Travel Hacking Cartel
May 26, 2011, 6:12 pm
#106
Join Date: Jan 2011
Programs: Amex Platinum, SPG Gold, Priority Club Gold, Emerald Club Executive
Posts: 226
May 31, 2011, 11:03 am
#107
Join Date: May 2011
Programs: As many as I can!
Posts: 344
Aren't we part of the LARGEST Travel Hacking Cartel anywhere in the world 
May 31, 2011, 1:16 pm
#108
Join Date: Jan 2011
Programs: Amex Platinum, SPG Gold, Priority Club Gold, Emerald Club Executive
Posts: 226
May 31, 2011, 4:38 pm
#109
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 27
My wife buys salad by the bag, even if it is just the lettuce. I buy the head of lettuce and chop it up.
We agree to disagree about the other's approach.
FT vs 'packagers', seems the same dispute to me.
We agree to disagree about the other's approach.
FT vs 'packagers', seems the same dispute to me.
Last edited by traderjo; May 31, 2011 at 4:54 pm
May 31, 2011, 4:42 pm
#110
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 27
"Getting your FlyerTalk Premium upgrade is easy - all you have to do is subscribe to the online edition of InsideFlyer magazine (a subscription only costs $12/year)!"
Sep 26, 2011, 7:50 am
#111
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 2
I signed up for the free trial… during the first 3 days, emails were plentiful, with tips, trickls, deals, etc.. after that they just stopped.. the deals that were being promoted were basically crap –shoots.. forcing you to use wrong postal codes, phone number pre-fixes..etc…
Some of the deals popping up were already all over the internet...
Then it gets interesting: I decided to cancel.. I initiated the cancellation process 3 times.. only to get HTTP errors each time….i tried to send an email, but didn’t get a response at all.. I finally had to do some digging and found another website that had a contact link..
I sent an email, but didn’t receive a response for 2 days…promising to credit me since the site was down and I was unable to complete the cancellation…sound good so far..but that’s not the case..
Its been 19 days since I tried to cancel.. and multiple emails have been exchanged between Chris and myself..to no avail..
I have asked for my credit, and all I get are snippy one line replies.. especially from someone who is able to hammer out such great articles and reasons to spend money every month to get basically the same free deals that are available on every free travel forums out there…
To date, I have not received my refund, nor any further replies to my emails asking for confirmation from his merchant account showing that he even issued a credit…he may have gotten the hacking part wrong, but the cartel aspect seems to fit the bill…
I have wasted/lost/ more than 25 bucks more than once in the past…so this isn’t a shocking circumstance…
But what I will say is that Chris seems to think that this will just go away.. and he is wrong.. it’s a matter of principle now.. my bank offered to issue a “courtesy credit” to me when I called and explained the story to them.. and I declined it…they shouldn’t have to make this right…Chris needs to..or step up and say that he has no intention of providing the refund.. either way, I’m patient…in a few days I can demand my bank to backcharge him, or have allowed sufficient time to initiate a BBB complaint..
Save your money: stick with www.flyertalk.com
Sep 26, 2011, 2:54 pm
#112
Join Date: Dec 2007
Programs: HHonors Diamond, a bunch of junk on a bunch of airlines
Posts: 18
Then it gets interesting: I decided to cancel.. I initiated the cancellation process 3 times.. only to get HTTP errors each time….i tried to send an email, but didn’t get a response at all.. I finally had to do some digging and found another website that had a contact link..
Sep 26, 2011, 8:29 pm
#113
Join Date: Jan 2011
Programs: Amex Platinum, SPG Gold, Priority Club Gold, Emerald Club Executive
Posts: 226
I ended up having to do a chargeback. He cancelled my subscription, but still charged me for a month, even though I was within the free refund period.
Sep 26, 2011, 8:46 pm
#114
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: HH Diamond, Marriott Gold, IHG Gold, Hyatt something
Posts: 33,539
Sounds pretty sleazy. Free trial period seems pretty self explanatory. I'd probably contact Wendy Perrin about it, since she pimped it in the first place.
Sep 26, 2011, 9:29 pm
#115
Join Date: Jan 2011
Programs: Amex Platinum, SPG Gold, Priority Club Gold, Emerald Club Executive
Posts: 226
IIRC, the free trial period was 14 days when I signed up. As I recall, I canceled on Day 13. By the time the cancel was processed, it was after Day 14, and I got charged. Worse, I emailed him to explain this, but got a one sentence middle-finger response, that I don't remember exactly.
So, I did a chargeback. If he keeps doing this, his merchant account may be canceled, so I hope he learned to just suck it up, and honor any cancel requests as part of doing business.
I actually like his books, but this left me doubting his integrity.
Also, I don't think many flyertalkers, or folks who read blogs like FTG, pointsguy, etc, would benefit much, if at all.
Sep 27, 2011, 4:56 am
#116
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 210
Save your money
Visit daily:
FT MilesBuzz forum
www.boardingarea.com
thepointsguy.com
frugaltravelguy.blogspot.com
You'll find 95% of the good deals that way
Visit daily:
FT MilesBuzz forum
www.boardingarea.com
thepointsguy.com
frugaltravelguy.blogspot.com
You'll find 95% of the good deals that way
Unless you are too lazy to do your homework.
Sep 27, 2011, 1:16 pm
#117
Join Date: Jan 2011
Programs: Amex Platinum, SPG Gold, Priority Club Gold, Emerald Club Executive
Posts: 226
Sep 28, 2011, 7:14 pm
#118
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: San Jose, CA
Programs: AA EXP, SPG Gold, HH Gold, National Executive, Amex Plat
Posts: 125
I had the same experience as many others are far as the information on this the travel hacking cartel. Joined back in July, but soon realized that the bloggers and flyertalk.com had much better info available regarding the good deals out there, for free.
No issues cancelling through the link on the website but also cancelled after the first week.
No issues cancelling through the link on the website but also cancelled after the first week.
Sep 28, 2011, 7:32 pm
#119
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Texas
Programs: AA, HH Gold, PCR Platinum,US
Posts: 109
No issues here either. Was able to cancel subscription without hassle. Found FT and other blogs with much more information. Although at the time I signed up I was new to collecting miles and needed some direction.
Oct 8, 2011, 4:45 am
#120
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Los Angeles
Programs: Delta Kryptonium-Platinum Medallion, Hyatt/Hilton Diamond
Posts: 365
Exactly in the same boat as you. Found the site helpful since I was just starting but after discovering FT and the various blogs, cancelled my membership with no problem.