ORIGINAL STORY:
FORT MYERS, Fla. - A local company specializing in group discount travel packages is getting a lot of criticism. The problem: customers say the company doesn't always deliver, and they want their money back.

For months now Call for Action has been getting phone calls and E-mails from viewers, who say this vacation club, called Travel Partners USA isn’t much of a partner at all. We checked them out.

Doors locked... nobody home. It looks like Travel Partners is making life difficult for its customers.

"I feel that our contract was not held up by Travel Partners USA as was promised to us", said travel customer, Laurie Reinhart

It seems Laurie Reinhart isn’t alone. The day our cameras were outside the travel partner office, others came looking for answers too. Travel customer Dan Capanzzi said, "I’ve invested some money but I haven’t heard anything from the company."

The owner of Travel Partners Bill Matty tells WINK News that financial problems and a bad economy have forced him to shut down the Fort Myers office...he says he hopes to re-open here sometime in September. Matty would not go on camera and would not do a phone interview.

Some customers say they were promised a lot of extras... like discounts and prizes that they didn't get. And now, most of Travel Partner's customers want re-funds saying they can’t trust a company that doesn’t return phone calls or has a local office.

So far Travel Partners has refunded money only to customers who ask within a 3 day "contract window" to get their money back. Some who have paid with a credit card have filed disputes and taken "stop payment" action. But customers who pay with cash or check so far are out of luck.

Our Call for Action volunteers continue to get phone calls and E-mails from people who are having trouble doing business with Travel Partners USA.

The company's owner says customers may still contact Travel Partners at their Fort Lauderdale office. Still, the Better Business Bureau gives travel partners an "unsatisfactory rating."

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumers services list many complaints, mostly refund disputes and poor quality of service.

The company's owners now says he is not accepting anymore memberships. He says Travel Partners boast 4,000 members.

If they re-open their office in September like they say they will, we'll let you know.