anyone ever hear of "People to People: student ambassador programs"?

Azriel_LittleHawk · 08-12-2004, 10:31 AM

i got this in the mail a "to the parents of" for my son..supposedly my son was " recommended by a teacher,former student ambasador or national academic listing"
it's for a trip (15 days) in australia. now.. call me suspiscious, but...this just REAKS of SCAM to me. my sons grades are not good enough to qualify him for this..mind they are good (A-B) but not THAT good! and let me say there is no way in hell my sonis going to another country by himself!! nope!1 not gonna happen. so even if this is legit *derisive snort* he can't go. not to mention the $$ to go.
soooo...what d'y'all think? anyone got experience with these folks?
thanks everyone!
Az

**Advertisement** · 08-12-2004 10:31 AM

**nanajoanie** · 08-12-2004, 11:09 AM

I sent for a freebie for my 10 yr. old grandgirl a long time ago using her first name and my last name. I got the same invitation to send her to Europe. Even if I were wealthy, I wouldn't trust this way at all. Beware

***buttrfli*** · 08-12-2004, 11:12 AM

sounds like a scam to me. I am the same way as you are.. my kids will not leave this country for any reason! My oldest DD had to wait until she was 18 to go on a mission trip w/ her youth group to mexico because I would not let her go.

Can you take the paper up to your sons school and ask them about it? I'd be curious as all get out what it was about.

*edited to add*

I just found this: http://www.studentambassadors.org/ is it the same org?

Azriel_LittleHawk · 08-12-2004, 04:36 PM

yeah!! thats the group. still unsure..i think i am gonna check the BBB and also his school. i'll letchy'all know what i find.

Azriel_LittleHawk · 08-12-2004, 04:56 PM

OK, this is what i found:

Better Business Bureau Serving Eastern Washington,
North Idaho & Montana
508 W. Sixth Avenue; Suite 401
Spokane, WA 99204

BBB Reliability Report

Ambassador Programs, Inc.
110 S. Ferrall Street
Spokane, WA 99202
(Yahoo Map)

General Information

Original Business Start Date: January 1963
Principal : Mr. Jeff Thomas President
Customer Contact: Ms. Rhonda Lashbrook Customer Service Manager
Phone Number: (509) 534-6200
Fax Number: (509) 534-5245
Membership Status: Yes
Type-of-Business Classification: Youth Travel Opportunities
Website Address: www.studentambassadors.org

The information in this report has either been provided by the company, or has been compiled by the Bureau from other sources.

BBB Membership

This company has been a member of this Better Business Bureau since February 1982. This means it supports the Bureau's services to the public and meets our membership standards.

Customer Experience

Based on BBB files, this company has a satisfactory record with the Bureau. Any complaints processed by the Bureau in its three-year reporting period have been resolved. The number and type of complaints are not unusual for a company in this industry.

To have a "Satisfactory Record" with the Bureau, a company must be in business for at least 12 months, properly and promptly address matters referred to it by the Bureau, and be free from an unusual volume or pattern of complaints and law enforcement action involving its marketplace conduct. In addition, the Bureau must have a clear understanding of the company's business and no concerns about its industry.

Additional Information

Additional Doing-Business-As Names: Ambassador Sports Program
Citizen Ambassador Program
Educational Travel Company
International Ambassador Programs
People To People
Student Ambassador Program
Additional Phone Numbers: 509-534-5245 Fax

Report as of 08/12/2004
Copyright 2004 Better Business Bureau of Eastern Washington & North Idaho

there were actualy 2 reports ..they said the exact same thing. so..i quess it's legit. whoda thunk it. now i can at least see what these folks have to say.
i would love to GO with my son..ie he ain't leavin the country unless i'm with him. but i have to consider what an awesome oportunity this could be for him.
anyway thanks for your time folks!!
Ciao!
Az

Azriel_LittleHawk · 08-12-2004, 05:03 PM

"This company has been a member of this Better Business Bureau since February 1982. This means it supports the Bureau's services to the public and meets our membership standards. "
am i the only one that thinks this is ass backwards? idn't it like asking the fox to watch the henhouse while the farmer is out in the feild? maybe not this particular co.. but..a business supporting the watchdog of business's?
that doesna make sense to me.

**shelhop** · 08-12-2004, 06:26 PM

Just so you know...
my 16 year old daughter got the same letter. And I would've thought it was legit, except I got one addressed to my parents, too, stating that I was recommended by a teacher, former student ambassador, blah blah blah. Well I'm 37 years old. I doubt if I'd fit into their program. I further doubt that one of my teachers recommended me.
So they make this sound like this sort of great honor. Pretty much, they misrepresent themselves, and even if the offer itself is legit, I have a tendency to not trust companies that dance around the truth. Doesn't mean the trip wouldn't be a good one...just feel like it's no different than taking a trip through a travel agency.

**kelly12569** · 08-12-2004, 08:14 PM

Just so you know... I got one for my dughter today. BUT..... I get one for each of my 5 children who range in ages from 8 to 15, EVERY YEAR for the past couple years.... just thought Id pass that on to ya

**rlynn411** · 08-12-2004, 08:40 PM

My son has gotten those letters for the past couple of years. I called and checked into the price for this trip...... something like $3500

No way would I let him travel out of the country these days.

**Eyore** · 08-12-2004, 08:49 PM

I used to get those letters also from the same place for my son. I never did let him go anywhere. If I'm not mistaken you also have to pay so much money for them to go on these trips.
I never had the money plus I wasn't comfortable with him going out of the country.

**Stark** · 08-12-2004, 09:10 PM

My 12 y/o daughter just returned from a People to People trip to Europe (France, Italy, and Malta). She had a wonderful time and it was a great experience for her. She is looking forward to traveling again as an alumni and would reccomend this trip to anyone who asked.

Thread: anyone ever hear of "People to People: student ambassador programs"?

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