Holiday Scams
Holiday Villa Scam
Scammers offer villas in popular places for holiday rental. They use legitimate websites as well as creating their own websites. This makes it difficult to tell they are scammers. They ask you to pay 50% in advance and 50% two weeks before your stay by wire transfer. They reply to your emails, offer directions and make arrangements for airport transfers. But when you arrive you find out you’ve been scammed.
Bogus holiday clubs
You are handed a Scratch card on holiday and you find you have won a free holiday. Now you just have to attend a presentation to collect your prize. Not all holiday clubs are bogus, but there are many that are. With a reputable club you should be able to take the contract away and come back in a few days time with your decision, you should have written cancellation rights and everything that was promised to you at the presentation should be written down.
How they contact you
Scammers can call you at home or approach you on the street whilst on holiday and give you a scratchcard which reveals that you have won a ‘free’ holiday. All you need to do is go to a presentation to collect your prize and learn more about a new holiday venture. You will be told that this is not about timeshare. You will later find out that the ‘free’ holiday isn’t free, as you must pay for extras, such as flights and other add-ons and go somewhere you don’t want to go at a time that doesn’t suit you.
At the presentation
Often the presentation will be at a plush hotel. The brochures will look glossy and convincing. You will be made to feel as if you are joining an exclusive holiday club which will offer exciting and great value holidays all over the world in top class accommodation.
What they don’t tell you
Unlike the law covering timeshare arrangements, you are not necessarily given a chance to cancel if you have second thoughts.
The contract
A bogus holiday club will try and get you to sign on the spot – but do not let yourself be pressurised -ask for time to think it over before signing. If you are unsure get independent advice.
Watch out for the technique the bogus club uses:
- The presentation has lasted so long you are tempted to sign just because you are desperate to leave
- You are offered unlimited free alcohol to get you in the mood to sign up
- They have made you a special a discounted offer only valid for that day
- You are not left alone to discuss anything with your partner and you are given very limited time to view the contract.
If you have already signed up for one of these clubs and would like advice on your consumer rights, contact Consumer Direct on 08454 04 05 06.
Source: E-victims.org and Consumer Direct
Related posts:
Even where the holiday company is legitimate you should also check to make sure you are really getting a good deal from the offer.
Go away and then carry out a search for the cost of air travel on the particular day you have to occupy the villa. Work out the additional cost of getting to and from the airport. Look at whether a discount supermarket is located close by. If it is for 4 or more people how likely are you to always have that number able to travel with you. Look at the actual resale value and then work out how much it will actually cost per year.
Need help with Club Class Holiday scam
Have contacted my credit card issuing bank who have tried to deny the reimbursment of my money under the consumer credit act, they have refused saying the consumer credit act 1974 section 75 did not cover international sales, but have since discovered a court case which says these transaction are now covered but they still refuse to pay up stating debitor/creditor/suppleir relationship, because the money was paid to an agent not the hoilday club company.
Has anybody beeb successful in making a claim, would like advice on how they did this.
Have contacted office of fair trading but no reply yet
I have just received a similar response form my credit card company who say that as the deposit was paid to the resort we attended the presentation at, we are not covered under the SoG Act. Even though I sent them a copy of the contract with the Holiday Club (Van Gogh Promotions) that showed the deposit credited to them. I paid the balance by bank draft and have not received the RCI Points after 9 months! Would also be grateful to hear of any successful strategies.