Ventura holidays "prize"?

prowla

I had a phone call from Ventura holidays telling me I've won a hamper.
They then said I would have to go along to collect it.
They then said I'd need to book a slot to do so.
They then said I could have a 7 day holiday in Europe of a 3 day stay in the UK free.
They stressed that they are not a Timeshare/points system.

I've got the letter, and it turns out the time slot includes a 2-hour ("120 minutes plus") presentation, the free holidays are adult only (we have kids), and the hampers are if you arrive 10 minutes early.

Now they say they're not timshare, but I'm in the "if it looks like a duck and quacks then it probably is a duck" frame of mind on this.

It turns out I can't make the time slot anyway, so I guess I'll do them the courtesy of cancelling.

costapkt

If it sounds to good to be true, then keep away. There is no such thing as a free lunch!!! Perhaps they have thought of another name for Timeshare?

dacouch

Its a holiday club, similar to time share but you get holidays instead.

Give it the big swerve

BYALPHAINDIA

Yeah Don't entertain them at all.

Once they get you talking they don't go away and 'Cling' on to you like a magnet!!

Iv'e won allsorts in my time Holidays, Cars.......Hum!!!

Dream on.....

brightonman123

if anyone else gets a call / letter etc like this, i feel we should all book a slot, NOT turn up, and waste their time!

sarabag

Hi,

I have just won a " prize" with Ventura. has any one claimed the hamper and weekend away?
Should i bother?

Alan_Bowen

Honestly, nobody wins anything for nothing. They have bought a new mailing list, hence all the recent enquiries. They want to part you with your money, don't even waste your time talking to them, the number of people who go and say I won't sign, but do, is truely a testament to the sales abilities of the staff at these places.

tobytortoise

Thanks... have just had a call from them offering me pretty much the same and inviting me to a meeting next weekend.
Will listen to the advice and steer clear. Am not usually so gullible, don't know what came over me, they certainly are persuasive!

FestivalsRUS

Just had a call from these imbeciles - If you want there number it is 01202 468126 or 08000 520 545

They truly are s*um bags:mad::mad::mad::mad:

dolphinm

yes they are currently recruiting new staff . . .
I run a small hotel - where some of the potential staff have been staying . . . . mostly they're declining to work for Mr****** -

email sent to a national newspaper:-
I have had a gentleman staying with me - he lives in Teneriffe and spain -

he has worked for many of the big timeshare companies

he had been offered a job working for a co based in bournemouth, and now looks like not even getting his expenses paid by these people -- The ad he answered was in the SUN - timeshare closers wanted --- ******** - in bournemouth



I have done a half hours research on them
results:-
links not allowed here :- OFT and BBC were the main ones

My Guest is a touch !!!!ed off at the moment.

ajones28

I would avoid it like the plague, but if you do desperately want your hamper (or you just want to get rid of them on the phone), the best thing to do is to tell them well actually both myself and my husband are on a limited income as we have both just lost our jobs, we do not have any savings, oh yes and we live in a rented property. Believe me they will put the phone down/ kick you out the door with your hamper quicker than you can blink. I've been to one of these presentations before when in Costa Del Sol a few years ago. The free holiday voucher will be given to you, but then it will be virtually impossible to book a slot because every date you ask for will be conveniently full. They do really hard sell and they can be pretty scary as well how they try to push. Plus some of the men were pretty hefty fellows which obviously added to the intimidation. I spoke to the lad (who had originally 'blagged' us to go to this presentation with the offer of 4 free theme park tickets together with a 7 day holiday for whole family) in the street the next time we saw him. He told us the truth about the whole scam. He said he tells people to lie about their incomes, mortgages, etc, if they are not earning enough or do not own their own property to be 'eligible' for the free prizes. He said they only want people attending who are earning above a certain amount going to these presentations (obviously they want you to have enough spare income to buy what they are trying to sell you - 2 weeks every year at a choice of resorts - in laymans terms Timeshare. He tells them how much their mortgage would be and what income they should say they are on. He told us people do it because they believe that they are going to get a free holiday out of it.
So like I said all you need to do is tell them you have got no money no income and no collateral. Considering they are not selling you anything I think you will find they will tell you that if this is the case you do not meet their strict requirements to be eligible for the free hamper/ holiday. Funny that considering they don't want anything of you. If it sounds too good to be true it usually is. I don't believe that anybody in this world gives you something for nothing, no matter how friendly they may seem over the phone. :cool: