I am an American who is scheduled to come over the tail end of March for a 3 week stay in Australia. I was given the website by an Aussie transplant here in the Seattle areafor this newspaper. I am hoping you can either help me out with direction or publicity with exposure to fraudulent activity by a tour group in the Sydney area.
I clicked onto the GoDO Tours Australia website and was interested in dinner sail for my husband & I-he's a sailor and I thought he'd enjoy this. When on the website I clicked 1 day tours then Cruises and came up with their list and found Twilight Sail and Dinner Cruise-Sydney. I thought $890.00 was a lot, but I thought it was private and well worth my husband's thrill-not to mention the seafood dinner of full catering of the value of $120.00 and complimentary champagne. Well, once booked, the vendor got the date of sail wrong, and stated all we were getting was the 2 hour sail with a cheese plate and sparkling wine and I felt completely ripped off. I corresponded with David at EastCoast Sailing, and became further disenchanted and lost confidence with all that had been promised. I had NO CLUE this was an overnight sail from the website! I immediately contacted the tour company and got the run around. They didn't seem to care about the misrepresentation or other issues I had. No call back, no email replies etc.
After a month now, I received an email saying their tours were non-refundable. It didn't matter the fraudulent manner in which they took $900.00 off me, they were sticking to their guns. I have lodged a complaint with the New South Wales Government Department of Commerce Office of Fair Trading
I have retained an attorney stateside to assist me with this further. All of my Aussie friends are outraged and urge me to go to the media, as this would be looked upon quite disfavorably there-or so they say. Any press or direction-redirection on your part would be most appreciated.
These types of rip-off stories" are really big here, it seems the media has a heart and looks after the poor consumer that gets trod upon. Maybe it isn't the same there. Whatever the case, you can rest assured that I will be giving the ultimate bad press here stateside for touring companies in Oz-in particular GoDo.
It doesn't seem to matter that they misrepresented this tour and the links to the tour on their website, they don't want to take any accountability and will at best offer me a gift certificate. I have several other press lead from my local Aussie buddies and will be contacting them as well whilst my attorney makes haste with action. If this were stateside the tour company would be bending over backwards in fear of the BBB, kissing my backside with reimbursements and any comps to keep me quiet. Apparently there is no consideration of the consumer there, and rip-offs, fraud and misrepresentation for accountability by your businesses and in business practice. I intend to make a wave, and if you help me with your press, it would mean the world to me if nothing more than satisfaction for their future losses.
Linnea
Issaquah, Washington
U.S.A.
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