Fraudsters target holiday makers

Some holiday clubs may not deliver all they promise

Hundreds of would be sun seekers are being conned into joining rip-off holiday clubs, a BBC investigation reveals.

He laughed and said we've got your money anyway and there's no way you are getting it back

Angela Robinson

After much publicised malpractice by some timeshare schemes in the past, UK law was tightened to provide better protection for consumers.

Timeshares schemes are now bound by law to offer a minimum 10-day "cooling-off" period, and are not allowed to take deposits, after making a sale.

But some unethical operators are exploiting loopholes in the legislation by opening holiday clubs.

Because holiday clubs sell discounted prices, rather than shares in property, consumers are not protected against rogue operators under current law.

Broken promises

In the UK, potential members are often approached by a phone call telling them that they have won a free holiday.

Angela Robinson felt 'brain washed'

But to claim their prize the "winner" must agree to attend a market research session.

Unfortunately, many discover these sessions are really an intense sales pitch to join a fraudulent holiday club.

Salesmen promise up to 60% discounts on holidays and cruises, but only if they sign-up, and part with as much as £3,000, there and then.

The most unfortunate find they are unable to book holidays, or discover they have paid the full price for breaks.

'Brain-washed'

Angela Robinson told BBC Two's Crooked Britain programme how she and her seriously ill husband paid £950 to join a fraudulent holiday club, after being pressurised by sales staff for more than four hours.

Mrs Robinson attended a presentation for a holiday club run by Karim Abdullah and Peter Daulton, who have been linked to a number of clubs operating across north west England.

She said: "I couldn't believe what we had done. We felt that we had actually been brain washed.

"I was really rather ashamed of myself when I got back home."

But when Mrs Robinson tried to get her money back her complaint was simply dismissed by a company employee.

She said: "In fact he laughed and said we've got your money anyway and there's no way you are getting it back."

When the Crooked Britain team tried to contact Mr Abdullah and Mr Daulton about their holiday clubs, they were told it was company policy not to give interviews, or comment on individual cases.

On 20 December, 2002 the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) issued a petition to wind down Club Direct, of which Peter Dalton and Karim Abdullah were both directors.

The case will be heard in court on 12 February 2003.

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Crooked Britain: Suntraps was broadcast on BBC Two on Tuesday 4 February 2003.

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