As dozens of website and blog postings have suggested, Venere.com is a fraud, and needs to be investigated by legal authorities. My experience has been similar to many others who have been ripped off by Venere. I've spent the past six months trying to get a refund for a Sheraton Hotel in China that I booked through Venere and had to cancel for reasons beyond my control. The Sheraton Hotel did not charge a penalty, but Venere refunded only half of my money -- despite a very clear and unambiguous statement on its website that it did not charge any cancellation fee. Venere has sent numerous e-mails designed to delay and deceive. Clearly, they have no intention of refunding my money. Do not, under any circumstance, use Venere. Expedia should be ashamed of itself if it is still Venere's parent company, and hotels and other travel vendors should simply refuse to do business with such a dishonest company.