I finally went ahead and complained to BBB this afternoon, after 3 calls to TLC. Today's TLC CSR told me to "rest assured" that they would call me back [on some unspecified date], but that doesn't seem likely so I went the BBB route that others have recommended. My first requested flight date is less than 3 weeks away.

Curiously, the BBB site shows 207 complaints against TLC in the last 36 months, which is exactly the number that it was six days ago.

There are three types of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics.

I have no idea how they come up with the figures on the website, but I think I personally know more than 207 people who filed BBB complaints against TLC.

After receiving no callback 3 business days after filing a BBB complaint, today I filed a complaint with the Mass. AG's office.

You can find the online complaint form here.

Here is information needed to fill in the form:

• TLC Marketing, 1 Faneuil Hall Marketplace, 4th Floor, Boston MA 02109
• Phone: 6177889600
• Type of Business: Sweepstakes/Lotteries (looked like the best option to me)
• Outcome you Seek: AG's office will review my complaint for possible mediation. (best option)
• What Resolution Do You Seek: I would like to receive my airline ticket. (my words)
• Are you willing for us to send this complaint to the business?: Yes

Then click the email button at the bottom and the data (in xml format) will be attached to an email that will be sent using your email account.

Will it work? I hope so!

The BBB can't do anything. It also seems like the actiion taken should be against the companies with the big pockets, not the sleazy company handling the travel arrangements.
In an earlier post, I suggested people contact the law firm that handled the Ralph's lawsuit. They didn't sue the travel company. The sponsors iare responsible.

With only 2 weeks left until my proposed travel date, and having heard nothing from BBB or the MA AG's office, today I called Docker's Consumer Relations Center at 800-362-5377. An actual human answers the line!

The very polite CSR took my information ("was it the flight or the hotel?") and promised to send my complaint to TLC Marketing...and that Dockers will call me back later this week.

I don't know what the outcome will be, but the conversation was reassuring.

This morning a friendly person from the "TLC concierge desk" called to arrange for my air travel. Thank goodness!!

She asked if my first choice travel dates were still valid, I said yes. She could offer only one airline (Delta) and a limited number of flight times (e.g., morning only on a Friday).

Taxes + "fees" were a little over $80. Upon receiving the email confirmation I logged into Delta.com and changed to better seats. Logging in also seemed to link my DL Skymiles number to the itinerary.

Of the three complaints that I filed, I do not know which (if any) pushed TLC to do the right thing. Maybe I'll figure it out when, in a month or two, I try to reserve the "free" hotel rooms...

This afternoon I received an email from BBB, saying that my complaint about TLC "has been updated with a response from the business."

Going to the BBB site, I see:
Date Case Opened: 2/20/08 (a Wednesday)
Sent On (to TLC): 02/22/2008 (a Friday)
Complaint Sent Via: Mail

So the BBB takes 2 days to process a complaint, then they send it by U.S. mail to the business. That could be a part of the reason that nothing seems to happen right away when you complain to BBB.

The BBB website indicates that TLC has issued me a ticket (which they did this morning), so TLC's reply was entered into the BBB website on the same day.

Sadly, it seems the only way to get a swift response from TLC Marketing is to enter a complaint with the BBB in MA. Then, someone from the TLC Concierge desk will call you soon after. Almost, immediately, the BBB website will be updated that TLC contacted you. If you don't respond back to TLC, they update the BBB website again that they tried to call you and move to close out the complaint unless you respond back to BBB stating otherwise.

wow. lots of good info. great heads up. much appreciated.

Yesterday I received a hand-addressed form letter from the Mass AG's office, saying that they believe that mediation is warranted. It said that someone will call me. There was no suggestion that the AG's office had contacted TLC.

Since this letter arrived almost 2 weeks after I filed the online complaint, it suggests to me that complaints to the AG's office are not the path to a rapid resolution of the problem.

A little follow-up on my own story. Sent in my voucher last November to use during the holiday season on our trip to Ft. Lauderdale, FL...never got a call!

I finally contacted TLC Marketing directly only to find out they had copied down the WRONG PHONE NUMBER from the dertificate I sent in (I had written it down correclty, they jsut copied it wrong!). Anyways...they ended up NOT having the hotel(s) available we wanted so we bagged and used hotel points to stay at a preferred property.

Fast forward to a few weeks ago...we are headed back down that way in early June once the little buggers are out of school, so I Emailed back the same rep whom I'd both spoke and emailed with in the past (she seemed genuinely trying to help). After a series of Emails back and forth one day, she helped me book a stay at a Springhill Suites property that was NOT listed in the original booklet, and the process was relatively pain-free and hassle-free.

All's well that ends well, I guess...

I participated in both the Kohls and Penny promotion and have had a few problems along the way. One of my submissions was rejected (I think it was Penny) as they indicated I did not have enough purchases. But, I had copies of all the receipts and there was no doubt that I clearly met the minimum. At that point in time there was no information about resubmissions, disputes, etc. except what was in the terms and conditions online. Neverthless, I sent a letter and photocopies of the receipt via certified mail and eventually got a booking form. During the long wait I also sent a letter to the BBB, but am not sure they did much.

I did get a call about the Kohls promotion and did make a booking. As the booking was well in advance they gave me quite a few choices and I was pleased with that. The person from TLC was very helpful.

I also submitted the booking request for the Penny promotion 6-7 weeks in advance of the flight. My wife scheduled days off from work for the trip. We waited quite a while to get a response and then ended up with a form letter saying that we had filled the form out incorrectly and incompletely. I have a copy of the form I can�t see any problems. I called the concierge number and asked if they could tell me what the problem was. The first person I spoke to asked me to read the completed request form to him and then stated what he thought was a problem and that is why you were denied. He was only going on what I read to him. I did not accept his terse response and called again today. This representative was a little more cordial and even looked up the file. She was a little surprised to find that the computer record indicated that my form had been accepted and she could not tell why I received a form letter. I got her to make a request that someone call me back and tell me about the conflicting info.

The down side is that my wife now has several days off and nowhere to go.

The up side is that they gave me a new form to fill out and resubmit. So, all is not lost. In fact the good point is that they have extended the travel dates on the promotion. The request must still be submitted by 6/30, but travel can be up until 6/30/09. That provides a little more time to plan. I am not sure if they extended the dates for the Kohls promotion.

So, if you have not submitted the booking request be aware of the new extended dates for the travel.

Thanks for the information on calling Dockers. I did the same today.

Seriously? When did they extend the travel completion date by? I called a month ago and they were saying travel must be finished by 6/30/08!

Yes indeed that was the point I was trying to get out.

I do not know when they changed it, but the letter I received spells it out in writing. It says;

"The Flight Voucher must be received by TLC Marketing 30 days prior to your desired travel date. The final deadline for submitting the Flight Voucher is June 30, 2008. All travel must be booked by July 31, 2008 and travel completed by June 30, 2009."

The person that I spoke to on the phone also reminded me of this.

It would be nice to know if they did the same for the Kohls promotion.