OFFICE OF FAIR
TRADING News Release issued by COI News Distribution Service. 12
November 2008
The OFT is taking
part in a Europe-wide day of action today (Wednesday) to warn
holidaymakers about Spanish bogus holiday clubs that cost tourists
millions of pounds every year.
The OFT Scambusters Team, trading standards officers from across
the UK and advisers from Consumer Direct are handing out
information and fake holiday club scratchcards at airports
including Belfast International, Birmingham, Bristol, East
Midlands, Gatwick, Leeds/Bradford, Manchester, Newcastle and
Stansted. The scratchcards, which are designed to look like those
handed out by bogus holiday club touts, ask 'Have you won a
luxury holiday?'.
Scratchcards given out by touts for bogus holiday clubs are all
'winners' but the prize turns out to be 'a trip to
a lengthy sales presentation and a chance to pay thousands of
pounds for membership to a bogus holiday club' - according to
the OFT warning.
Also taking part in today's day of action are staff from the
European Consumer Centre in Spain who will be at the arrivals area
of Tenerife South Airport to reinforce the message about bogus
holiday clubs to holidaymakers flying in. Advertisements have been
placed in the baggage hall of the airport as well as in the Thomas
Cook and FlyBe in-flight magazines, which will be seen by
thousands of holidaymakers.
November is a peak time for bogus holiday club operators to
target holidaymakers seeking some winter sun in the Canary
Islands. Every year large numbers of UK consumers are tricked out
of thousands of pounds at resorts across Spain such as Malaga,
Marbella, Gran Canaria and Tenerife. Consumers are typically
targeted by touts who hand out bogus winning cards to
holidaymakers. To collect their prize they are required to attend
a lengthy presentation and persuaded into signing a contract for
an 'exclusive' club on the basis of false claims about
the price, range and quality of holidays available.
In most cases, consumers find they have bought little more than
access to an internet booking site offering the same service they
could get at a travel agent for free. OFT research shows that 78
per cent of bogus holiday club victims are aged between 35 and 64.
The average loss per victim is £3,030.
Holidaymakers who are approached by a scratchcard tout or who
attend a presentation should consider:
* Do you have the time
to sit through a lengthy sales pitch?
* Will the promises made
by the salesman be in the contract and can you rely on them?
*
Can you take away the contract to consider at your leisure or
cancel later?
* Do you know exactly what you are getting for
your money?
If the answer to any of these questions is 'no', then
the OFT advises to simply walk away.
Mike Haley, OFT Director of Consumer Protection,
said:
'Bogus holiday clubs ruin thousands of holidays
every year leaving holidaymakers with large bills for near
worthless holiday club memberships. The OFT is working hard to
raise awareness of the tricks used by these scammers and to ensure
that action is taken to combat the worst offenders.'
NOTES
1. Trading standards officers from Derby, Essex,
Gateshead, Leicestershire, Manchester, Solihull and West Sussex
will be working alongside the OFT Scambusters. Also taking part
are the Northern Irish Department of Enterprise, Trade and
Investment, Scambusters East of England, London Trading Standards
South East and Consumer Direct. Officers from Birmingham,
Portsmouth and Walsall trading standards will also be distributing
information in their local areas. Officers from Darlington trading
standards will be distributing information at Durham Tess Valley
Airport (Teeside) on Thursday 13th November.
2. Representatives from enforcement bodies in Norway, Belgium and
Cyprus will also be distributing information in their countries as
part of a European wide joint day of action.
http://www.oft.gov.uk
PUBLIC enquiries: 0845 7224499
enquiries@oft.gov.uk
OFT
reports and consumer information leaflets are available free
from:
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