Can anyone in the forum tell me if they have heard about this Travel company. YTB Travel. Some one is trying intoduce to this company as a potential business opportunity. But for some reason a red flag when up and with my investigation skill, I started investigating.

I found that the con's has out weigh the pro's. I will contact this person and tell what I have found and that I can't join anything that looks and feels like a pyramid sceme. Another thing that made my red flag wave was the people that are asked to joined are not trained for this, nor is training offered.

Like I said before, I have investigated this company and found it has been on the News and negative reporting was genurated; dealing with not providing the services that they advertise and the agents disappearing on their clientele.

My business reputation is flawless by my standards, I don't need a service being offered through another company to ruin it. My answer is NO!!!!

Have anyone on this forum that's connected with the travel industry heard of this company.

Thank you.

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Phyllis L
UNIQUELY40, LLC
http://www.uniquely40.com

The only time that I had dealing with them wasent positive. And based on that, I wont deal with them at all.

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Margaret Salmond, Bay Area VA
http://www.bayareava.info

Someone tried to get me into YTB earlier this year and I told them to get lost. I did research on it and saw too many negatives. I wasn't putting my personal and business integrity at risk over a thing like this.

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Julia

I've heard of them, but have not had any experience with them. There are always going to be complaints with any network marketing company from people who feel its a scam. A network marketing company is the same as any business, because it IS a business. If you don't put any effort into it then you will not make any money from it. Network marketing companies are not pyramids or MLM, they are legitimate businesses. I currently work with a few myself.

When researching these types of companies you need to see what the details of the complaints are. If they are simply "I didn't make any money, it's an MLM scam", then ignore it. Usually these are cases of people who thought all they had to do was join and then they would start making millions of dollars. If the complaints are more along the lines of "I never received the money I earned", then that is a different story. That means the person put in the effort, earned the money and the company didn't pay. Those are the ones to watch out for. Also, ones that have extravagant membership fees. All network marketing companies have some sort of fees, but they are usually minimal. If they are charging thousands of dollars then its probably a scam.

Also, what is the product that they are selling? Do the research and see what type of education and or licensing (if applicable) is involved. The ones I am involved in provide all of the training as well as the opportunity to get licensed, the licenses are with the governing agencies and not simply licenses through the company themselves.

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Rebecka Melson ~ Virtual Business Services

I have heard of them but was not at all interested.

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Lee Drozak
My Office Assistant

I wouldn't let someone complaining they didn't make money be the reason not to work with a company like YTB. My decision came from finding video clips of news stories on the net that showed people who got to airports and didn't have seats on the plane, etc., a video talking about them losing their IATA number or somehting like that. I prefer to book travel for clients directly with airlines and hotels - if it's very complicated like multiple stops in countries like India (happened this year) I work with a travel agent. I wouldn't take the risk with a company like YTB and have a client stranded somewhere or worse, no seat when they got to the airport.

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Julia

Yea, I would not be happy either if my client got to the airport and didn't have a seat. I have booked travel online for many clients as well as myself through various resources. If I book travel through any resource, whether it be online or through a travel agent, I always call to confirm. All of the legitimate sites will give you a direct number to the hotel or airline to contact.

I have had issues myself when I booked travel online direct through a hotel website and then I got there and they tried to tell me that I didn't have a room. Luckily, I showed them the confirmation printout and all was well, but I've learned to always call and verify.

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Rebecka Melson ~ Virtual Business Services

Confirmtions are a God send. Just make sure that your clients have a copy and that you keep a copy just in case.

As far as YTB, mine was more personal.

I had planned on going on a cruise with a sistafriend of mine. She was new to YTB so I wanted to help her get her footing in the travel business. I have been a part time agent for a few years so I didnt mind.

Booked my cruise, got travel protection (ALWAYS get travel protection cause you just never know). She was working with another agent who her recruiter and was helping her learn the ropes.

Three weeks before sailing I found out that I wasent able to go. No problem. I called the lead agent (not my friend) and let her know and she was going to get my monies back to me.

Instead of doing that she just changed the name on the booking and went in my place.

BIG MISTAKE! As travel agents, its against the rules for agent to travel on the clients dime. So when the cruise returned to port, my friends who was on the cruise called me telling me she was in my room and I blew up.

I called the cruise line and told them what happened. They said that since the cruise was booked and someone sailed that I couldnt get my money back from them so I needed to call the agent who was the recruiter and the lead agent on the booking.

My calls to her never got returned.

So I began emailing YTB and they confirmed everything that I told them about the cruise and I faxed over copies of my docs and they cut me a check but when it came time for my friend to get her commission, they took the monies paid to her to pay me instead of taking the money from the agent that took my cruise.

Long fight for my friend but once she finally got her commission, she left the company. Will never deal with them again.

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Margaret Salmond, Bay Area VA
http://www.bayareava.info

In continuing my investigation, here is what I found

1. They have lost there IATA standing, those of you in the travel business knows what this means, ""VERY IMPORTANT STANDING""

2. The states of Florida and California Attorney Generals has cases against this company.

3. This company has restructed itself numerous times.

4. Clients are not being dealt with honestly.

5. The most revenue being made in this company is not through their stocks but by their pyramid scheme. go figure

6. Royal Caribbean cruises will no longer accept their booking because of their practice. And resent reports indicate that a lot more cruise lines, airlines, hotels and whatever else is affiliated with the travel industry is about to follow the path of Royal Caribbean Cruise Line.

I did my search by internet and then made phone calls.

Need I say more.

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Phyllis L
UNIQUELY40, LLC
http://www.uniquely40.com

Phyllis,

Good for you for doing your research! I had done some research on the company myself a while back after reading a news article about them regarding some lawsuits. I have read about some pretty shady things myself and agree that this is a company to stay away from.

Unfortunately, there are scammers in every type of business. The best way to protect yourself is by doing your research, and it looks like you did a good job of it.

Margaret:

"Instead of doing that she just changed the name on the booking and went in my place."

It never ceases to amaze me what some low-lifes will do and seem to get away with.

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Rebecka Melson ~ Virtual Business Services