It is not getting any better. Here is a press release I received today. Maybe if one of the YTBers on this blog might be able to let HQ know that no one is listening to them. I have reported this to IATAN as well since I am sure they have a vested interest. This is getting ridiculous!
Suppliers--do you not care that these "agents" have so little respect for the truth?
Here is the press release http://www.webwire.com/ViewPressRel.asp?aId=56090
And here are some quotes from it and the bold statements are my issues!
When you become an RTA you can receive a real, tangible Home-Based Business you can run from anywhere in the world, even from your kitchen table. You get huge discounts on Hotels, Car Rentals, Cruises, Free Upgrades, Exotic Vacations, and many more travel perks. Your own personal travel agent photo ID card and credentials. Support and backing from a State-of-the-Art Travel Agency in Illinois. Your own online travel booking website and 60% of paid commissions. A position in YTB’s Affiliate Marketing Program, allowing you to earn a serious income and bonuses on you and your teams production. “Fam” Trip Access to Exotic Places and your own personal IATAN (International Airlines Travel Agent Network) Card
“We are extremely excited to join over 130,000 other YTB “RTA’s” (Referring Travel Agents) in the travel industry said Dallas von Nieda. Not only can we earn commissions and write off our trips when we travel, but we can also take advantage of insider information, discounts and special opportunities available only to those in the travel industry in the past. We get paid to travel! Everyone travels and everyone knows people that travel so this business sells itself she says. If you ask anyone if they had more time or money what would they do, the number 1 answer is TRAVEL! ”
Again, the gist of this release is NOTHING about selling travel. These folks claim that they are RTAs but the whole pitch is recruitment of the REP! If you are interested in SELLING travel why are you spewing on about how you travel for cheap and get deals? You do not see Macy ads saying "screw the product we sell, come work with us and take the discount"! Do you? NO!! They sell the damned product. This is BS people and it is only getting worse.
I know, I just don't understand. But this is an outright LIE. They do not get an IATAN credential nor are they even able to sell enough to be eligible because IATAN revoked their accreditation!
Just waiting to hear from the YTBers talking about this "rogue" RTA. Umm yeah...we have heard this before.....
ReplyDeleteJonh can you touch on Phil Picollo being allowed to join in YTB...please.
Or about the former YTB attorney getting shafted?
Doesn't seem like all YTB is rosey at the moment.
Don't forget to click on that guy's contact link...he's "committed to making you a millionaire". It IS unbelievable that anyone with any pride in their own reputation is still doing business with YTBers like this...
ReplyDeleteIt appears "Blatent Lies" has been standard practice for many traditional travel agents as suggested by this poster from another blog.
ReplyDelete"THIS KIND OF BEHAVIOR IS NOT GOING TO BE TOLERATED MUCH LONGER"
Q: I'm writing about the recent Consumer Reports survey that suggests almost half of all travel agents lie to clients when asked about the lowest airfare.
I work for one of the three largest hotel chains in the country. I speak regularly with travel agents. They lie all the time.
I only wish I could tell guests who call me, "don't ever use a travel agent."
Agents lie about the cheapest airfares as well as the best rates at hotels. Unless a client gives a ton of business to an agency, they are looking out for themselves - to get the highest commission.
I have actually had travel agents tell me, "don't book the negotiated corporate rate, it's not commissionable. Don't book the group rate. Don't book the promo rate available. I've got to make a living, too."
I appreciate that agents have gotten screwed on commissions by airlines. However, if this is going to be the standard policy of travel agencies, then they should either charge their customers for the service or advise customers that they'll look for the lowest rate available - as long as they make the highest available commission.
I personally think travel agents need to face facts. Because of the open use of the Internet to check fares and travelers waking up and educating themselves on checking airfares and hotel and rental car rates on their own, this kind of behavior is not going to be tolerated much longer.
Don't you think that when travelers will find out they've been screwed their agents will lose the business?
Oh please. I am not saying the hotel clerk is lying, but she is hardly the authority.
ReplyDeleteThis is a national press release by a member of YTB (not someone that talks to someone in YTB like the hotel clerk) with blatant misinformation.
Wow I can't imagine who that anonymous person is...gee...just look at some of the posts on the other blogs...this smells of Proud. Proud has been pointed out about his misinformation so many times, he's decided to go anonymous imagine that.
ReplyDeleteOr could Proud be the all inclusive EAB.....probably one and the same.
Oooh. I want to talk about the lawyer, this guys sounds like a scam himself. He posts on his webiste that "On September 7, 2007 Coach cancelled my contract with YTB without explanation or prior notice." Once YTB responded, he issued a statement saying, "On August 10th I resigned and submitted my request for severance." Wait. Was your contract terminated or did you reaign? It also goes on to explain this guy had been "resigning" and then withdrawing that resignation for a period of 6 months. Yeah, I'd probably can the guy too. So then he took a list of Directors emails and sent them emails about YTB and them firing him leaving YTB with no legal counsel, even though he was replaced with a team of MLM lawyers. Can you take confidential info after you're fired?
ReplyDeleteWho is this attorney? I have never heard of this.
ReplyDeleteAnd Piccolo, is there anything more than rumor?
Everyone knows that all the anonymous posts trashing traditional agents are coming from none other than Earl Allen Boek. John can confirm it with IP address.
ReplyDeleteMan up already! If you are going to post something, put your name on it!
Actually, with Blogger I have no access ti IP addresses, so it is truly anonymous. And I am sure that EAB the "Internet Pioneer' knows that.
ReplyDeleteJohn said, "This is BS people and it is only getting worse."
ReplyDeleteHREF="http://cbs13.com/local/Lodi.Travel.Agency.2.613229.html"
http://cbs13.com/local/Lodi.Travel.Agency.2.613229.html
ReplyDeletePickett admits he didn’t give a lot of consideration to starting his own business when he retired after 26 years as a submarine officer in the U.S. Navy. “It was one of those shower thoughts,” he says.
ReplyDeleteBut when we spoke with him, he was seven years into a successful second career as a travel agent, specializing in cruises, tours, and military reunions in his home port of Charleston, S.C.
While Pickett took a decidedly informal approach to starting a retirement business, his story says a lot about the right way to go about it. For one, he built on what he knew and enjoyed, including world travel, cruises, and the interests of veterans like himself. Second, he took the time to learn before he launched, apprenticing for six months with a friend who was already booking cruises for a living.
This is also from Consumer Reports...about starting your own business. This guy learned about travel BEFORE calling himself a travel agent and the article didn't mention YTB at all.
Speaking of the US Navy, the US Naval Institute has a YTB booking site.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.usnitravel.com/
I would also like to know more about this Phil Piccolo. All I've found so far is that he IS high up in YTB and has apparently been in more pyramids than King Tut.
ReplyDeleteBe careful where you sign up for those Navy cruises. I believe they offer a 2 year all-inclusive plan.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous said...
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of the US Navy, the US Naval Institute has a YTB booking site.
http://www.usnitravel.com/
Way to try to deflect things, and make people think that the US Navy endorses YTB, anonymous.
The "US Naval Institute" has nothing to do with the REAL US Navy. It is nothing more than a club dedicated to preserving naval heritage. Check out their website, and read under the membership link where it says anyone can join, that you don't have to be in or have been a member of the navy, or any member of the US service....http://www.usni.org/
USNI--that is very interesting. Fortunately, they are a short water taxi ride from my office, so I will be sure to be checking that out. Funny, that they are not the registrar of the domain, so it might be a case of someone masquerading as a federal agency. I am not a lawyer, but I am thinking that might be a no-no.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tip and I will be back to you on that one as well!
I can't find a link on the USNI website that leads to their YTB site...
ReplyDeleteIt's also the only YTB site I've seen that doesn't have ANY contact info.
ReplyDeleteiontop--sure it does--just click HELP ant it will list all the contact numbers you need
ReplyDeleteThanks, John. Nice one.
ReplyDeleteThis is also the 3rd or 4th thread where Phil Piccolo has been mentioned and not one YTBer has stepped up to tell us what a first-class businessman he is.
"John said...
ReplyDeleteOh please. I am not saying the hotel clerk is lying, but she is hardly the authority.
This is a national press release by a member of YTB (not someone that talks to someone in YTB like the hotel clerk) with blatant misinformation."
By the same token JF she may be "hardly the authority", but she was just echoing what a Consumer Reports survey reported that "suggests almost half of all travel agents lie to clients when asked about the lowest airfare."
I take it Consumer Reports is read much more widely then some little YTBers "national press release", as you called it.
Better luck with your next smear attempt!
Can you source the Consumer Reports article that states that over half of travel agents lie to their clients?
ReplyDeleteJohn, here's the link to the lawyers website, all the info is on there:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.mlmlawyer.com/ytbforum.html
Actually, I think I remember that Consumer Reposts, but as I remember it, it was that more than half, thought/assumed that TAs lied to them.
ReplyDeleteWell thinking and assuming does not translate into fact does it?
ReplyDeleteJohn said, "But this is an outright LIE. They do not get an IATAN credential."
ReplyDeleteNow look who is assuming? Do you know for a fact this is "an outright lie", or is it possible there is another reason by way of error or whatever. JF, his number is published. If you care so much at this, why don't you give him a call to see what the FACTS are? Yes, call him and tell him he is an outright lier since you have all the facts.
Hey scam, FYI...
ReplyDelete"PROUD to be YTB" has and will always be the ONLY name I post here under! Are we clear on that???
I wonder how many names you have here...
SWpeaking of names, how can you be sure that this Phil Picollo is one and the same as the other one. There are more than one person in the world with the same name. I'm quite sure there's another "John Fayne" out there somewhere.
Personally, I have never come across a Phil Picollo or Piccolo You have his name spelled 2 different ways here. Which is the right one?) in YTB, but then again, there are quite a few directors I haven't come across either.
So... where are the lies?
ReplyDeleteAh, I get it! if it doesn't meet your standards, or if it isn't what you want to hear, it's considered a lie.
On Phil.
ReplyDeleteMLM TRAVEL YTB LATEST PUZZLING NUMBERS AND PAINS
Dec 6 2007 ? >From the latest MLM Travel Company - YTB Quarterly report they have 120,948 are RTAs with active travel websites. With information given below on travel commissions paid out (See bottom number) that is $9,398,036 divided by 120,948 sites selling travel = an average of $77.70 each RTA website received for the 9 months. That ends up $8.63 a month average paid per each site. This is an update from the analysis on the bottom of this page.
As the saying goes, the money is in selling picks and shovels not digging the gold. The reason we worry about good folks in YTB is... traditionally the law goes after MLM companies paying commissions on selling picks and shovels! Evidently the marketplace thinks so too because the price of the stock is down from $8+ a year ago to a little over a dollar ($1.24 today).
Now Phil Piccolo the greatest of money grabbers has joined MLM Travel Company YTB. He has set up a plan to help all the poor folks that lost fortunes with him before in his different scummy schemes. Then they can join YTB! This may be the straw that breaks YTB?s back? On good authority we know there are several law enforcement entities following good old Phil?s activities. Having Phil?s tracks going to YTB is not good for YTB! http://www.worldwidescam.info/sumphilp.htm
Google..its amazing.
Proud-- I did contact him and here is the response. He is BRAND NEW to YTB and he was TOLD that IATAN was part of the deal.
ReplyDeleteHello John,
I wasn't aware of any issues with IATAN or I would not have included that section in my release. I am brand new to YTB and wrote my release based on information provided to me. That aside, what is your interest? I see you have a blog on the topic.
xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Referring Travel Agents
Flight, Hotel, Car Rentals, Vacation Packages,
Cruise's, Golf Packages, Online gifts,
Amusement Parks, Sporting Events
LET US HELP YOU GET THERE!
Learn more: www.FamilyTravelNetwork.Net
Email: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxt
Call us at 877-FAM-XXXX (877-326-XXXX)
BY the way, love the play on the words Family Travel and FAM!
And Proud, to my knowledge, there are three John Frenayes out there--my dad, me and my son. Maybe a few dozen others that share the last name but not too many.
Now with Phil Piccolo, I am sure there are many more out there, but what are the odds that it is a different guy when this Phil has been involved with every MLM scam there is.
Sort of like saying that there is a guy named Tom Brady that used to play QB for a good football team and has several SuperBowl rings and is applying for a QB slot on the Miami Dolphins. I mean yes, I suppose there feasibly COULD be another, but likely? Not so much!
PROUD--about meeting my standards....it is a lie because what is in that release in NOT TRUE!
ReplyDeleteCan you or anyone in YTB get an IATAN card in the YTB program? THis is a yes or no answer.
Well?
I have a Consumer Reports membership and couldn't find the info that was quoted.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of names and Phil Piccolo...it does appear that he uses several different names.
Funny stuff about ol' Phil. I like the timeline on the same website:
ReplyDelete"2007 September 11th, Phil gets a phone call from Peter Jensen and Joe Reid and is invited out to YTB Headquarters.
September 12th, 2007 Phil flys to YTB has a personal meeting with COACH. Phil being honest with Coach and Peter said that he was broken and tired and could not take another hit... The following words CHANGED PHIL's LIFE forever... COACH SAID "Phil the past ended LAST NIGHT what Phil did yesterday DOES NOT MATTER... But what you do FROM TODAY ON is WHAT COUNTS" it was just a few simple words from an honest man with integrity that lit the fire within Phil. It was almost like an MLM Born Again Experience...
September 12th, 2007 coming home on the plane Phil commits to himself to become the FASTEST GROWING and Largest Organization within the YTB Family... To use all of his God given talent and ability to have an inheritance to leave to his children's children. For one week Phil read and watched everything he could get his hands on to re-enforce what he already knew to be true... That YTB would become the LARGEST TRAVEL Agency in THE WORLD and that he wanted to be a part of that happening...
September 17th, 2007 Phil flys back to YTB with the love of his life Deena and a few friends. Has dinner with YTB CEO Scott and his wife Lauri and once again after spending almost 3 hours with them is convinced beyond a shadow of doubt that THIS IS THE BIG ONE... THAT THIS IS THE LAST ONE... THIS IS THE ONE that will make up for every VALLEY ever TRAVELED in MLM...
September 18th, 2007 Phil and guest experience RED CARPET DAY at YTB with almost 1200 others. Afterwards Phil tells the LOVE OF HIS LIFE... Outside of accepting JESUS CHRIST as his SAVIOR, having 5 incredible children and meeting the love of his life. That YTB is the best thing that has and will ever happen to him."
I heard this is his website: http://www.ytb.com/themillionairementor
ReplyDeleteEarl you posted the info about the Lodi agent a couple of times already. Do you have their IATA number? Can you prove they are not with YTB?
ReplyDeleteThat's what I thought.
Meanwhile this guy has been a part of other "fast growing internet MLM agencies" guess they weren't all they were cracked up to be. Gee sound familiar.
ReplyDeleteHis MLM resume is astounding.
A partial listing of the many scams he has either started or promoted includes:
MLM Bank - aaTCM.com - OneSource - Laundry CD - Matol - Nutrition For Life - thewwwlink.com - ReferEveryone.com - thetwentyteam.com - YourFreeMall.com - Magnetrol Liquid Enhancer and Shower Vitalizer - Free4UOnline.com - OneQwest.com - GECC - Nourishthechildren.com - HelpingHands.com - Travelogia.com - UNS1 - RxPPC - RxFHL - Magic Shower - PowerHealth - PrivatePage
and now YTB...
And the only thing the YTBers have to say is "How do you know it's the same Phil Piccolo?" ROFL!
ReplyDeleteSo, it's a crime to be in MLM????
ReplyDeletepleeeease!
Quick! call the cops and have everyone in Amway, Mary Kay, Avon, YTB, MonaVie, etc. arrested!!!
LOL!!!!
It is the MO. YTB is a pryramid. No it is not. Yes it is? How? well you recruit people to buy into the program who earn no money. You make most of your money off of recruiting and not your product. The people at the top are making money and will likely leave everyone holding the bag?
ReplyDeleteYeah, well how do you know it's a pyramid?
Amway, MK and Avon didn't let Phil in. Be careful what you wish for...
ReplyDeleteAnd if things are really so good at YTB I wonder why they DID take Phil onboard? If things are going well and you want to project an image of legitimacy...well...strange move.
ReplyDeleteLOL Proud your such a idiot....gee its not the "SAME" Phil...sure it isn't. lol Thanks for the good laugh Proud, your good for two to three a day.
ReplyDelete"It is the MO. YTB is a pryramid. No it is not. Yes it is? How? well you recruit people to buy into the program who earn no money. You make most of your money off of recruiting and not your product. The people at the top are making money and will likely leave everyone holding the bag?"
ReplyDeleteJohn, you still just don't get it!
In YTB EVERYONE has the SAME opportunity of success!!! If this wasn't the case, I wouldn't have gone from being just an RTA with NO downline to becoming a Director with a very successful downline! There are NO failures in my downline! As I said, I personally see to it that everyone on my team moves up the ladder.
There are people in YTB that already make more money than what "Coach" brings home each weeek!
Also, let me remind you that YTB pays their RTAs 60% of the company's commission. CRTAs earn more of it!
Again, I reiterate that corporate America is the real pyramid! Take Wal-Mart for instance. The CEO of Wal-Mart is making millions eachyear while the workers at store level are being paid just higher than minimum wage.
Scam, one look at your comments, and it's enough for one good laugh that lasts the whole day! I could wake up with a headache or a cold, but after reading your comments, I suddenly feel better. I guess it's true. Laughter is the best medicine!
Again, why woudn't Phil be allowed into YTB? Because he did other MLM programs??? If that's the case, that would be the ignorant comment of the year!!!
Proud---stop talking about selling the program on the opportunity---where are the results.
ReplyDeleteThis is America and you and I have the opportunity to be President of the US provided we meet the eligibility rules set forth by the US Constitution. But the reality is that there is no chance in hell either of us will be President.
Yes, the opportunity may indeed be there, but the reality is that most everyone will NOT be President. With YTB, the opportunity is there, but the reality is that close to 90% of your recruits will not make any money.
"Again, I reiterate that corporate America is the real pyramid! Take Wal-Mart for instance. The CEO of Wal-Mart is making millions eachyear while the workers at store level are being paid just higher than minimum wage."
ReplyDeleteProud - did you take geometry? I'd like to see the "pyramid" you draw out while illustrating how Walmart is one - let's compare that to the MLM pyramid, shall we?