Another lesson learned...

In connection to my previous post, my account was indeed cleared the next day. What I thought was my request for cancellation was actually the vacation package agency‘s action to reverse the charges they made to my account. I received the confirmation letter which made things a little more dubious for me. A few calls to their customer service advised me that my account will STILL be charged but ALSO ASSURED me that we’re good to go and enjoy our vacation. That gave me a little peace but my instinct kept me searching for more online reviews from their previous customers. I came across a review where the customer was charged more than twice the amount she could have paid for the hotel accommodation without making a reservation through this agency, ONLY BECAUSE SHE AND HER HUSBAND ARE NOT AMERICAN CITIZENS. I dialed the customer service hotline again. After playing the recording of my reservation, the representative found out that I was never asked if I am a citizen. She told me that the manager requested for a full refund of my transaction.

I would have felt better after that conversation but I also read complaints of promised reimbursements from them that never transpired. To make the story short, my account was undeniably charged. I cannot reach them during the weekend so I called them again this morning. Accordingly, the refund request made by the manager has to go through their accounting department for approval. I am hoping for its approval but I also called my bank for the closing of my debit card to avoid future charges from them- better safe than sorry.