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Show I. . LIFETIMES gj(g U by Evelyn 0. Harris e News stories, consumer agencies and Better Business Bureaus report the Bahamas cruise con is a recent trap that snared unwary prey. One federal worker in the Washington, D.C., area explained what happened when he got hooked. A salesperson approached his wife with a flyer round-trithat offered a four-dacruise from to Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Freeport, the Bahamas, for $90 per person. His wife was urged to act immediately because the first 50 people would get a free trip to Orlando, Fla. The couple called the number on the flyer and gave their charge card number. They were then informed about an additional $90 registration fee payable to a second company which sent them a video tape about the Bahamas. Only later did the pair investigate their bargain carefully. They would have to find their own way to coach airfare would Fort Lauderdale; round-tribe about $265 each. Because the boat departed at 6 a.m. and returned at 10:30 p.m., they would have to spend the night before and night after in a Fort Lauderdale hotel the travel people just happened to know a place for about $130. They would have to pay cab fares between the airport, hotel and dock more money. And then they discovered the Bahamas aren't as far away as they thought. The cruise is a ferry ride in either direction. The rest of the time, the couple would have to hole up in a p p six-ho- OS "We figured that even if we were lucky enough to find a decent, cheap hotel, everything would still run us at least $800 each, and for that we could've found an everything-includepackage deal," he said. Brenda Jimenez of the Washington, D.C. Better Business Bureau said many other people have been fooled by the travel schemes. "Some military base newspapers have even run ads for the companies. I've gotten complaints from all over the country about these companies," said Jimenez. She said the vacation packages are being marketed on street corners, in newspaper ads and from boiler-rootelemarketing companies. Some companies request payment on delivery of vouchers and travel coupons rather than allow credit card charges. Most complaints, she said, allege misrepresentation, failure to note all restrictions and limitations and failure to provide promised refunds. She said consumers should be aware that the companies purchase the packages through other companies, making the refund policy cloudy. For example, one company sells vacation certificates to other companies for $49.95 each, but states they're for promotional purposes only and void if sold to consumers. Furthermore, the originating company states it's not responsible for verbal claims made in conjunction with this offer by other companies. Jimenez said the originating company has been responsive to consumer complaints, but it refunds only the $49.95 it received. Jimenez' office dealt with a complaint from a woman who purchased a vacation package for $400. She was also required to pay a $250 d is. y 0 Freeport hotel, with no expenses paid. Bahamas Cruise, $90." Would-bmilitary vacationers are finding out the hard way that anything too good to be true probably ur 17 Hilltop Times ft American Forces Information Service "Four-Da- y .Aug. 9, 1991 m processing fee. When the woman received the package, she learned about numerous restrictions on the trip. For example, she was told to list three dates in order of preference for scheduling her trip, but none could be within seven days of a national holiday. She made her choices, but the company said that one of them, that was within eight days of a national holiday, violated the restriction. She requested a refund, but the company refunded only the processing fee, claiming she lost the right to the $400 for violating the scheduling agreement. Jiminez says consumers should be wary of companies that promise travel credits instead of refunds. "Travel credits are only as good as the company. If a company closes its doors, the credits vanish," she said. Jiminez' other tips tcf avoid wanderlust woes are: Get everything in writing guarantees, restrictions, references. Don't send money or give your credit card number to anyone until you have the materials in hand, have considered them and checked them out. Oral guarantees are worthless, and written guarantees are only as good as the company you're dealing with. Don't do business with any company that refuses to provide references or written guarantees. Call the Better Business Bureau to see if complaints are lodged against the company you're dealing with. Shop around at regular travel agencies to see what similar packages cost. 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