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Review 10/17/2011
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The TRUTH about FareGeek.com
This is my entire experience with FareGeek and will be the more accurate experience b/c I read pretty much everything about them and have found not concrete. Some claim to have had good experiences and some say it’s a fraud.
Before I left for my trip:
I booked on FareGeek and got a rate that was $200-300 lower then anything else I could find as booked 2 weeks before my trip. After booking the next morning I got an email that my credit card was declined which is weird b/c that very rarely happens to me. I spoke with the credit card company and they told me the charge was declined b/c it didn’t come in under a proper company ID (shady thing #1). I figured ok, whatever and had them reset my credit to accept the charge. I got to work and started to google FareGeek and came across a variety of things including the fact that they might be a fraudulent company (yes I freaked out) and that they were a scam and found 1 or 2 comments that everything was fine if nothing happens to your flights b/c if they get canceled then it’s a nightmare and it costs you double the amount.
At this point, I’m beyond freaked out and call FareGreek (yes they are Indians who speak ok English) and get the continuous ring (which others have talked about) and the shady voice recording and yes the phone just rings for ages. After calling a bunch of times, I got someone on the phone who I told that they could charge my card again and I confirmed that the amount would be the same. FareGeek said they would need 2 hrs to process my charge and send me the etickets.
A couple of hours went by and I hadn’t heard anything from them (by email) that my tickets were confirmed. I called the credit card company who I told I was worried about this company but they said nothing had been charged to be card. I called FareGeek back and told them I was waiting for the etickets to be confirmed. THEY TOLD ME THAT THEIR SYSTEM WAS DOWN AND THEY COULDN’T PROCESS MY TICKET AND DIDN’T KNOW WHEN IT WOULD BE UP!!! (YES, I’M GOING CRAZY AT THIS POINT).
I start to contemplate calling my credit card company and telling them to block my card and not let any charges on it etc. About an hour goes by when I get THE CONFIRMATION EMAIL with my etickets. So, I don’t know if these are legit b/c I read somewhere that someone got these etickets but they weren’t actually confirmed and they got cancelled and disaster.
I proceeded to call the airlines and try to confirm that I was actually on the flight and that this was all legitimate. The airlines confirmed that I was on the flight and that these were actual tickets and that he had heard of FareGreek and that they were legit. (I’m still concerned and uncomfortable and figured I would take precautionary measures). I asked if it was possible for FareGeek to cancel the tickets on me last minute and he said that hypothically yes that they could but that they actual booking company was called SKYLINK TRAVEL (which he said is a totally legit Travel Agent).
I told the guy at the airlines that I wanted him to put a note in my reservation that I am definitely not cancelling this reservation and no one is allowed to cancel this reservation without a PASSWORD. I set the password and he gave me the number for SKYLINK TRAVEL if I wanted to call and speak to them b/c they were the ones who actually booked the flight.
SKYLINE TRAVEL
Customer Service: 1-800-247-6659
Direct for reservations (I called to just ask general questions): 1-212-573-8980
I called them and started to explain (to an India guy) the situation and I just wanted to know if FareGeek was a legit company. I grew frustrated with him and asked for the manager and I was put on hold until the phone rang so long (10 min) before I was disconnected.
MORE PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES
I called the credit card company and they confirmed that the dollar amount stated in my confirmation email was the actual amount I was charged (good sign). I told them that I was still concerned that perhaps they were a fraud or that they might be stealing my credit card information. I had them put a block on FareGeek meaning they could no longer make any other charges to my credit card and put a block on my card to any charges over $100 and anything outside of the state I live in. (A little extreme I know, however necessary). At this point I haven’t left for my trip yet and I am thinking about cancelling my card and getting a new one just in case they try to steal my information.
At the Airport, I had no problems what so ever.
Home/Conclusion
I came home fine and cancelled my credit card b/c I was so freaked out by all this scam talk.
In conclusion I feel that they are probably just as shady as other Vayama, etc and you get especially screwed (according to others) if your flight gets cancelled. I would say, if you use this site, just watch your credit card after. It’s been 2 weeks and I have not had an extra charges on my card and was not informed by my credit card company that anyone tried to change it. So I would say just USE with caution. They have very good prices, but obvious you could pay for it in the end.
Would I use them again: Maybe and probably take the same precautions I did and use a credit card with a very low limit…..or use cheapoair if prices are the same.
Hope this helps.
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