Travelocity Sounds Like a Happy Word, Right?

I feel naive/silly/stupid/duped. Here's why:

I started booking semi-regular flights in August to visit Loverboy and my family. I like checking out different airlines at one time so I can compare/contrast so I have been using Travelocity.com. Well, if you have used the site recently you probably noticed that after paying for a flight, in the same window as your flight confirmation, there is a yellow box screaming for you to click on it that says "Click here to receive $20 back" (ok that's probably not verbatim, but that's what my memory remembers reading). Naturally, I clicked the box. After clicking, a new window popped up that asked me to verify my email address and the credit card info that I used to pay for my flight. I proceeded until a new window popped up with a list of businesses/services...that wanted me to check out their "great deals yada yada yada." I became disinterested at that point and closed all of the windows and walked away.

That happened sometime in September. A few days ago, while checking my bank statement I noticed a $14.95 charge at something called Passport to Fun. I thought, hmm that's odd, I have never heard of this place, it sounds kind of dirty, what could I have bought there? I decided to google the place to see if it would jog my memory and what did I find? Blogs like mine discussing the fraudulant "business" that sucked hundreds of dollars out of their bank accounts. Instantly, I called the number for Passport to Fun that was on my bank statement and cancelled my so called "membership" that I had unknowingly signed up for by clicking the yellow box. While on the phone I waited on hold for over 10 minutes to talk to a representative of the company, and naturally after those 10 minutes I still did not talk to a representative. I was naive again in thinking that I would be able to get through to somebody.

Later that day, I received an email from Membershipservices [of Passport to Fun] informing me that my "membership" was in fact cancelled. At the bottom it was written that if I had any questions or comments, I should feel free to respond to the email....and respond I did. I was livid! I'm still waiting to hear back...

It took the rest of the day for me to get over my anger. I finally came to terms with the fact that maybe it was my fault for not checking my statement earlier in October when the first charge came. I checked my bank account again yesterday morning to make sure my paycheck was received. What did I see?!?!? Another $14.95 charge from a place called Shopping Essentials! What the hell?!?! I called right away and it was the same automated message...to cancel your membership press 1...to speak to a representative press 2...I pressed 2. Somehow, I got through right away.

While on the phone I had Alex, the representative, explain to me how I "enrolled" into their program (through Travelocity she said); if her company was affiliated with Passport to Fun (yes, they are sister "companies"); how many other sister "companies" have my credit card info (none, she claimed); and if I could talk to her supervisor. When she asked what I wanted with her supervisor, I responded, "TO GET MY MONEY BACK!" She said, "Oh I can issue the refund." We'll see about that. She also said she can refund the money that Passport to Fun stole from me. I'd like to believe that. Only time will tell. I don't know how I could get a refund after cancelling my debit card and getting a new one.

I am shocked that a site as popular as Travelocity.com would have a link to a fraudulent site like that. I am also shocked/confused as to how my credit information was transferred to the other "companies". It makes me sick even thinking about it. If I don't get my refund then there's not much I can do except warn everyone I know by telling them my story. If you know anyone that uses Travelocity please pass this on*.


*And if youwork for one of the "companies" mentioned above, you're probably going to hell.