Vacaciones Wide Plus - Gold Crown - Huntingdon Holiday Servi

[holidayclubwarning]

I didnt notice a thread for these con artists so I thought Id make one.

I was recently tricked by Vacaciones Wide Plus when I was in Palmanova recently... the usual thing, 5 hour brainwashing, thought Id lost my �950 deposit so foolishly signed their deeply unfair contract... realised it was a con almost straight away and tried to cancel, they refused saying that the contract was binding and that they dont have to offer cooling off. BULL! Consulted holiday lawyers when I got back home, and after weeks and weeks and WEEKS of email battles back and forth I managed to cancel the whole thing, now I'm just trying to get my deposit back off them.

Anyone else had an experience with them? I know a few people who have been investigating VWP and its quite disturbing the way the business is set up.. seems the money goes to Huntingdon Holiday services, a Isle of Man company that NO ONE CAN FIND TRACE OF. They have a bank account full of victims money, yet technically they do not exist. The same goes for their parent company New Century Group, after lots of investigation this company doesnt exist... quite worrying for those of us still trying to get our money back. Seems the whole scheme is setup so VWP can dissapear with our money and set up as someone new if the heat gets on. A nasty business altogether!

Please see my youtube video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i36A0jfTzOs for a recreation of my experiences with these scumbags.

[Fred 2]

There are threads on Timesharetalk. Search "wide plus".

Huntingdon Holiday Services Limited is in fact a British Virgin Islands registered company - accountable to no-one. It is on the IOM register (company number 003887F) so that it can carry on business there. The address is Concorde House, Westbourne Road, Ramsey IM8 2ER.

If you do a search at http://www.fsc.gov.im/pvi/pvi_fr.html you can buy directors' information and the name and address of the person who will accept service of any legal process (�1 each).

If you consider that you have been defrauded contact the IOM Registrar of Companies at http://www.fsc.gov.im/pvi/contactform.gov - they don't know if you don't tell 'em. You do not have to give your name if you do not want to.

I believe that the controlling company may be New Century Group Holdings Limited and not New Century Group Limited (which is very old established and dormant), and it is on the Companies House register at companieshouse.gov.uk. If you pay for the information you can get the directors' names and addresses.

If you paid the deposit by credit card ask them to do a chargeback, giving your reasons - then keep at them if they try to get out of it.

[blondchaser]

Every thing in holidayclub warnings is true, as I found to my cost. But Spanish authorities have known about this for years, yet not acted. They appear totally blind to the fact that it's THEIR tourist trade/ economy which will eventually suffer.
Prevention:- Everybody publicise not to speak to touts. If forced, say your unemployed, dont have PLASTIC as you don't believe in it. If taken to "brain washing PRESENTATION" and can't get away, ONLYpay with CC. Definately NO DEBITcard or cash.
Cure:- Write CCcompany in less than10DAYS & cancel. Write VWP immediately and cancel. This MUSTbe done by RECORDEDdelivery.
Call Help Line 01624 817311 ask for Peter.

[blondchaser]

Fred2. You say that HHSL is registered in British Virgin Islands. Please post their contact details. I have spent days trying to locate them there and everyone I tried has never heard of them or their associate company. Companies house don't even recognise the Reg No:
Maybe Peter McGregor on IOM knows, but like everything else he tries to distance himself from it. How can someone be a director and CPY secretary, and not know anything about anything???

[Fred 2]

Registration in the BVI gives total anonymity. No names of directors or shareholders. No examination of the register. No point anyway as there will be no actual presence there and no assets. That's why they do it. You will get no satisfaction following that route.

If you can get the names of the Huntingdon directors from the IOM register (and perhaps see if any or all are the same as those for New Century Group Holdings Limited) you can make a formal complaint about them and the company to the OFT. You should also complain about VWP to the Spanish consumer protection agency (again) and, if there is one, the local chamber of commerce or failing that "the town hall".

If (and I only say if!) Huntingdon is laundering the proceeds of fraud through the IOM I would have thought that the authorities there should take it seriously.

[snootboy]

Oddly enough I was caught up in this scam in 2003. Cost me �7400. We (my wife and I) were very vulnerable because the holiday was taken at short notice as she was recovering from a life threatening illness. Have given up on getting anything back or finding a holiday at a price significantly cheaper than I can buy from a travel agent until........

Only last week I was contacted (by phone) by a 'sales person' from a company called Koldairdirect purporting to be a timeshare 'broker'
They have received a 'firm' offer for my membership. I have been offered �10500 sterling. Surprisingly I have to give them a 'security deposit' of �695 for the sale to proceed. Naturaly due to previous experience I was instantly suspicious, a feeling not diffused by them asking for my credit card details over the phone. When I refused they asked if I was willing to email them my credit card details. Again I refused and was 'transferred' to the 'accounts department' where some guy explained that I would be indemnified by my credit card company for 90 days so I was 'guaranteed to get my money back by law (Consumer Credit Act 1974 sect75) should the 'service' not deliver what they were promising. I have asked for a contract to be sent to me so I can get it checked out by an expert. I doubt whether anything will come from it but I will post whenever something occurs.

[blondchaser]

Snootyboy---don't give up. there are slow moving spanish authorities who will assist. log on to holidayclubtales.com for web assist ideas and great video. very busy at present, but will try to get back to you with direct spanish complaints people. be a devil, try the the VWP victims helpline,---01624 817311 ask for peter.

[Fred 2]

Blondchaser

This is of course the office address in IOM of Huntingdon, New Century and the other companies - a help line, or do you want people to ring and wind them up? I think that posters here (and in the other places where you posted) should know before they ring just what they are ringing.

Snootyboy

Koldairdirect are or until recently were an air conditioning company, as their name suggests. Do a Google and then go to both the site (Holiday would you believe) and the cached page - which shows what they did until last week! This really does have to be an easy-money scheme dreamed up because the air con isn't selling.

Avoid. You certainly won't get money back from your CC company if you willingly sign up to something as dodgy as that.

[Fred 2]

Koldairdirect (who are in Spain) mention on their site that they have a "partner" in Chester. Were you called from the UK and if so do you have a return phone number, address, names?

[blondchaser]

Fred 2. New century flitted about a week ago to guess where!!! VWP in Palma. But does it matter, since they only exist on paper. The helpline No: will confirm this.

Snootyboy. The organisations I mentioned earlier are
1. European Consumer Centre-Madrid office will take your complaint
2.Dept of Constitutional Affairs website--"ecpresidency" page mentions small claims courts & payment orders for cross border claims.
3.kmentink@calvia.com--Kate Mentink is consumer person inMajorca
4.Esther Garcia---cec@consumo-inc.es
Hope some of these may help. Waiting for mate to send other info on claims