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FEBRUARY 10, 2009
TraVerus Travel: Online MLM Scams Proliferate
*Due to court order, TravelAgentCentral has removed a comment that was published February 18, 2009 and allegedly submitted by Peter Stilphen
While travel agents' attention has been focused on the well publicized problems of Joystar/Travelstar and YTB Inc., online offers of free or reduced travel benefits and income from travel sales remain a mainstay of internet business opportunities. It’s also at the heart of the ongoing problem of multilevel marketing scams, card mills and network marketing that plague the industry.
Today, offers are being made to the public to become a travel agent, enjoy travel perks and earn income that does not match the hard slogging, professionalism and high skill levels demanded of travel sales familiar to professional agents. Free or reduced travel benefits are being used as a lure, as are ID cards.
TraVerus Travel Network is one current example. (Also known as Traverus Travel) TraVerus’ online offer invites consumers to “Join Traverus Travel, Become A Traverus Certified Travel Agent, Get Access to Traverus Travel Member Trips, Travel The World and Have Fun Doing It!” The basic cost: $199.95
The Allen, TX based company, headed by David Manning, CEO and founder, says Traverus Travel (formerly known as TravelWorks) is one of the “leading providers of travel services and education in the world. With their International online travel radio show - Traverus Celebrity Travel Talk - and leading edge travel portal, Traverus Travel is changing the future of travel.”
TraVerus Travel says it is a 26-year-old travel agency that implemented its Network Marketing division in November 2006. “This move has allowed people like you and me to become a part of Traverus Travel's worldwide network of Independent Travel Agents.”
There is no accessible financial information on the company or verifiable data on annual sales or members by category.
TraVerus Travel says it is a “ full service travel corporation that operates retail travel agencies, (and) a discount cruise division.” The company says it is bonded and approved by the Airlines Reporting Corporation (ARC), the International Air Transport Association (IATA), and the Cruise Line International Association (CLIA). It is unclear if TraVerus is an accredited agency or is using another agency’s accreditation.
“TraVerus Travel is an affiliate based international travel company with tens of thousands of agents spanning over 90 countries. TraVerus Travel is one of the leading providers of travel services and education in the world and is the exclusive travel partner of 5CTV and China Clicks2." The company also claims to have an “international online travel radio show—TraVerus Celebrity Travel Talk.” A press release was sent out ‘confirming’ the relationship with 5CTV and China Clicks2 in May 2008.
TraVerus offers several levels of participation. By becoming an Associate (for an Associate fee of $20 and a $40 annual renewal) members benefit by earning commissions on personal sales. Associates are able to have a personalized TraVerus website for an additional $19.95 per month.
TraVerus also has more expensive Referring Travel Agent and Certified Travel Agent packages. Associates can earn $50 for sales of Referring Travel Consultant packages or $70 for the "Certified Travel Agent package": Associates can upgrade their status at anytime to become a Referring Travel Consultant or Certified Travel Agent and take advantage of TraVerus's commission program.
The buyer is urged to purchase the "Referring Travel Consultant Package" for $199.90, (This includes the signup fee, Associate fee and the first monthly fee of $59.95.) Another alternative is the “Certified Travel Agent Package" for $399.90, which includes the $319.95 CTA Signup fee, $20 annual Associate fee, and $59.95 first month Website fee. The use of the CTA designation is also confusing as it duplicates a program offered by The Travel Institute. (Repeated attempts are being made to reach TraVerus’ management to gain insight into the company’s operations.)
TraVerus also make it convenient for buyers to compare other offers. It has a side-by- side online cost comparison chart of TraVerus’ offer and those of two other online marketing companies -World Ventures and Your Travel Business YTB. Commission levels and benefits vary by class of affiliation.
Like many online offers the TraVerus site is slick and elicits information on the potential buyer via pre qualification questionnaires. It also refers inquiries to a TraVerus associate. The presidents phone number is a pre-recorded message. TraVerus also has other web sites that feed into each other and in one case appears to be a direct booking site.
The TraVerus site reveals little of substance about the company. There is no verified financial information, no data on sales, earnings or staffing, or its agency, GDS or consortia affiliations –if any. TraVerus does list Florida, California and other state Sellers of Travel numbers. The company is not publicly held and thus no financial reports. The consumer is left buying into a largely unknown company with a slick sales platform.
For travel professionals, TraVerus’ offer can be quickly identified as a multilevel network-marketing scheme offering rewards for building the network’s membership as well as for travel sales. But to the unwary consumer the offer appears a legitimate business opportunity - and in an economic downturn a possible source of added income. Its doubtful that the average consumer is aware of the bankruptcy of Joystar or the allegations against YTB by the attorney generals of California and Illinois.
By: George Dooley
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Comments 1-10 of 26
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Georgia (MARCH 04, 2010)
Do you know what a "paradigm shift" is? If you think the way you've been doing things is the only way to do things and that it should stay that way forever, then you are simply stuck in the old paradigm, and even if the proof was stapled to the end of your nose, you would ignore the obvious and stay with whatever is most comfortable for you.
Watch this video, "The New Business of Paradigms" at http://www.thenewbusinessofparadigms.com/index.htm
After watching the video, ask yourself if you are a victim of "paradigm paralysis". Most people are, and you could be one of them.
TraVerus Travel, a true travel agency in every way. They saw the shifting paradigm a few years ago and went from your standard brick-and-mortar travel agency to an organization that allows individuals to work from. It is a fact that because of network marketing, billions of products/services are exchanged every year. If this were not the case, the business model would have collapsed decades ago. -
Robert Plant (FEBRUARY 13, 2010)
I work in the tourism industry, and I can tell you through experience that this is a scam! The airlines and most hotels/resorts will not honor travel agent rates or discounts without you providing an IATAN identification card.
If you really want to becoem a travel agent, start with a real agency that has offices where clients can walk rigth in and talk to the agents. -
Seneca Johnson (JANUARY 29, 2010)
TraVerus is changing lives one person at a time. TraVerus is not a get rich quick scheme! TraVerus is a company created to help the new network marketer with no experience have a fair chance in the industry. I thank the lord for being TraVerus in my life. Now I tell God less about my problems and tell problems more about my God. TraVerus4LIFE!
http://getinforfree.info -
Seneca Johnson (JANUARY 29, 2010)
TraVerus is changing lives! Its amazing how you can go online and find something negative about everything (religion, people, business, etc.) but wise people get all the facts, listen to both sides of the story and make a educated decision...See what the CEO David Manning and Troy Dooly, a guy with over 20yrs experience in this industry has to say about TraVerus and where we are headed
http://traverus4life.blogspot.com -
Jimmy Plymouth (JANUARY 19, 2010)
I served my country, I went to school and became a chef. $40,000 for a piece of paper that says I'm Certified to cook.
I have two children, do you know how much time cooks/chefs spend in the kitchen?
I've had the privalege to date two "TTA" and trust me all I heard were complaints. And after working a "hard day" at the office they come home tired. What kind of life is that?
I changed my career thanks to TraVerus, and the things I've learned using the Network Marketing aka Word of Mouth aka People to People method open my eyes to "the Corporation" way of life.
In my opinion, if you aren't in network marketing your a slave! You've been brainwashed into believing that someday all that hard work will pay off.
The Truth Will Set Us Free!
http://MoneyMakingDads.com
Good Men Net-Working Together! -
Pastor Brewer (JANUARY 19, 2010)
I have worked for Corporate America as a manager for over 20 Years and don't recieve a dime of residual income from all the money I helped companies like MCI Allstate, Ameritech/SBC Global, Wells Fargo Make. That Sucks way more than any MLM. I have been Pastoring for 10 years and needed to find another way to earn income as everyone can see that there is no such thing as job security in any industry. This country was build on owner ship. Yet many people are taught to work for others, some work for themselves. and even less have other working for them. MLM allows we to work with others. I have help over 30 people retire like did now only 40 years old with TRAVERUS Travel. I have taken more vacations in these 3 years with Traverus more in any single year than in my lifetime. I am very comfortable promoting something that helps people enjoy a higher quality of life being able to afford travel with their families at prices they would not have access to www.traverusretirement.blogspot.com
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nlj65 (JANUARY 13, 2010)
Bottom line, the MLM concept suck... sell a legitimate project and stop looking to build off of the backs of other people with all the empty hype.... I HATE MLM's...
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Blake (JANUARY 08, 2010)
I was a Regional Executive with TraVerus about to go National. I had recruited many, many people and things were looking great...the things changed!! The AG stepped-in and instructed TraVerus to make changes or shut-down! Products were introduced and became mandatory to purchase. TraVerus became what I hated the most about the MLM industry, just another Lotion & Potion company with very little travel being sold! Glad I got out when I did even though I had a huge downline!!
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LISTMASTER (NOVEMBER 04, 2009)
YOU CAN SAY EVERYTHING YOU WANT ABOUT AN MLM COMPANY, BUT UNTIL IATA, CLIA AND THE LIKES ACTUALLY CHANGE LAWS TO INHIBIT MLM's THEY ARE HERE TO STAY WHETHER YOU LIKE THEM OR NOT PERSONALLY OR PROFESSIONALY. THEY ARE LIGITIMATE UNTIL PROVEN BY LAW, CLIA , IATA, IATAN TO NOT BE. JOYSTAR WENT DOWN LIKE ANY OTHER BUSINESS, BAD PEOPLE AT THE TOP, NON-MANAGEMENT, THEY ARE IN COURT LIKE ANY OTHER BUSINESS. SUPPLIERS CAN DO BUSINESS WITH WHO THEY WANT, WHEN THEY WANT. IF YOU WANT TO STOP THE SUPPLIERS FROM DOING BUSINESS WITH A MLM, THEN BECOME A SUPPLIER AND YOU CAN STOP DOING BUSINESS WITH ANYONE YOU WANT.
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Mary Perez (NOVEMBER 03, 2009)
Were is the research? How can you compare other Mlm to TraVerus. TraVerus Travel is not a Scam or a Pyramid scheme. Hundreads of Agents had made a living with there very own Business. This is a real company with real results.
"If we were a scam or a pyramid scheme why we have the credentials like CLIA, IATAN just to name a few, since day one like a normal TraVel Agency?
Mary Perez From Puerto Rico
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