FTC Leading Investigation Into Travel Firms

Dozens of travel companies around the U.S. face allegations by consumer protection agencies that they duped vacationers, the Federal Trade Commission said. In the climax of a law enforcement sweep dubbed Operation Travel Unravel, the FTC, California and 17 other states are pressing 85 cases or investigations against travel companies. The crackdown, which includes at least two sets of criminal charges, is the third in four years for the FTC. Government officials say the companies hid the full cost of vacation packages, misled consumers with promises of free trips and failed to disclose that attendance at time-share presentations was mandatory with some packages. The FTC is pressing three new civil cases, citing Leisure Time Marketing Inc. and Discovery Rental Inc. of Cocoa Beach, Fla.; Med Resorts International Inc. of Clearwater, Fla.; and Epic Resorts Inc. of King of Prussia, Pa.