My friend just sent me your bullshit artical.Well after running it through Google Translator, I offered the following reply. And for those that do not know, when someone writes me about a column, it is my policy to respond to everyone. My position is if you took the time and effort to contact me, I owe it to you to respond.
I went to a meeting and LOVED IT..get that LOVED IT! I am gonna take my children (they are growed up) and sign them up too because it is a good deal and they can use the money too. We all like to travel and who dont want the perks? Then a personal website ontop of that!!!! You dont know what your talking about asshole!
Tell me one real reason YTB is a scam...you cant't there i knew it. fucking idiot!!!! Now who is bogus and not??
Thanks for your opinion. After deciphering it all and getting through the harsh language, I am guessing you are looking for me to provide my reasoning as to why I believe YTB to be a scam. While I believe they are a legitimate company, I do not feel they are a legitimate travel agency. The main focus is on selling the business opportunity. Approximately 75% of their revenues come from monthly fees and sign up fees. A meager 15% comes from travel commissions.This email, while a bit more vulgar than the rest, unfortunately is fairly typical of the emails I get from the pro-MLM point of view. There seems to be no room for discussion or common ground (which I believe there is), so I have to wonder the intent of sending it in the first place.
In addition over the past 4 months, they have had their account terminated with Royal Caribbean Cruises, Azamara Cruises, Celebrity Cruises, Perrillo Tours, and Carnival just implemented a more stringent policy on perks requiring the sale of 5 cruises prior to being eligible to receive any perk or benefit. Additionally, IATA also revoked their accreditation which resulted in the loss of the IATAN cards which are an industry credential which you may have been told was included.
One of their larger shareholders (also their former attorney) has threatened legal action and claimed that company is not in compliance with many state laws as well as non compliance with federal law. But now he seems not so sure. Do they employ wish washy legal teams?
Their stock was trading at $9.50 in August and is hovering around $1.00 right now and the top dog has essentially sold off all of his stock and the other larger shareholders are selling theirs as well. They were demoted from the Amex (?) and are traded on the pink sheets because of past accounting irregularities and for failing to file the required SEC filings.
You can make your decision, but those seem like some pretty big red flags to me. Good luck with your travel career and thanks for contacting me.
Best-
John
PS..you might want to work on your "presentation" before you are actually dealing with a customer!
Is it to make sure I know someone else disagrees with my opinion? Get in line, I have 150,000 that disagree with my opinion. Is it to show off their mastery of the English language? Maybe it is to demonstrate a certain level of professionalism? Maybe it is just as simple as there is no logical argument for many of the issues. I just don't know!
.
John, typical YTber. Did you expect anything different. Insults, lies, etc...its all part of the game. Most YTBers, won't/can't answer simple questions. That's because the top dogs can't even come clean. So instead of answering, they dance, they state "just believe me", they talk about inside sources that always are wrong or is a misunderstanding.
ReplyDeleteThe whole market is down, but YTB down to .97 on opening. OUCH
ReplyDeleteWell, rather than look at the price, look at the percentages
ReplyDeleteDow down 2.85%
Nasdaq down 3.21
YTB down 7.62
Quite the trendsetter they are!
The person who sent that e-mail is a lost cause - I have to wonder why a YTB prospect (hasn't even signed yet) gets angry enough to send someting like that?
ReplyDeleteyeah but he is not wrong
ReplyDeleteWell--who knows if it is a prospect. It was a yahoo address and for all I know it could be someone that is already in the program, etc. It could be someone OUTSIDE the program as well.
ReplyDeleteBut it is funny that no one seems surprised that it is purported to be from a YTB RTA--ahh if YTB had some control over their people.
John,
ReplyDeleteI'm sure a resident YTBer will come in and claim that this is just another"rogue" agent. The funny thing is, the further YTB expands, the more "rogues" we will see, and the bigger the spotlight gets on YTB. That is not what they want or need.
Kinda goes along with that jail comment they make. Basically, sign anyone up who has the sign up fee. Doesn't matter if they have any intelligence or social skills. It's very sad how they exploit and take advantage of people like this. Welcome to the world of MLM hate mail. Very typical. Sad, very sad that this person was obviously sold a dream :(
ReplyDeleteSad letter that is, and such professionalism. How can they know so much about a company after just one meeting? That makes them the expert on whos legit or not in this industry. This is what we deal with?
ReplyDeleteAhh..but i do have a funny story. As I was waiting to board my flight to Tampa on Saturday, I was standing near the check-in counter with my daughter. A "agent" for YTB (and I use that term loosely) was at the Continental counter trying to get a "free" upgrade to first class. The agent flat-out told her no, but the agent persisted stating that she was a travel agent and she sells so much business blah blah blah. CO gate agent didn't care..the "travel agent" was quite relentless when finally the gate agent told her to get in line or get off her flight. I could not help but chuckle to myself on line. They really do not understand that the "so-called" perks are not guaranteed simply because your an agent.
I have much to read thru, tried to actually relax and enjoy my vacation so I didn't log on at all...wow..so much to catch up on.
PS - why is it when Vicki Freed changes positions its because she wanted to and its a good thing..but when Lisa Bauer was promoted..it was a bad thing?
Lisa,
ReplyDeleteMy same exact comment yesterday about Lisa and Vicki. You won't get answers, they will just ignore it, or change the subject...typical responses.
Just look at the Phil topic, they don't/didn't want to even touch that other than "Loud Mouth Proud", who claimed that we "didn't KNOW it was that Phil", and when the cruise came out, promptly shut up. YTBers have excuses for everything.
In terms of airline upgrades, I find that identification as an agent is the kiss of death! With the airline I have agreements and relationships with, I will call my sales manager and they will initiate an upgrade and that works. If I have points, that works. And even when I am just plain very nice and appreciative--that works on occasion.
ReplyDeleteBut approaching and saying I am a travel agent---wham center seat last row by the lavs! I actually say a standard message in the old HP system that essentially said that there are to be no TA upgrades under any circumstances.
One of the requirements for being listed on the Amex is a $3 price per share...so that 3 for 1 stock split was a ticket to Pinkyland where oversight is pretty much non-existant. I wasn't following YTB back then so I don't know all of the particulars but between the split and the sell-offs the stock is where it is because of management.
ReplyDeleteOf course, the CEOs sold their stock when they went public. People who bought the stock on what Tomer said got SCAMMED! Tomers talk up the product people buy into it and then they unload the stock like its a hot potatoe. People should have waited....but of course, there are those who are waiting for the next great get rich scam...and here it is. You can't deny that the CEOs got rich because of this. And these are the people they trust?
ReplyDeleteWell, at least now we figured it out! YTBSCAM is Dan Qualye!
ReplyDelete(SOrry, but I had to with the potatoe thing and all.)
Hey Pee,
ReplyDeleteIt's alright, I like a good laugh once in awhile, thats why I come here, to see statements from people like CM, Proud, etc and how they back peddle, lie, and just spout misinformation, makes for a good laugh. :)
You know, I have wondered why the MLM people I have encountered in my life get so upset when you disagree with them. I agree with you, John, YTB is a legit business and if you like that business model, it works well. I don't like that business model, so I would not do well with it.
ReplyDeleteHowever - as far as YTB being a legitimate Travel Agency, there is no question. It is not. A Travel Agency does not just refer or sell travel. A travel agency should have agents that research and educate.
Their anger and defensiveness almost seems cult-like. I would almost go as far as to say that some of the responses I read on here border on worshiping Coach, Scott and Kim. That weirds me out.
Oh, and as I have said before, I am a supplier, an Air Consolidator, actually. Our policy is to sell to agencies that register with us. We do not enjoy the time it takes to train the YTB agents, and our boss does not like it when we have our reviews and he can see our call times getting long, but for now, we sell to YTB.
Wow! That's amazing! I can't believe that they haven't even signed up yet but are already so sucked in by the cult that they will defend it like that! It's sort of scary.
ReplyDeleteWell its the "kook-aid", they just don't get it. YTB preys on people like this. The ones that will believe everything they say. "Scott said this so it has to be true!", "Crotch said it was all a misunderstanding".
ReplyDeleteThe CM countdown is on once again, and once again I will predict that he is TOTALLY wrong. But that shouldn't matter because his inside sources has been wrong about pretty much everything so far.
And WTH is EAB? Silenced? Canned?
John said..."Well--who knows if it is a prospect. It was a yahoo address and for all I know it could be someone that is already in the program, etc. It could be someone OUTSIDE the program as well."
ReplyDelete"In light of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (and his beliefs), I decided to hold off on posting this till today."
John, nice for you to hold off till today, but you do Dr. King no honor. Due to Dr. Kings beliefs, I'm confident he would not have stooped so low to publish or speak of such nonsense.
I'm somewhat disappointed John that you would publish this garbage email without any verification that this person is an actual YTB prospect. As you correctly stated, who can tell if "it is a prospect"...could be someone in YTB...could be someone "outside" YTB.
Honestly, the rest of you, chiming in as if this email can only be from a YTB'er...or as YTBSCAM said, "typical YTber". Obviously the jury pool has been tainted and a guilty verdict has been reached without benefit of a trial.
Do any of you remember the Rufus hoax perpetrated on YTB via Youtube? (See last Oct. post). Many on this blog thought this "bugger eating" back woods lame brain was an actual RTA. He even had a travel site. But hoax it was and many of you believed (or wanted to believe) this guy was legit.
I think we can respect each other much better then this even with all the anonymous hate mail going back and forth. God, I hope so.
CTA in MD said..."The person who sent that e-mail is a lost cause - I have to wonder why a YTB prospect (hasn't even signed yet) gets angry enough to send someting like that?"
ReplyDeleteCTA in MD, I'm wondering about that too. Something stinks in Denmark.
Well, to be honest, I thought about it. But, aside from the language, the content was very similar to emails received. Do I think it is someone involved with YTB? Sure I do. Can I prove it. Nope.
ReplyDeleteBut when you see the likes of some of the pro-YTBers that post on here, and the other message boards, I guess the message is that it really is not out of the question.
As for Rufus. I was unaware that he was a hoax. Is he not an RTA or a Director? At one point I heard he was a director and made the videos as a goof. Well, I will go back to YTB HQ and ask them why they cannot control what is out there? Goof or not, it is the face of YTB--boogers and all. If it was suppesed to be an inside joke goof--restrict the viewing.
ytbscam said:
ReplyDelete"Crotch said it was all a misunderstanding".
Good to know you can rise above the gutter.
If you want to impress me that it's just YTB'ers that get defensive and argumentative throwing out insults because they don't have a leg to stand on...
Well...I rest my case.
You really need to get a life.
Posted @ 9:37am
Again @ 10:11am
Once more @ 11:05am
Again @ 11:25am
Right back @ 11:28am
And now @ 12:15am
And WE are the ones who obsessed and act like its some kind of cult.
The finger you are point there scam has three pointing right back at you...
John has asked you.
Ainsworth has asked you.
Now I'm going to ask you.
PLEASE be considerate and respectful of those that visit here. You intolerance speak more of you than anyone else here.
Thank you.
Ok Doug...
ReplyDeleteSince when did Coach and Scott post here?
"PLEASE be considerate and respectful of those that visit here. You intolerance speak more of you than anyone else here."
Who looks like a fool now? Get a life? I'm enjoying my 5 days off from work..nothing wrong with that.
And is my life much worse than yours Doug? You have plenty of time to track my posts, thats pathetic. But then again, you aren't making a living with YTB, that proves alot. I would think you were out there selling travel sweetheart.
ReplyDeleteI believe I understand ytbscam's rude behavior a little more. His own blog is pathetically anemic. 4 total posts since last November which 3 are his own. Must be he likes to flame here to receive the attention he sorely lacks.
ReplyDeleteAs for Rufus, his Youtube and hoax YTB travel site are no más.
ReplyDeleteHey "ole crotch keeper", yeah no mas....that means hes just like the rest of the YTB..."agents"....no mas.
ReplyDeleteOl Crotch Keeper 0
YTBSCAM 10
LOL Scam! Love it! Your are quite the Court Jester are you not? Can't see what you lool like, but I assume you wear a three-pointed hat with jingle bells attached. LOL!!
ReplyDeleteActually I was a jester once for Halloween but thats another story :)
ReplyDeleteiontop said, "One of the requirements for being listed on the Amex is a $3 price per share...so that 3 for 1 stock split was a ticket to Pinkyland where oversight is pretty much non-existant."
ReplyDeleteThat apparently is no longer a requirement to stay listed. Covad (DVW) has been under $3.00 for a long time, and under $1.00 for quite a while too. It is still listed on AMEX. The bigger requirement is to stay compliant with all SEC rules, regulations, and filings.
Sorry Gang...
ReplyDeleteApparently, all I was able to accomplish was the realization that ytbscam missed his 1:00 feeding.
If anyone figures out what his web site or RTA number is, I'll make it a top priority report his abuse via a support ticket.
We want to rid our company of such "rogue agents".
I don't think you'll have to worry about that "PRO". I don't work for any travel agency or card mill. But nice try :) I have stated this multiple times....obviously the idiots at YTb still can't read or add. A education would be nice.
ReplyDeleteSo "Pro" what are you a "pro" at? Scamming people of $500 and 50 bucks a month? That I WOULD understand!
ReplyDeleteHey Doug you can't report what isn't there. Moron.
ReplyDeleteMaybe you can get that crack shot "legal team" to find out...oh wait they will find nothing.
"A education would be nice."
ReplyDeleteIt would be nice, can you get one as well? If you don't know what I mean, place an "n" after the "A" in the above sentence.
The rude comments really need to cease. Arguments and debates can be calm and peaceful, you just have to check your emotions at the door. Or grow up, that is also an option.
OK this thread has degenerated. Please stop with the name calling. I have asked before and we can argue the points, positions, etc. but stop the name calling.
ReplyDeleteI think it is important to have an uncensored forum and I still believe it. BUt after this comment, I will close this thread from future comments.
John