American Travel Planners (ATP) aka Victory Travel Group Bethany Wunder, Andrew Wunder Smart People do Stupid Things Newport Beach California

Attended a promotional talk so we could get the free gift. $7600 later, we thought we had a retirement concierge company that would discount international airfares and get us condos all over the world. Boy, were we wrong. And their tricky contract said we had to cancel in 5 days...and return all the paperwork. Except we didn't get our membership card for several weeks, so we couldn't try it out.

By the time we tried it, it was too late. They had promised us all kinds of discounts, most of which were 'unavailable' for any dates we wanted, or included fees that made them as expensive as regular trips which can be found online. Plus, the most compelling purchase point, for us, was also a scam. International flights were only discounted as part of a package, and if they were business or first class. The whole point of our purchase was to get those discount international flights for my husband's business travel. Of course we had told the salesman (Fred Persons) this numerous times... but he failed to mention the 'conditions'.

So then we tried to cancel, and all we got was a runaround. Sent in all our paperwork and 4 months and about 30 phone calls later, we are still trying to get our money back (fat chance).

These people operate in several states, under several names: Sea 'n Ski vacations in Colorado (currently being prosecuted by the CO district attorney) and apparently in Washington DC (as ATP), in LA and Orange counties (CA) under the name Victory Travel Group. They list their address as an office in Newport Beach, which we visited...the building management company has never heard of them. Another address is a PO Box in Broomfield, CO.

If you have been ripped off in California and would be interested in going to the District Attorney, let me know. I have no doubt that we aren't the only victims.