OnceInaLifetimeHoliday.com-Scam?? Please help!

[bookthief]

Re: onceinalifetimeholiday.com

UK telephone number 02081503665

My 85 year old grandma was rung yesterday offering her a free holiday in Cancun/ Florida/ Daytona. The call began with an automated msg which you had to press a number to speak to an operator. She did and was on the phone for around half an hour. This company assured her no money was going to come out of her account and that she only needed to pay for the taxes and fuel charges (£397). Unfortunately she gave them her card number and was informed that within 7-9 working days she would receive the informations through the post and she would then be free to cancel or arrange the holiday for four people anytime in the next year.
Understandably she was a little concerned and she contacted myself. I rang the above number and was put through to a call centre in Florida! The lady explained to me that my grandma would also need to pay for her flights over there and unless she chose Cancun (all inclusive) there would be lots of other costs! This is not a free holiday! They claimed she has been called because she had used her VISA card, I find this difficult to believe. I asked my Grandma to contact her bank and she found onceinalifetime had put a reserve on the money in her account!!!!!!! I rang her back this morning and explained what I found out from the company and her next call was to this scamming firm to cancel the reserve and explain in no uncertain terms she was not interested. then to the bank to make sure the money does not leave her account. She is also having to change her card number incase they try to take any money again! Please be careful with this company, DO NOT give any details and if you do contact your bank immediately! I am livid that they are preying on vulnerable people in our society, my Grandma is not mobile enough for such a holiday and the length of the call and conviction of the caller confused, harassed and upset her!!!!!

[Fuckonceinalifetime]

I was phoned on 21st of July am by this scam hoilday company, the travel coordinator James kenndey told me about this brillant hoilday that sounded too good to be ture, he told me that there was a 90% discount on the hoilday which brought it down to this amazing price of £498 i was scepitical on doing so but it wasnt the first tiem i had been phoned by them and should of stuck to my guns the 2nd time but never the less i didnt!! vaulable lesson learnt

any one could give me legal advise i would be greatful,they have to be stopped!!! remember if its to good to be ture it probably is!!!

[Channie]

Hi All,
I too have just got off the phone to onceinalifetimeholiday.com I was told because i was a Visa rewards member that I had won a holiday to Cancun free accomodation etc etc. This bloke was hard to understand at the best of times but the moment he asked me to confirm my card number alarm bells rang. Yep he had all my details such as name,address and date of birth, i said if you have this information and you are from Visa rewards then my credit card number is irrelevant.No he said we need to confirm that we have the right number.Needless to say no credit card number was handed over even though he assured me that thie legal department would speak with me and ensure that i understood terms and conditions etc if i was in doubt.You bet I was in doubt. I hung up with them only to get 2 more phonecalls from them. In the end I told them that I was ringing not only Visa rewards but also the fraud squad here in Victoria Australia.
Visa do not have any dealings with this group and state that THIS IS A SCAM. I will now contact the fraud squad.
Thanks guys for posting your warnings these parasites need to be stopped.

Channie

[davidpatterson]

TO EVERYONE OUT THERE MUST READ - I too just like all these people had a phone call saying that same thing 'you have won a hoilday to the united states all expences paid'. At first I was ready to hang up, but wanted to see what the catch was.

A person came on the phone and said you have won a hoilday all expences paid to USA and staying in a four star hotel for you and four friends or family. After a twenty mintue call I was sold just like everyone else. After getting transfer to one person to other I should have hang up on them but didn't.

Once telling me that all had to pay was the government taxes and everyting else was covered I told them all my details, but here's the catch. He came back and said that we could not do the transaction as it was block, after I confirm that everyting was fine please try again, but once again no good.

Heres where it gets better, I asked him for his number and I will call him back after I confirm with my bank and the silly person did it, so to everyone out there here is the phone number - 0012135371099 or 1800 8705865. As this number is from the USA and Im here in Austaralia I did not call them back after read all your complaints.

[swong]

Fred2 thankyou for your reply as I feel a bit more reassured that this onceinalifetime holiday scam is not going to get any of my hard earned money. I am so glad I trusted my instincts and refused to give any numbers of my credit card. And I am so thankful that this page exists to assist fellow travellers.

[Canners]

Hi,

I just got scammed in the same way. Feel such a muppet. They got the 16 digit and the expiry date from me but I have immediately cancelled my card after becoming more suspicious when they started asking d.O.B etc so hung up the call.

The bank have now cancelled the card 15mins after I ended the call so all should be OK there.

My worry is now who gets charged for the call. I hope to god this is not one of those £20/min phone scams too.

Anyone know if they have had ridiculous call charges as a result of these phone calls ?

[pepsi13]

I think I have just fallen for it also. Can you please get back to me asap regarding your case and if it is what you are fearing.

thanks in advance
maureen

[ped off]

today i was scamed just like most free holiday to orlando. i would just like to know how these people get all of our details. before giving anymore details i was lucky enough to check this website. i told the op it was a scam he said no when i read some of the feed back to him he hang up on me what does this say

[Cautious Carla]

I had a call today from a guy in Florida advising me that, as a Visa/Mastercard customer, I had won a totally free holiday in Cancun, Mexico, to be taken any time within the next 12 months. After telling me about this wonderful holiday, he said this was a Visa/Mastercard promotion. Already warning bells were ringing in my head so I was not surprised at the way the conversation went from then on. Having agreed that I used my Mastercard for all my spending, he then asked for my card details so that he could verify that I was, in fact, a genuine Mastercard customer as they were spending a vast amount of money on my holiday and needed to be sure it was going to the right person. I said I never give this information to anyone unless they are an English company known to me and from whom I am buying something. He claimed that it was perfectly safe for me to give him the 16 digit number on the front of the card - which is only a 'membership number' - as that would be no use to them without the 7 digit security number on the reverse of the card. I know that this is untrue as not all companies I buy from on the telephone ask me for this security number on the back so - YES - the 16 digit number CAN be used to charge things on to your credit card. He got very upset that I didn't trust him and, after 32 minutes of arguing and wasting HIS telephone time, I told him to just forget all about me and my free holiday as I had absolutely NO intention of giving away my card details. I give him top marks for persistence and tenacity! He gave me a couple website addresses which I checked, including this one. When I told him about it he said he was '"very upset" by this as he wouldn't have spent all this time on me if it was a scam. I have deleted my online Temporary Internet Files and History and also telephoned my Mastercard supplier to alert them. She has noted it against my card number and will advise her other colleagues to be wary of these people. Back to the old maxim of BUYER BEWARE!!
Incidentally, I've also received phishing emails purporting to be from every English and Scottish Bank trying to get me to give my details. I forwarded these on to the authentic bank security department and then blocked them. "Cautious Carla"

[Canners]

I notice Carl that you said "HIS" telephone costs. Are you 100% about this - have you checked with your call provider. I am trying to but am getting no joy