as to what the retailers pay to get into this program, and assume that they don't get their monies worth either.

Artic Cat

I have the same situation. I participated with a Fund Raiser for a peer's child's sports program. I had to call to receive my first rebate, but have not received anything afterwards. I called today and there is a message now stating that My Free Travel has closed their Rebate business due to an increased participation and they have run out of funds.

I have, in good faith, submitted all receipts and coupons as directed in the terms and conditions.

Is there any legal action that can be taken due to a breach of contract?

I wonder if they are actually closing or are just not fulfilling their end of the agreement. I still see advertisements for the Grocery Rebate program.

I, too, have been scammed by My Free Travel.
I'm now going after my furniture retailer to have them reimburse some of that rebate money back to me, but have been unsuccessful thus far.
Has anyone been successful in getting their retailer to be somewhat accountable for this scam?
Also, has anyone gotten any results from BBB?

Hello all - I now join this long list of folks scammed, although this all started for me from Valley Pools in North Versailles, PA. I would like to offer my time and help to anyone interested in that link with the Pittsburgh-based(?) Union Fire Insurance Company, as I'm only minutes out of the city. Besides filing with the BBB and the Illinois AG, is there anything else I'm missing? Has anyone had luck with their credit card companies (if one was used)?

Scammed here also!...James72, thanks for providing the names Melissa Novotny and Eugene Vinnykov. I searched them, and found Facebook pages. I added them as friends. Melissa first added me and then Eugene. When she saw that Eugene added me as a friend, she must have removed me as a friend. But i still have access to his page. At one point his status said he was "in a relationship with Melissa Novotny" (see attached image). So i'm pretty sure i had the right person (as opposed to a differenty Eugene Vinnykov in the Chicago area) I was sure to get his email address from the page, which is eugenevinnykov@gmail.com before he decides to remove me as a "friend". So feel free to flood him with emails.

I also have a photo of him so I know what the [censored]bag looks like, and now you can too. Photo attached...

Here is more info from his Facebook page...and a little post i made to his Wall...

I am a high school senior that is on regional board for my youth group. My position is Regional Treasurer. This promotional fundraiser was brought to me attention, and I thought it would be something great to bring back to the group.

After selling 40 $50 booklets and raising over 700 dollars for my nonprofit organization I am told that My Free Travel is no longer honoring their rebates.

There is an international conference for my youth group, and individuals spent months raising money so that they could go to the $1, 000+ conference. Now many of these hard working high schoolers will not be able to afford the conference that they have been waiting all of their high school career to go on.

This is an awful situation