Claiming holiday voucher rewards

On 17 December 2015 I purchased holiday vouchers after a call from Steve Ticolo salesman at Oziescapes in Perth WA. Mr Ticolo provided me with the company's ABN 46089756169 which checked out as legitimate on the ABN register as Ocean Marketing Solutions. He also provided me with the ANZ bank account details to transfer the money to. BSB 013268, A/C # 196232531. I transferred the money but the vouchers never arrived and after several unsuccessful attempts to contact the company I eventually managed to speak to Mr Ticolo on 7 January 2016. He promised to send the vouchers...they still didn't arrive.

Further attempts to contact the company on their phone (08) 7200 4228 failed and my emails were all answered by an automated message saying they would get back to me. They never did.

On 18 January I managed to phone and speak to Mr Luke Ray and demanded my money back. Mr Ray tried to convince me that he would send the vouchers but I declined and told him to credit my account with my payment. He agreed but wanted to pay me in three installments and also take out his costs in processing a refund. I demanded the full amount in one payment, otherwise I would take the matter to The Office of Fair Trading. The refund eventually came through on 22 January 2016.

If this is not a scam it is certainly a very shaky company...do not fall for the slick sales pitch of Mr Ticolo, Mr Ray or any other person representing Oziescapes. I have advised Scamwatch and Office of Fair Trading Western Australia.

Are you part of this scam? I have foud them to be worthless and was sold them on a lie. They stated that there were dozens of places to stay in Australia alone and on their website there are 2 and they have no idea about them. We will find you and sue you for every last cent. Good luck and get a lawer!

I have experienced exactly the same frustration as everyone else here and I spoke to my local Department of Fair Trading Office who were extremely helpful and understanding. Their advice was to you all to PLEASE contact them so that they have a record of these complaints. If you don't register with them they can't do anything. I'm so sick of being conned by deceitful people, so I have reported them, please do the same.

Caller: Steve Hollyoake - Nite 5

My sister was just scammed $500 by these guys selling her fake accommodation vouchers under the company name Nite5. The vouchers arrived with the name Drive & Fly. She is reporting this to Scamwatch and the ATO. According to the Australian Business Register, they have been operating since 2016 - about time they were shut down. Please ensure you all report these vermin to the authorities.

Caller: Steve Holyoak, Ocean Marketing or The drive n Fly

26 May 2018
Wish I had read all these complaints before we paid $700! Steve Holyoak had a good sales pitch. Since then, can only speak to Sophie on the phone in Perth. She gives a message to Sera at Bookings - can never talk to Sera, only emails which never answer all questions. Repeated requests to speak to Sera have no result. Tan the manager was to contact us, has not done so. We do have the vouchers, but have been asked for more money - no way! No explanation . What a huge waste of time and money! We are still persevering, but it seems it is a lost cause.

Thankyou for listing your experiences I have just had a call from Alex offering a deal of $249 for 6 vouchers for 6 nights stay. A 35 min conversation pushing to accept this or $499 for 12 vouchers for 12 nights & 3 years to take this. Luckily I looked up & read the other info. Thank you all for posting your inexperiences . I am not going ahead with my holiday with these people.
The name I was given was THE DRIVE & FLY, with Ocean Marketing Solutions With a BSB 33084 Ac485746 at West Pac.I was given phone number (08) 6102 0866 in order to go ahead with the transaction. I will not be handing over any money to these people, it sounded very plausible so thank you once again. How can these people get away such scams.

Prime Marketing Solutions AKA The Tour Groups.
My dad got taken for a ride to the value of $1000.00! He was told he could travel within Australia & particularly WA. When reviewing the website, there are NO holidays in Australia and only THREE in the world!!! Get a grip!
Cannot contact them via the website (cheap & destinations misspelt). Emails are "undeliverable". Phone has been disconnected.
What a disgrace! My father is over 70 years old and these leeches are preying on people who are computer illiterate and not savvy to the crap that goes on these days.

I am interested that you got your money back just on a threat of going to Office of Fair Trading. I reported all over the place but no action and certainly no refund. Well done.

Yes you were not the only one. I had the same experience and had several attempts before I got the vouchers. Having contacted the government scam net they could not say it was a scam but only a a business with very poor business ethics.. I wonder if they are still in business in Osborne Park or thereabouts for their office address?.

Yes I purchased 7 international vouchers for $500 in January this year
Called to make a booking for my accommodation overseas and I was told to name 3 hotels of my choice, and that they would get back to me. Well I travel in a few weeks and still cannot get hold of them. I have now had to make other accommodation reservation and out of pocket $500
So OCEANESCAPES AND THE TOUR GROUP is definitely a scam. Unfortunately I was too late to reverse the amount on my credit card but have now cancelled the card I used with these scammers. I really hope they get caught.

It is a scam!!!

Interesting that the supporters of this company seem to come from the USA. I smell the odour of bullsh*t.

Jack Bellows called with the 249 dollar deal for six vouchers. after reading the above Im not going to respond again he has called twice. It manbe legit but im not interested any more after reading your comments. thanks

The Tours Group is a scam. Even on their website they can't spell Christmas right. My dad is old and got suckered. Please don't be tricked either I don't understand how these people last so long as scammers. Obviously change names of company enough.

I was sold 28 accommodation vouchers for $999 as a Gold member. I have been trying to get accommodation in Hawaii as listed on their website. I have now been trying for one month and so far have not succeeded.
I keep getting the run around.
We will call you back within 2-3 working days. I have received no calls back.
If this is not a scam then they are the worst business people I have dealt with. I have dealt with Queens Perry, Luke Ray, Sam ?, and Marrie Wilson.
I am now going to call the Office of Fair Trading.

My dad has just been scammed by the same people. As well as Steve Ticolo watch out for the name Queens Perry. I have reported it to the ACCC. They are now using (02) 8005 0825 as the phone number as well as the company name The Tours Group in addition to Ocean Escape. The address they give is 505/1 Missenden Road Camperdown 2050. It's quite a sophisticated looking pack of information that come from them and it would be quite easy for someone to put it in the bottom draw until they wanted to use the vouchers only to find they are worthless. I rang a number of the hotels on the list of available hotels they give you on their site and none of them have ever heard of Ocean Escapes and they certainly don't accept vouchers from that company.

I got conned too, but not for long. Firstly I got my credit card amount reversed, and then changed the number. I reported the whole thing to the WA government. The phone number is in Perth, but a bit of research traced the parent to South Australia, and the parent of THAT to the USA. Naturally, I reported to the NSW scamwatch people. What amazes me is the validity of the ABN numbers - an Australian government sponsored scam is pretty amazing.

I had a call from a bloke from "The Tour Groups" offering 6 vouchers for $249.00 for 6 nights 4-5 star hotel accommodation. The only 'catch' appeared to be that you had to have breakfast and dinner at the hotel and give a review. I was thinking about spending a night at the Marriott in Circular Quay, so phoned them to find out their view. They phoned the given number: (02) 8005 0825 and a Chinese sounding lady said "Hello...hello". The concierge of the Marriott put the phone down as it appeared to be rather unprofessional, and advised me to give the company a wide berth. I couldn't see how $41 a night could possibly pay for a $600 room. The hotel said they would never insist a guest ate at the hotel, and they'd never had anybody wanting to use a voucher from this company. The ABN given by the caller was 17 108 494 999, so it appeared legit, and I was directed to the ASIC page. Having read the above comments, I reckon it's the same company. If it appears too good to be true, it probably is.

On 17 December 2015 I purchased holiday vouchers after a call from Steve Ticolo salesman at Oziescapes in Perth WA. Mr Ticolo provided me with the company's ABN 46089756169 which checked out as legitimate on the ABN register as Ocean Marketing Solutions. He also provided me with the ANZ bank account details to transfer the money to. BSB 013268, A/C # 196232531. I transferred the money but the vouchers never arrived and after several unsuccessful attempts to contact the company I eventually managed to speak to Mr Ticolo on 7 January 2016. He promised to send the vouchers...they still didn't arrive.

Further attempts to contact the company on their phone (08) 7200 4228 failed and my emails were all answered by an automated message saying they would get back to me. They never did.

On 18 January I managed to phone and speak to Mr Luke Ray and demanded my money back. Mr Ray tried to convince me that he would send the vouchers but I declined and told him to credit my account with my payment. He agreed but wanted to pay me in three installments and also take out his costs in processing a refund. I demanded the full amount in one payment, otherwise I would take the matter to The Office of Fair Trading. The refund eventually came through on 22 January 2016.

If this is not a scam it is certainly a very shaky company...do not fall for the slick sales pitch of Mr Ticolo, Mr Ray or any other person representing Oziescapes. I have advised Scamwatch and Office of Fair Trading Western Australia.