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About a month ago I was on my way to the supermarket to do some shopping when I was approached in the street to fill out a short survey. I don't normally take part in these things but the woman seemed quite genuine and I was told that I would be entered into a draw for a £5,000 prize. Looking at the survey it really was 2 minutes and I ticked all the boxes (or so I thought) so that I wouldn't receive any junk in the post etc. I thought nothing more of it because the chances are slim, but there again if you're not in it, you can't win it or so the saying goes.
Anyway, I've just got off the phone to a company called CLC and the number they called from was 01268 557600, which of course I didn't recognise. The person on the other end of the line (you can never quite catch their name can you?) assured my that I had won a free holiday for seven days with all the flights paid for. I have to admit that they did sound very honest and genuine. Apparently I wouldn't have to buy or commit to anything and this was all the real thing. I was then given a code and told to call the travel company and was assured I didn't have to choose my holiday destination on the spot, but if I called straight away I could receive a further £50 worth of shopping vouchers. Furthermore, it was a freephone number so I really wouldn't have to pay a penny. The phone number I was given was 0800 988 9904.
I very nearly called that number, but luckily the alarm bells in my head had started sounding and I did what any suspicious person would do, I Googled those telephone numbers and of course the company called CLC. What I found was page after page of horror stories about lengthy timeshare presentations and the hard sell from some very shady characters.
It looks like lots of people have approached by these holiday companies trying to attract potential customers by dangling the free holiday. They're then subjected to up to these presentations and slowly ground down (sometimes up to six hours). Various unsavoury techniques are used to push you into signing including bombarding you with lots of confusing and contradictory information and even shaming people into signing up for a timeshare.
I had a lucky escape I think, but I have an idea what these things are like having gone along to one once before. We did walk away with a few vouchers on that occasion but I'm not sure it was worth the two hours of bullshit and the hard sell. These people really are the definition of lowlife and I don't understand how this kind of thing can be allowed to go on but apparently they aren't doing anything that's against the law. They're preying on some vulnerable people though, and yes I can see that there's an element of human greed there too. Who wouldn't like the idea of a free holiday?
The only thing left to say is: open your eyes folks because there really aren't any freebies in this world. You'll pay one way or another and fortunately for me this time it was only a bit of time researching and then writing this gripe. It's also put me off "sparing a few moments of my time" to fill in surveys as I wander up to the shops. Next time they'll be getting more than few questionnaire answers from me!
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You would have never told that the flights would be paid for, as it's only the accommodation supplied by CLC World itself, that's for free. So either you didn't listen, or you're telling a lie. Hard sales IS illegal and they do not hard sale you into any time share or holiday products. They tell you what there is to offer as a resort & hotels company, as the whole purpose of the award in the first place is to promote themselves. They wouldn't tarnish that reputation in order to force you into buying something, that's foolish thinking on your behalf.
In future, try listening to the phone call that YOU put your name and phone number down to receive, on the survey that YOU consented to complete.Then you wouldn't produce lies to the internet, because you're making a negative assumption in regards to a legitimate company merely trying to promote themselves and getting backlash from ignorant 'lowlife's' such as yourself.
P.S. I will print off my comments and your message and shove it under CLC reps nose as they ate pitched up at my local shopping centre in Croydon. Let’s see what they have to say to this then
The condition was to attend a 90 minute tour and presentation at the 5 star Pestana Carlton Hotel
The Pestana Group is a family owned company with 91 hotels worldwide.
The presentation was complete lies. (checked out on google)
The voucher was from a UK company called UKminibreak you pay £ 29 per person to register.
Their website did not exist and google showed this was a scam.
Another UK company shut down by trading standards had received £ 29 from 65,000 people and only 25 certified holidays had been taken.
Trust no one offering something for free it is a scam. "google it"
thanks for all the great comments guys - what a rotten job to have!
The resort was fine. I can't fault there professionalism. Most staff I met had been working for them for a long time. I went to the sales meeting and as a business man myself there where no alarm bells ringing. It's moved on allot since time share. When I consider how much we have spent on holidays in the past, I wish I had seen it sooner. They now have resorts all over the world so your not buying into just one appartment. Your purchasing points which you exchange for time at resorts. You get them every year for 19 years but it can be rolled over if you don't use them. What you pay depends on how many points you get. I purchased a deal for 18 years as someone was selling there deal as they told me they had upgraded. That cost less than £18,000 That would be about 2 weeks a year. Or more depending on how you use the points. How you finance that is up so you. But if you take a long term approach on repayment, The interest will makes it an expensive deal. What my wife liked was the quality of the accomadation and not having to research where to stay. There is an interval deal too. I likened this to a travel secretary. I sometimes irritates me when it's human nature the spread bad news and warnings and jumping to negative conclusions. But I really enjoyed my holiday and have another one free as well as my points.
Holidaygirl
www.clcworldscam.com