Wild Rose Vacations Charged Under Consumer Protection Laws

Below is an article on yet another travel club in trouble. You might wonder why these travel clubs operate as they do. It boils down to the creed most travel clubs seem to follow; most members will write the cost of a membership off to a hard lesson learned. They know the biggest percentage of the members will be to embarrassed or afraid of wasting good money after bad by trying to file a lawsuit against them. That's what they count on, there is so much money made by these high pressure salespeople it is still worth the fines and the few refunds they deal with. You can successfully sue these guys.

Edmonton... The Alberta government has charged Wild Rose Vacations travel club for deducting money from consumers’ accounts without their permission, failing to provide refunds as ordered, and misleading consumers.

“Alberta has clear rules to protect the rights of consumers who deal with travel clubs,” said Heather Klimchuk, Minister of Service Alberta, responsible for consumer protection. “There are serious consequences for businesses that fail to follow those rules.”
Wild Rose Vacations and director John (Jack) Kenneth Purdy are charged under the Fair Trading Act and the Travel Clubs Regulation with the following offences between March and December 2009 (the allegations have not been proven in court):
• three counts of committing an unfair practice by deducting $129 from members’ bank accounts without their consent;
• five counts of failing to provide refunds within 15 days of contract cancellation by consumers;
• five counts of failing to comply with a May 15, 2008 Director’s Order to provide refunds to consumers within 15 days of cancellation;
• two counts of misleading consumers by stating that agency access fees were not refundable;
• one count of misleading a consumer about their rights by requiring the return of travel club items, including a binder, prior to refund;
• one count of misleading a consumer by stating that membership dues would not increase in the next five years.
Service Alberta first issued a Director’s Order to Wild Rose Vacations in 2006 requiring the company cease operating until it obtained a travel club licence. Wild Rose Vacations obtained a licence shortly after. A second Director’s Order was issued in 2008 requiring the company provide refunds within the legislated 15 day period to consumers who cancelled their contracts.
Consumers continued to complain about the company’s practices, leading to the charges. Misleading consumers is an offence under the Fair Trading Act. Consumers are also entitled to cancel travel club contracts within 10 days of signing. The business must provide a refund within 15 days of cancellation.
Visit http://www.servicealberta.gov.ab.ca/1024.cfm for a tipsheet on dealing with travel clubs or call 1-877-427-4088 (toll-free in Alberta) for more information.