Beware of Global Services Network a.k.a. Global Services a.k.a. Global Connections

On August 8, 2007, I received a postcard stating that I had been selected to receive "Two Roundtrip Airfares to Anywhere in the U.S." and "3 days, 2 nights at a hotel", and that I should call 800-413-5613 for details.

On August 9, 2007, I called that number and spoke with a man who identified himself as Patrick McKinna. He stated that I would receive a complimentary gift of 2 round trip airfares from the nearest international airport to my home to any major city with an international airport in the US, Mexico, or Canada, plus 3 days, 2 nights hotel accommodations for 2 at a business class chain hotel. He said that all my wife and I needed to do to get this gift was to attend a 90-minute advertising presentation by Global Services Network in Columbia, MD. He said that I would have no obligation to use the company or to buy anything.

The address he gave for the presentation was:

Global Services Network

9710 Patuxent Woods Dr., Suite B

Columbia, MD 21046

I asked him what conditions or restrictions, if any, there were on the award travel. He replied, "You would be responsible for hotel and airline taxes."

I asked for any other travel restrictions that he hadn't mentioned. He replied, "You can not travel on holidays, and you must give at least 30 days notice prior to travel."

I asked whether we get to pick the travel dates, he said "Yeah, I think so. They are a travel company, and they want you to take the vacation so that you can see what they have to offer.".

I agreed to attend the presentation.

On August 12th, my wife and I fulfilled our end of the agreement by attending the Global Services presentation in Columbia, MD. After the presentation, Global Services tried to give us a "Vacation Extravaganza" certificate from "Worldwide Travel Center" in Deerfield Beach, FL. The certificate had many additional conditions not in the original agreement (made over the phone), such as:

- we had to put down a $100 deposit, to be returned if and after we completed the travel,

- we could only travel on a Tuesday,

- we had to submit 3 sets of possible travel dates separated by at least 30 days, from which they would select one set for our travel

- we could not travel within 7 days before or after a holiday

- they could change the terms and conditions at any time without notice

- accommodations were subject to their availability

- accommodations might be a "motel"

We refused to accept that certificate, pointing out that it did not meet the terms of our existing agreement. They noted our refusal, but didn't do anything about it. They informed us that the telephone call in which the existing agreement was formed had been recorded, and that we could complain to the Global Services headquarters if we wanted to.

On August 13th, I called the Global Services headquarters at 913-451-0960 to complain about the bait and switch. I spoke with a man who identified himself as "Ryan". He took full details of my complaint, and promised to have someone call me back.

On August 20th, I had received no return call from Global Services as promised, so I called Global back at the same number. I spoke with a female who identified herself as Brittney. She saw in her records that I had complained on August 13th, but said that she did not see why they should call me back because, in her words, "we don't owe you anything." She stated that since I don't have their alleged promise in writing, I don't have any grounds for complaint. I explained that an oral promise is still legally binding, and that anyway they had recorded the call. She replied that she still didn't see why they owe me anything. I told them that I would file a case with the Better Business Bureau, and see what they (the BBB people) think. She told me to wait one more week and they might call me back. I waited another week and a half, and they never called me back.

I filed a case with the Better Business Bureau. Global responded by admitting that they had a recording of the phone call in question and offering to give me a copy. When I said, "Yes, please give me a copy. It will prove my case." they refused to provide it. They said that they listened to the recording and that they don't owe me anything because:

1. There was no "meeting of the minds" on the phone, so there could be no legal contract.

2. There was no written agreement, so it could not be legally binding.

3. The "Worldwide Travel" certificate's terms and conditions were consistent with what I was promised on the phone.

The Better Business Bureau, over my repeated objections, closed the case and marked it as "Company addressed the complaint issues. The consumer failed to acknowledge acceptance to the BBB." (I have written to the BBB on three separate occasions notifying them that the matter is not resolved. The first time, they re-opened the case, then closed it a couple months later. The next two times, they ignored me. So much for the BBB being an impartial arbiter.)

On October 17, 2007, I filed a case against Global Services, Inc. in the Small Claims Division of the General District Court of Fairfax, VA.

On December 7, 2007, the case went to trial. A non-lawyer employee of Global showed up to represent Global. I presented a chronology of the relevant events to the judge, and cited the following legal causes of action:

- Breach of Contract

- Violation of several sections of VA's Consumer Protection Act:

- 59.1-200(2) (Global's initial postcard to me was made to look like it came from Delta Airlines, even though Delta had nothing to do with it.)

- 59.1-200(3)

- 59.1-200(8)

- Violation of several sections of VA's Prizes and Gifts Act:

- 59.1-417(A)

- 59.1-417(C)

For damages, I cited:

- the travel certificate's own statement that the certificate is worth up to $3,000.

- the cost for round trip airfare and 2 nights hotel for two to/at a place of my chosing on dates of my choosing was $2,800 (not including taxes) based on the lowest price quoted by Travelocity.com

- the VA code provides statutory damages of $1,000 for intentional violation of 59.1-200(2)

The defense made the same argument as before:

We owe the plaintiff nothing because:

- There was no meeting of the minds

- The contract was not in writing.

The judge ruled that Global had, indeed, breached its contract with me and had violated Virginia's statutory law. The judge then awarded me $1,000 (statutory damages) for Global's intentional violation of VA's Consumer Protection Act.

Here is Worldwide Travel's vacation certificate:

http://www.worldwidetravelcenter.com/SALES/pdf/WWTC-VE-Brochure.pdf

Here are comments from other people who were victimized by Global Services:

http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-800-413-5613

Here's one discussion of my experience with Global Services:

http://groups.google.im/group/misc.consumers/browse_frm/thread/616363807ba78078/48ce9731bf1054a3

Here's another discussion of my experience with Global Services:

http://groups.google.com/group/misc.legal.moderated/browse_frm/thread/cd8c8246c0766a72

Comment On This

I also attended a Global presentation - this evening (July 1, 2008) and everything reported by the original writer was verified in my experience. I was promised two free Jet Blue tickets subject to minor restrictions (no midweek travel) and payment of government taxes. After the presentation, they provided me with a certificate that, upon inspection, was worthless due to the requirement to pay $150 per ticket. They did not provide the tickets promised; when I cited their original offer, the Global employee stated that 'complimentary does not mean free,' which I found to be an interesting misrepresentation of their original offer. Like the original writer, I fulfilled my part of their offer and they pulled a bait and switch - this told me that the products they purported to offer at bargain prices are probably worth as much as their marketing inducements.

Comment On This

Thank you so much for the post. This is exactly what I was afraid of and anticipated. Thanks to your letter my appointment for today has been cancelled! I would NOT do business with this kind of dishonest company. I absolutely would have done the exact thing you did and filed a small claim against them. You are right on point with everything you wrote. It�s too bad there are not more people like you and I, or these business, that master the �bait and switch�, would not exist!

Comment On This

Dear Madam,

I'm sorry that my factual posting of my experience with Global Services Network has upset you so much. I will attempt to address your main points:

> You think it's fishy that the price triples when you leave?

I don't think it's fishy. I think it's a sure sign of a bad deal. It's a high-pressure tactic to encourage you to commit before having a chance to think about it. Global knows that if you go home and think about it, you'll realize that it's a bad deal. A good deal will still be there when you come back the next day.

> Unlike other companies Global is privately owned.

Agreed. The public would be unlikely to invest in a company like Global.

But why is the fact that Global is privately held relevant?

> It's $12,000 not 14 thousand something.

The price quoted to me at the sales presentation was:

$14,975 initial fee + $395 annual activity fee + $95 weekly off-peak resort fee.

Either way, it's a bad deal.

> No one in the 15+ year history of the company has ever come back!

> That's a pretty big statistic there.... no one!

What does that tell you? ;-)

> About the $100 deposit on the complimentary trip... Do

> you realize how many of these gifts are given away? If

> everybody was given this certificate and not expected to

> pay a deposit, do you know how much money they would lose

> from people not showing up?

The $100 fee was not disclosed in advance. It it had been, I wouldn't have complained about it.

> The gifts (the trip) are from the marketing company not

> from Global Services.

The marketing company was hired by Global to represent Global and to acquire potential customers for Global. A promise made by the marketing company on Global's behalf is binding on Global.

> Congrats to you on winning $1000 even though you prob

> spent more than that on lawyer fees.

I didn't use a lawyer, since I filed in small claims court.

Small claims court makes it easy for a wronged person to be made whole without costly attorneys or legal expertise.

My total cost to file was $64, which the court ordered Global to pay me when I won.

All I had to do was show the judge Global's (marketing company's) fraudulent advertisement promising roundtrip airfare for two plus two nights hotel accommodations.

> Let me define SCAM to you in terms you would understand.

I never used the word "scam" to describe Global Services.

(Go back and read my post.)

But, now that you mention it, it does sound like a scam, since they marketed by promising something they knew they would not deliver.

Global's main product, the vacation club membership, may not be a scam, but rather just a really bad deal.

> Global is a fully licensed, insured and bonded company.

> If Global would go out of business, they are insured and

> bonded to protect you.

You may want to put that in writing and distribute it at to your next Global Services sales pitch session. It's a good selling point.

> The $389 fee each year you do not have to pay if you do

> not use the program that year.

Potential Global Services customers, take note:

If you use the travel club membership in a given year, they charge you a $389 fee for the year (in addition to the other charges you incur for that year).

If you don't use the service for a given year, so you're wasting your $4,275 investment (assuming the minimum 2-week purchase), you don't have to pay an additional $389 fee that year.

Thanks for clarifying that.

> Any certificate you get you must pay taxes.

Taxes on the promised (but never delivered) complimentary airfare were one of the few conditions that Global's marketer disclosed to me in advance. I accepted and agreed to the condition that I would have to pay tax on the airfare. (Go back and read my post.)

> Face the facts you just wanted to sue somebody for money,

> and that's what you got. You weren't even interested in the

> trip.

I would have loved to get the complimentary trip that Global promised.

The fact that Global didn't deliver on that promise told me everything I needed to know about Global.

> I'll bet your that guy who would purposely slip on a wet

> floor

You bet? Hey, great. You lose. How much did you bet?

;-)

> Global did not do anything about your problem because it

> is not there problem THE GIFTS ARE FROM THE MARKETING

> COMPANY.

Suggestion: Ask one of your 12 "top notch" lawyers to explain to you how a marketing agent can and does legally bind its principal for the promises it makes on behalf of that principal.

> That is the way any company works! They will stretch the

> truth to get you in the door or to buy their product. That

> is the way America works...politicians do it all the time!

> There is false advertising everywhere

Not in the companies that I do business with.

> If everybody complained and sued, there would be no

> companies at all!

Correction: There would be far fewer _dishonest_ companies.

The vast majority of companies win customers the old fashioned way: with honesty and good quality products and services.

> The gifts were not from Global! And if one of their 12 top

> notch lawyers would have showed up ... you would have lost!

Your legal opinion is noted.

> You must have no life!

Thank you for letting potential Global Services customers see the level of professionalism they can expect from a Global Services employee such as yourself.

Comment On This

First Off! I would like to say that you obviously didn't pay attention to the presentation! It's people like you that make companies that use marketers look bad. You think it's fishy tha6t the price triples when you leave? It's called a sale they have them everywhere at every store! But unlike every store Global... which by the way doesn't go by different names; there are different departments or divisions to the company; any large company has different division; ... anyway unlike other companies Global is privately owned. To add to this they DO NOT do the scheduling! The marketing company does the scheduling. So once you are gone the marketers are sent your information and you are taken off their list. They do not contact you again.... hence the one time price. Sure you can show up one day and say I want to pay the full $12,000 (yes you got that wrong too it's 12000 not 14 thousand something) but no one in the 15+ year history of the company has ever come back! That's a pretty big statistic there.... no one! And about the $100 deposit on the COMPLIMENTARY (Free was never used.. comlimentary does not mean free) trip... ANY hotel you reserve is going to take a deposit or your credit card number. Do you realize how many of these gifts are given away? If everybody was given this certificate and not expected to pay a deposit do you know how much money they would lose from people not showing up? That company wouldn't last long. And if they cannot get you the time and date that you choose.. guess what they refund your deposit! Imagine that! You know Direct TV promises a free; yes they actually use the word free; DVR if you sign up. But they make you pay $100 for it and you are given credit on your bill. Why don't you go complain about that! I bought mascara the other day that promised to curl my lashes and guess what it didn't :( boo freakin hoo! Maybe I'll go sue that company for false advertising. The gifts (the trip)are from the marketing company not from Global services which if you would have accepted the gifts you would have read so on the gift receipt that they have you sign. But that is prob why you won the Virginia suit because you refused the gifts and they did not have ur sig on the paper Oh. You didn't know that did you... So congrats to you on winning $1000 even though you prob spent more than that on lawyer fees. Let me define SCAM to you in terms you would understand. A scam is when you pay a buch of money to a company that is not real... and they take your money. Global is a fully liscenced, isured and bonded company ...something elese you were wrong about if Global would go out of business ( which will never happen, because it has something like over a million members who renew each year) they are insured and bonded to protect you. And another thing you were wrong about... the $389... not $395 fee each year you do not have to pay if you do not use the program that year. You really need to get your facts strait before you complain! (I have read your complaint on another website that I could not respond to.) Oh and another thing that defines a scam is when you HAVE to buy something to receive the gifts that you were promised....GLOBAL DOES NOT make you buy abything! If the program is not for you then that's okay. And the taxes on the trip.... really are you stupid... even if they were to pay the taxes for you the certificate is for ANY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT! how are they supposed to know where you are going to find they value of the trip. Different hotels in different cities have different rates and airfare as well. Any certificate you get you must pay taxes. If somebody gives you a certificate for E-Bay for Christmas are you gonna rant and rave on here about how you had to pay taxes on that! Face the facts you just wanted to sue somebody for money, and that's what you got. You weren't even interseted in the trip. I'll bet your that guy who would purposely slip on a wet floor because there was no sign that says it is. And Global did not do anything about your problem because it is not there problem THE GIFTS ARE FROM THE MARKETING COMPANY.. who also works for over 30 other different companies. They do not solely work for Global. And yes the marketing company does record those phone calls, but the marketers do not have to tell you every little detail about the gift. That is not there job; they're job is to get you in the door. That is the way any company works! They will stretch the truth to get you in the door or to buy their product. That is the way America works...politicians do it all the time! Ther is false advertising everywhere, and if everybody complained and sued about everything there would be no companies at all! You should not go and complain on every web site you can find. On the other web sit you mentioned the fee for the membership. Do the math! $1000 for two vacations. Now if you were to go to Hawaii or the Caribean twice a year how much do you think that would cost you? Prob almost $10000. So yeah if you get aaway once a year to Ocean city Maryland ... no this will not save you money. But if you can afford to go more that once a year or for retired folks who have unlimited vacation tim this program will save you more money than you could imagine. Plus you can pass it onto your children when you pass on. Do you have any idea what inflation will do to vacation prices 20 years from now! BBB was right not to file your complaint. Beacause the gifts were not from Global! And if one of their 12 top notch lawyers would have showed up ... you would have lost! Instead they prob could've cared less about you. And that's why they sent a rep for your stupid stupid complaint. Thanks for wasting everybody's time; you must have no life!