Sampler Just Purchased in Arizona

[Talya]

I must have spoken to my bank and Visa card representatives a million times. It makes no sense to dispute if they are providing a refund code.

Exactly!

They only said sorry, they are familiar with the company and sorry I fell for whatever scam they were selling (their exact words). It doesn’t seem like there’s going to be any help from their end.

I'd ask them to spell out exactly what protections they offer the purchaser, then. Why should you use their Visa card if you have no reasonable dispute option? I know one needs to have a Visa (or MasterCard) because some places will not take Amex, but it seems clear to me that Amex is the card that offers purchaser protections.

In fact, your experience has prompted me to check out what purchase protections I have with my Visa card. Thank you.

I have tried to call BBB but I haven’t been able to get through to the number I found online. Will keep trying.

Didn't they call you to begin with? I got the first call, and then as the BBB deadline approached I got another call asking for an update. Again, might this have something to do with the fact that you are from another country? Wondering.....

Tbh I have sort of given up. Guess you guys were the lucky ones

How long has it been? Under a month?

 

[Talya]

@mrswolfe Just a point - If I recall the BBB timeline is two months. If you access the Sampler before you are absolutely sure all options are exhausted you may inadvertently initiate a de-facto 'acceptance'. Make sure the BBB complaint has run it's course, I'd say.

 

[mrswolfe]

Exactly!

I'd ask them to spell out exactly what protections they offer the purchaser, then. Why should you use their Visa card if you have no reasonable dispute option? I know one needs to have a Visa (or MasterCard) because some places will not take Amex, but it seems clear to me that Amex is the card that offers purchaser protections.

In fact, your experience has prompted me to check out what purchase protections I have with my Visa card. Thank you.

Didn't they call you to begin with? I got the first call, and then as the BBB deadline approached I got another call asking for an update. Again, might this have something to do with the fact that you are from another country? Wondering.....

How long has it been? Under a month?

It’s still under a month and I just got an email this morning from BBB that my complaint has been forwarded to the business.
As per Visa, I have explained to them that I will be canceling my cards. Apparently my bank also issues Amex so I’ll switch. My next thoughts were to attempt to fax in the dispute documents to my bank anyways and expect an official response from them.

Anyhoo, I’m not holding out much hope. Seems I must holiday in the US when all I wanted was to go to the Carribbean. But I don’t intend to activate their so called package anytime soon.

Thanks guys for your help. Will post if anything changes

 

[Talya]

It’s still under a month and I just got an email this morning from BBB that my complaint has been forwarded to the business.

Let's watch this. We think this is the magic bullet. There may be hope yet. I think the timeline is 3 weeks with the complaint.

As per Visa, I have explained to them that I will be canceling my cards. Apparently my bank also issues Amex so I’ll switch. My next thoughts were to attempt to fax in the dispute documents to my bank anyways and expect an official response from them.

I think sending in the dispute docs to the credit card company is a good idea. Amex requested them from me in my initial call.

Check with Amex to see what their consumer protections are. I am now so curious about this aspect.

But consider carefully totally divesting of Visa/MasterCard because there are places that will not accept Amex. Maybe another bank? (P.S. I pay off all my cards every month - I basically use them like a debit card with more control - and better protections. Using a debit card while traveling is completely unwieldy and an Amex/Visa/MasterCard spread seems necessary to meet all contingencies).

Anyhoo, I’m not holding out much hope. Seems I must holiday in the US when all I wanted was to go to the Carribbean. But I don’t intend to activate their so called package anytime soon. Thanks guys for your help. Will post if anything changes

Fingers crossed!

 

[Talya]

@Michael23 Please write your communication here rather than via pm. Many thanks.

However, all the answers to the questions you posed in your pm to me can be sussed out from reading this thread, and actually several threads pertaining to DRI Sampler rescission here on TUB.

Thank you for understanding.

 

[Saadfriend]

My friend also got taken by the sampler and he seems to have bad luck . He tried filing bbb complaint and it just says dri has been forwarded request been a week. He is trying to cancel did not pay in full just signed up for monthly plan. How can he dispute it with credit card company . How can he get a refund please advise ?

 

[Talya]

My friend also got taken by the sampler and he seems to have bad luck. He tried filing bbb complaint and it just says dri has been forwarded request been a week.

If it's only been a week since the filing he will have to wait longer, about two months (I think). See some of the posts on this thread regarding the time frame of the BBB complaint process.

He is trying to cancel did not pay in full just signed up for monthly plan. How can he dispute it with credit card company.

He needs to talk with his Credit Card company. There should be a phone number for that. If he wants to cancel the automatic payments he needs to do it sooner rather than later as there seems to be a time frame in which to cancel a credit card purchase. He must call the credit card company to cancel the automatic payments - and should initiate a grievance against DRI with the credit card company.

How can he get a refund please advise ?

You're not giving much information but if you read the whole of this thread, plus other threads here on TUGBBS, you will get the information you need, I think. Good luck!

What I've learned is the refund process is not a given with DRI. I don't know what the magic sequence of actions are, only what worked for me, and someone else (on this thread). Many more others have not been lucky cancelling their Sampler purchase with DRI sorry to say.

 

[Talya]

@mrswolfe I am assuming - since you never posted again - that you didn't get the rescission. Is that what happened?

 

[Saadfriend]

Yeah I didn’t give specifics but they have a similar story as the others on this post. They were some how conned into visiting a Scottsdale resort for a free cruise. I tried to convinced him on day one to cancel but he seems like he thinks his money is already lost.

Is the sampler that bad if he cannot cancel ? What are the makor limitations is it possible to book Hawaii?

If you dispute with credit card company how do you tell them to stop the payment plus all future payments? What type of information did you have to provide the credit card company ? After you filed dispute , how did dri respond did they call to say hey we want our money back or you cannot cancel ?

So the bbb policy takes about two months to respond ? How did you track the progress just view the case complaint?

So best advice here is to just sit tight and wait and not activate any sorts of benefits right ?

My friend gave up hope but honestly 4000$ is so much money. If this was me I would not sleep eat etc until I got all my money back . I do not like being cheated. Dri is a horrible company I cannot understand how any of what they are doing is legal. They are in the business of conning people to quickly sign and pay and regret.

 

[Saadfriend]

Also do you need to file the cc dispute and bbb complaint? Do you need to follow both steps to get refund ?

 

[Talya]

Also do you need to file the cc dispute and bbb complaint? Do you need to follow both steps to get refund ?

Please read the responses in this thread. All your questions can be answered if you do that - plus other threads here on TUG BBS.

There is no one answer. It's a process one has to engage. If you read the thread you will see that each person - while similar in broad outline - has a different experience with getting a rescission (or not). Nothing is guaranteed.

 

[Talya]

Yeah I didn’t give specifics but they have a similar story as the others on this post. They were some how conned into visiting a Scottsdale resort for a free cruise. I tried to convinced him on day one to cancel but he seems like he thinks his money is already lost.

Maybe it is. How long ago did this purchase take place?

Is the sampler that bad if he cannot cancel ? What are the makor limitations is it possible to book Hawaii?

I don't know the answer to either question.

If you dispute with credit card company how do you tell them to stop the payment plus all future payments? What type of information did you have to provide the credit card company ?

He just needs to call his cc company. They will have all those answers.

After you filed dispute , how did dri respond did they call to say hey we want our money back or you cannot cancel ?

Please read thread. Answers to your questions are in the thread regarding my - and other peoples' - experiences.

So the bbb policy takes about two months to respond ? How did you track the progress just view the case complaint?

You talk to them, they guide you.

So best advice here is to just sit tight and wait and not activate any sorts of benefits right ?

Unknown. That has been the supposition. Please read the thread.

My friend gave up hope but honestly 4000$ is so much money. If this was me I would not sleep eat etc until I got all my money back . I do not like being cheated. Dri is a horrible company I cannot understand how any of what they are doing is legal. They are in the business of conning people to quickly sign and pay and regret.

So it seems.

 

[Saadfriend]

The purchase took place about two to three weeks ago . Does that affect credit dispute ? So you do not know of the sampler is usable ? What is the worse case they try to go on vacation ?

 

[Saadfriend]

He Afraid to open credit dispute cause it may waste his time . But what else does he have to lose ? I keep trying to tell him it’s easy . But he seems like he is trying to prove that he got conned ? Too afraid to admit he can fight for the money . There is lack of bias for action and no backbone just fear and hesitation .

 

[Talya]

The purchase took place about two to three weeks ago . Does that affect credit dispute ?

Don't know. It might. He needs to call his credit card company to find out.

So you do not know of the sampler is usable ?

I assume it is useable. Why wouldn't it be?

What is the worse case they try to go on vacation ?

Not sure what you are asking.

 

[Talya]

He Afraid to open credit dispute cause it may waste his time .

So he has made his decision. It's his decision to make. I would say let it go. He is the one who has to be on the whole process.

But what else does he have to lose ?

I'd say let it go. If he doesn't want to move on it that's pretty much a decision.

I keep trying to tell him it’s easy .

If you've read this thread you must see that it is not easy.

But he seems like he is trying to prove that he got conned ? Too afraid to admit he can fight for the money . There is lack of bias for action and no backbone just fear and hesitation .

It's his decision. You can't do it for him. JMO.

 

[Talya]

P.S. I don't think I can help you. The thread speaks for itself. I for sure understand the angst. Been there. So very sorry.

 

[Saadfriend]

Thanks in advance . I will let saad know he is doomed. Always read before you sign nothing in life is free , everything has its price.

 

[Talya]

Thanks in advance. I will let saad know he is doomed.

I wouldn't say he is doomed. If he wants to contest the deal he can contest. Otherwise he has a Sampler and a bunch of vacations he can take. May be not what he bargained for but that's what he's got so he can make the best of it. That's what I was bracing myself for when I was going through the dispute.

Always read before you sign nothing in life is free , everything has its price.

Too true - and the biggest one: always take a day and a night (or three) before signing. If the sales person claims the deal is only good if you sign at once - WALK AWAY and Don't Look Back! Thing is we all know these truisms yet still we get snookered.

P.S. And never sign anything that says you have no window of cancellation (which is likely what your friend signed and why he thinks he has no out - he thinks he signed away his right to cancel). I think Arizona has either a 3 day or a 7 day cancellation window so he has passed that window anyway.

Your friend should come on here and talk to other TUG members about how to best use his Sampler. If he's paying monthly not sure when he can access the Sampler. He may have to wait a year or more - that's a guess - unless he put down a sufficiently large down payment. Total guesses on my part. What he will have to be wary about from here on out, though, is the continual sales pitches trying to get him to buy into more. He has to learn to say no and walk away.

 

[Saadfriend]

Saad informed me that he received the cancellation letter and request to send the tablet back.
It took them 2 weeks, but there is happy ending
Confirms that BBB complaint is the only way to get the refund in a timely manner.

 

[Talya]

Saad informed me that he received the cancellation letter and request to send the tablet back. It took them 2 weeks, but there is happy ending

Wow! Given you said the purchase took place 2-3 weeks ago that was blindingly fast! I assume then that he submitted the BBB complaint at once, but he didn't initiate a dispute with his credit card company, is that what happened?

Confirms that BBB complaint is the only way to get the refund in a timely manner.

So he got an refund with only a BBB complaint? Is that correct?

 

[Saadfriend]

No cc dispute was made only the bbb complaint.

 

[izzymail]

Saad informed me that he received the cancellation letter and request to send the tablet back.
It took them 2 weeks, but there is happy ending
Confirms that BBB complaint is the only way to get the refund in a timely manner.

That is great! Congrats!

 

[Big h]

I'm so glad that this worked for you! You may have had to cancel the trip for now, but you have your hard saved money back to plan something new.

Yes, they do seem to care about their BBB reputation. The BBB is quasi-regulatory in many people's mind (their business model is a whole nother topic) and if DRI didn't care about their rating it would not help a bit because they can't actually enforce any outcome on a company. I'm curious what would have happened to us both if we just rode out the credit card dispute, but I was personally not prepared to take the chance that they fax over a copy of the contract and it would be "game over"...

Honestly I think all the phone calls (except the last one) could have just been their onboarding process to get you to use the sampler points. They do like the $4k but the real game is to get you back in the sales "ring" to get some serious $$$ from you with ownership. However it could be that they were making a last ditch try to get you to "activate" the points and kill your chances at a cancellation. I'm sure you have figured it out already, but DRI points have negative value and can't even be given away... Yet every single day people are being pressured into purchasing them at retail.

BTW the tablet is absolute crap... Looks very nice and shiny on the outside, but once you get inside it is Ugly (crashes constantly, slow)... I think it's the perfect metaphor for DRI!

I'm grateful for this forum as well... I have learned so much. To answer your question about WorldMark, yes there is a thread under the Wyndham section that explains their unique system really well. There is also a forum at Wmowners.com that is great. While it is not a perfect program (what is?) it seems to me that WorldMark owners are among the happiest around. The program really fits my goals and needs well!

Congrats again and I'm glad my experience (and prodding at the risk of being annoying) helped!

 

[Big h]

i am starting the process tonight thanks for the advice