Have I won a holiday or is it a scam?

Idiot_2

Just had a similar call, this time from CLC Hotels & Resorts, won the top price in a comp I entered ( I know I've just hit 30 but still retain the use of memory). Given a 0800 number to call and a claim number.
Do these people think we are all idiots?:rolleyes:

prowla

I had one a while ago and I told them I didn't want a holiday thanksverymuchanyway.

wrightstar

i got one of these calls today.
So i went ahead and called the free pjone number just to wind them up.
I gave them my work number as im leaving so they cant get me again!

When i got through, the ever so lovely woman asked me to confirm a few questions.
1) Can you confirm you are married or living with a partner for more than 12 months?

Answer - No
To which she said 'ooh are you sure?

Silly cow.
I said take my details off your system, dont ring me again cos I aint ever gonna buy one of your timeshares luv!!!

CLC_ANSWERED

I ashamedly am one of those people who used to make the calls on behalf of CLC. I was laid off some time ago and have the answers to all the scams that they will try to pull.

Firstly, the biggest question everyone asks.....how did they get my number? well some of you will shocked to know the extent to which they go. If you have ever filled out a survey on the street marked 2minutedraw.com, CLC pay £3 per survey that gets filled out.

Another method they have, is if you fill out a survey online, even if it is just a "general survey for market research", about 60% of these surveys are sent to a company called Axium and again CLC pay for those questionnaires.

The other way is the cold calling trick. They will get a phonebook and hand a representative a page out of it, and ask them to work their way down the sheet. The difference here is, if it were a survey you filled out, then there is a date they will remind you of and where you were when you filled it out. If you get a cold call, they will say something like do you remember filling out a survey for us about 6 months or a year ago? knowing full well the answer is going to be no, and they will then persuade you that you did fill a survey out.... they get tips and training on how to do this and most of them are extremely good at it.

Which brings me to the next point. How many of you who received a phone call were told that no selling would be involved at the presentation you have to attend, or that it is only for security purposes to bring your identification with you? again this is another lie. If you hear someone say it shouldnt take any longer than 20 minutes, don`t believe them. Again they have to be very particular with what they say, so they will never say it wont take longer, or that you "won" a holiday, they will say it shouldnt take any longer, emphasis on shouldnt as then they are not held responsible should it "overrun" and they will also say you were awarded a holiday, for reasons I will cover soon.

When you attend the presentation, you will be involved in about 2 - 4 hours of high pressure sales. The reason for this is the people who work at the presentations do not get a minimum wage, but for every booking they make at that meeting they make a commission of £600.

Should you then go and take the holiday, make sure you are aware of exactly what is paid for and what isn't. They say 7 nights in this country or that one and flights for you and up to 3 other people. They do not mention anything about airport taxes, transfers from the airport to the hotel, travel insurance etc. These are the reasons they say you were "awarded" a holiday, because due to travel law, if they say you have won a holiday, they are liable to pay for all of the costs, and not just what they want to pay for it.

It simply works like this..... because CLC own the hotels, they do not have to pay for them. They bulk book the flights so they might have to pay maybe £5 a ticket, you are then billed x amount and they pocket the profits from it thank you very much.

I hope this helps some of you in future, and if there are any more answers people want, then pls feel free to ask and I will answer if I know the answer lol.

SallyCinnamon

Thanks for this - and all thread contributors. Just had a call about a free holiday for 2. I was sceptical hence the google that brought me here and not surprised by what I've found!

JRA58

Earlier this week, I had a call from someone purporting to be phoning from Malta and informing me that I had been specially selected to receive a week for 2 adults in a new hotel in Malta @ a cost of £49.95. He offered to make travel arrangements, transfer from airport, etc. Anyone come across this one?

drogbadude

I've just been contacted by someone from CLC saying I'd won a week's holiday in either Tenerife, Costa del Sol or Portugal, based on a chat with a girl at Menorca Airport in August.

I can't win an argument with my cat - let alone a holiday. So, I 'googled' CLC - and lo & behold I get to this site.

Having read the comments I won't be going to the 'conference' they're trying to get me to attend one weekend in Bristol in October 'so that I can pick up the official paperwork confirming my prize - and my £50 John Lewis voucher for attending'.

Nothing in life is free - beware, there's always a catch somewhere or other.

Ah well, back to the holiday brochures once again then. [didn't like Tenerife anyway]

pelirocco

Me too , just been informed i have won a holiday for 4 , flights included from a competition online , apparently it was some education site ? cant recall entering a competion via there lol . I have been given a free phone number ( CLC resorts ) to call dont think i will bother somehow , Ive been to timeshare events before so i know what to expect !

Matryoshka

I've just received a call from a private number. Told to ring 0800 988 9900 to claim my free holiday prize. Yeah right

Pretty_Pennies

My mum had this this morning as well.... gutted to hear it was a scam could have done with a holiday!!!