Stay away from this scam
Complaint
Leon Alexander
Country: United Kingdom
Stay away from Vacaciones Wide Plus which is a holiday club operating in Mallorca on behalf of Huntingdon Holiday Services. Vacaciones Wide Plus have touts that stop you in the street with scratch cards, give you a fake "winning" ticket that says you win a "free luxury holiday". You win nothing but gain a debt with three zeros.
Don't sign anything right away, don't trust companies that hire touts who pressure you into giving out your bank card info.
Don't sign anything right away, don't trust companies that hire touts who pressure you into giving out your bank card info.
Comments
Stear clear
thank you
lesley gibson
I feel such a fool..
I hope you can help..
Becky.
The lawyers name is
Laura Garcia Navarrete
For Girasol Services, this firm is regulated by the Law Society of England and Wales
Abogado (Spain), registered with the Law Society of England and Wales
01273 701679
07845 235729
www.girasolservices.co.uk
Then contact your credit card company to start the chargeback process..
good luck
You have not won a FREE luxury holiday!
Beware the bogus
holiday club
To get the ‘free’ holiday you have been
told you have won you may have to…
• pay for extras, such as flights and other
add-ons, that make it more expensive
than if you had booked it yourself
• go somewhere you don’t want to go at
a time that doesn’t suit you
• go to a six-hour presentation about a
holiday club…
Some holiday clubs are reputable but
there are a lot of bogus holiday clubs out
there. In this leaflet we tell you what to
watch out for.
The dream
How they hook you in
You're relaxing at home when you get a
phone call or perhaps you're enjoying a
holiday abroad when a scratch card is
thrust into your hand and you’re told
you've won a free holiday.
• All you have to do is go along to an
exclusive VIP presentation to collect
your prize and learn more about a
wonderful new holiday venture.
• They’ll emphasise that this is not a
timeshare.
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 sell
Are they targeting you?
Holiday clubs are happy to sign up
anyone. But they often target people
who have built up some savings. It
might be people who have taken early
retirement or couples whose children
have grown up, leaving them with more
free income. The clubs often offer you
activities you enjoy, such as golf or
tennis, as a way of hooking you in.
At the presentation
You are likely to be invited to a plush
hotel. The presentation will be very
slick. The brochures you are shown will
look glossy and convincing.
You will be made to feel as if you are
joining an exclusive club that only
opens its membership list to the chosen
few. They’ll promise you exciting and
great value holidays all over the world
in top class accommodation.
The reality is often very different.
The contract
Don’t be pressurised
The bogus holiday club will try to get
you to sign on the spot – but don’t let
yourself be pressurised – ask for time
to think it over. Seek independent
advice.
Watch out for the techniques the bogus
club uses…
• The presentation has lasted so long
you are tempted to sign just because
you’re desperate to leave.
• They’ve made you a special
discounted offer only valid for
that day.
• You are not left alone to discuss
anything with your partner. You may
also be kept separate from other
couples and even discouraged from
taking notes.
The reality
What are you buying?
Don’t believe all you hear. What the bogus
holiday club tells you in the sales pitch
and what is in the contract they want you
to sign could be two very different things.
What they
tell you…
‘You will have holidays
in fabulous places at
times of year that fit in
with your needs’
‘You will get your cash
back after four years.’
‘Look how much
cheaper we are than
the regular tour
operators.’
‘The holiday club’s
subscription is worth a
lot. You can sell it on
later or leave it to your
children as a bequest.’
‘This club will give you
everything you ever
wanted from a holiday.’
What they
don’t tell you…
No dates or destinations
are guaranteed and
holidays are often not
available when and
where you want them.
You might end up going
nowhere.
There is no guarantee
that the company will
still be here in four years.
The advertised discounts
are not guaranteed and
some are available
elsewhere anyway.
You could end up paying
as much as the high
street brochure price.
• The resale value may
be zero.
• You may not be able to
find a buyer.
• There are annual
subscription charges to
pay whether you use it
or not.
They won’t be held
accountable for any
spoken promises made
by their sales reps.
The three-point
checklist
Not all holiday clubs are disreputable. To avoid being caught
by a holiday club that is bogus always use this checklist and
take your time to think things through.
1Can you take the contract away and
come back in a few days’ time with
your decision?
2Do you have cancellation rights, and
are they written down?
3Is everything in writing in the
contract that was promised to you
at the presentation?
Don't sign ANYTHING, no matter how much you're
pressurised, unless you are sure it's exactly what you want.
What to do if you
have a complaint
If you have already been caught by a bogus holiday club,
the OFT can’t help you reclaim your money, but we would
like to know about it. We might be able to stop this club
from using the same tactics in future.
Please put your complaint in writing to:
Enquiries team, Office of Fair Trading
Ground Floor, Fleetbank House
2-6 Salisbury Square EC4Y 8JX.
Email: enquiries@oft.gov.uk
Website: www.oft.gov.uk
If you have already signed up for one of these clubs and
would like advice on your consumer rights, speak to your
local trading standards service. You can find their contact
details in your local telephone directory.
This leaflet is only a simple guide and should not be relied on as a
complete statement of the law. To understand your rights and
obligations fully, study the relevant law or consult a solicitor.
Published by the Office of Fair Trading
Printed in the UK on paper comprising 75 per cent post-consumer
waste and 25 per cent ECF pulp
Edition 03/03 – printed 03/03/10,000
Product code OFT642
© Crown copyright 2003
www.oft.gov.uk
This information is available in other
formats and languages on request.
Please ring 0870 60 60 321 to order.
Have you bought a Holiday product in the UK or Europe? Were you mis-sold defrauded or ripped off?
Call now on 01785 616 821 or 01785 223 253
We believe that Inventory Solutions UK is currently the only ‘Cooperative’ Dispute Resolutions Company specializing in this area of law in the United Kingdom.
Our aim is to help families that have been miss-sold holiday products receive Justice and Compensation.
Inventory Solutions only charge a flat, one-off fee for its complete services
If you were screwed over by VWP be sure to check out the great advice at www.holidayclubtales.co.uk, and also please check out my YouTube video about holiday clubs at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i36A0jfTzOs which also explains in detail how this scam works and how to escape it.
JUST RETURNED TODAY. SAME V.W.P CON 2950 DEPOSIT GOT BACK HOME READ ALL ABOUT V.W.P FEEL LIKE A PLONKER FOR FALLING FOR SCAM. WOULD VERY MUCH LIKE LAWYERS ADDRESS PLEASE.