The Department of Campus Safety (DCS) removed a man at around 10 p.m. last Tuesday who represented a company with numerous complaints filed with the Better Business Bureau (BBB). The man was attempting to sell discount vacations to about 20 students in Nelson’s private dining hall.
The man, Dan Hoyte said he represented WorldVentures Marketing LLC, a company which promotes membership of a discount vacation club and sales of travel services. The BBB lists WorldVentures as having two headquarters: one in Plano, Texas, and another in Moreno Valley, Calif.
According to Texas-based WorldVentures chief operating officer Jon McKillip, the solicitor was likely one of the company’s independent contractor representatives.
“We don’t want anyone out there giving a bad name to us,” said McKillip.
BBB lists the Texas-based WorldVentures Marketing LLC as having a ‘B-‘ rating with 46 listed complaints over seven years. Twenty eight of the complaints are specifically for “problems with the service or product.”
According to McKillip, there are only two open complaints currently. He said the company is unable to contact the person who placed one of the complaints, and the company is in “the process of handling” the other.
“One complaint can throw the numbers off,” said McKillip. “We’re a company that’s just trying to do the right thing.”
However, according to McKillip, an independent contractor opened a company under the WorldVentures name, attempting to get his own BBB rating.
“It has nothing to do with us,” said McKillip, adding that the company just found out about it two days ago. “They’re causing harm to our brand.”
The BBB lists the California-based WorldVentures Marketing LLC as having an ‘F’ rating due to failure to have a required competency license.
McKillip said he has contacted his company attorney to find out more about the problem.
“That is not us and I can’t have people running around causing damage to our brand,” said McKillip.
Several students said they provided the solicitor at DU, Hoyte, with money and personal information, including date of birth, credit card, bank account information and social security numbers, as well as $150.00 to become a club member. DCS did not get the information back.
“Sounds like it was a mistake,” said Texas-based WorldVentures chief strategy officer Eddie Head. “We try very hard to make our training comprehensive. If there’s someone not representing our product properly, we would not allow them to sell our product.”
According to McKillip, Texas-based WorldVentures offers a membership to a discount travel club, where members can take trips that are anywhere from 20-50 percent discounted.
Head said the company has two ways to acquire membership. Students can become representatives who work as independent contractors for the company and attempt to sell the product for commission.
This type of membership requires a $25 enrollment fee and approximately $6 per month payment.
Students can also become just a customer, rather than becoming a representative. Customers pay an initial, one-time enrollment fee of $99 and approximately $21 per month to obtain access to the discounted vacations.
DCS issued a crime notice last week of a potential scam that had been perpetrated against some students in response to the solicitor.
The notice warned community members to remember “never [to] provide any of this type of personal information to anyone unless you are absolutely sure of the credibility of the person or organization requesting it. This type of personal information in the wrong hands can lead to identity theft.”
Senior desk assistant Emilie Weiler attended a previous WorldVentures Marketing LLC presentation held on Feb. 11.
“The presenter said this is not a pyramid scheme, but that’s sort of what it seems like,” said Weiler. “I think it’s kind of weird, paying to make money.”
She said to her knowledge DCS never got involved during this visit.
Hoyte described the company as an organization that helps college kids travel cheap,
“Everything we do is to help students go on trips,” said Hoyte.
Hoyte also said the company makes no guarantees.
“It’s based on personal effort,” he said.
Weiler said Hoyte made that clear in the meeting.
“They say you get as much out of it as you put in,” said Weiler.
She also said after questions were taken toward the end of the meeting, Hoyte encouraged students not to wait or mull over the decision, even offering to call concerned parents then and there.
“I do offer to talk to parents right then and there, whatever makes the students more comfortable,” said Hoyte.
Weiler said she has not become a member. She also said friends already affiliated with the company encourage her.
