New Time share scam in Corralejo

[austin7]

They call themselves a "Holiday Club".  Their agents are aproaching people on the street offering them excursions, if thay say they are interested they are taken to a back street office where they are given a 'Presentation' on this Holiday Club.

You buy a CD from them for about 2,000€ which supposedly gives you access to the wholesale prices of holidays.

So beware, if you want to find out about trips or excursions go to a reputable pleace like Where Abouts or one of the proper Excursion offices...

[bedouin]

You buy a CD from them for about 2,000€ which supposedly gives you access to the wholesale prices of holidays.

I reckon if there are people foolish enough to fall for this sort of scam, they deserve to have their money recycled to brighter folk.

[peggy]

Tiger79 i think your comments are a bit harsh. The young inexperience traveller may not know about timeshare touts. Also the older generation - they may not be as quick thinking as they used to be. Have a heart  or are you in the "genius" goup of people who think they know it all?

[bedouin]

Tiger79 i think your comments are a bit harsh. The young inexperience traveller may not know about timeshare touts. Also the older generation - they may not be as quick thinking as they used to be. Have a heart  or are you in the "genius" goup of people who think they know it all?

Harsh?  So you think it's perfectly logical that sensible people can be suckered into paying €2000 for a CD?  Where were their carers when this was happening?  Young people today are streetwise and would just laugh at the touts.

[Ivemovedon]

Harsh or not the place doesn't need conmen trying to sucker the weak minded and vulnerable. No one deserves to be relieved of their money in a scam.
And theres nothing bright about folk who make a living off others misfortune. Sneaky and devious is more apt.

[decho]

These people are low-life con men and I can understand how some people may be conned.
Does anybody know of a good carpenter that could make some stocks for us?
It would give me great satisfaction seeing just one of them being made an example of in the middle of Main Street-might deter the rest. Don't think we would have to worry about the Guardia catching us - they're too busy chasing people using the rubbish bins and parking on the beach!

[bedouin]

Harsh or not the place doesn't need conmen trying to sucker the weak minded and vulnerable. No one deserves to be relieved of their money in a scam.

Indeed, but just how gullible are these people?  And if they're "weak minded and vulnerable", how did their get their dosh in the first place?

[Ivemovedon]

how about inherited it? although i can't see the relevence.

[Scubaboy]

Hello  ...if I am not mistaken a girl from a company named like that has approached to me and my friend and kindly offered us excursions to go on the island. She was very friendly and we decided to go with her to their office where we made reservation...everything was very professional and there was no talking about timeshare or anything similar. I don't think this is scam. We went on Corralejo Catamarans and we had a great time  ...Love this island, see you again soon 

[mrd owl]

saw a group of brits with white tee-shirts on with the words "love fuerteventura"
on the back..they started off saying they were just doing a brief questionaire but 2 minutes later the scratchcards were out..this was in corralejo 2 weeks ago and they were around the new shopping centre..

[decho]

saw a group of brits with white tee-shirts on with the words "love fuerteventura"
on the back..they started off saying they were just doing a brief questionaire but 2 minutes later the scratchcards were out..this was in corralejo 2 weeks ago and they were around the new shopping centre..

That's them! accosted me last year and when I told them politely to take a hike they got quite aggressive, so be warned.
Maybe we could borrow one of Boris's new water cannons?

[peggy]

Has anyone tried telling these touts they are on benefits and don't have any money? 

[Elite of the forum]

Hello  ...if I am not mistaken a girl from a company named like that has approached to me and my friend and kindly offered us excursions to go on the island. She was very friendly and we decided to go with her to their office where we made reservation...everything was very professional and there was no talking about timeshare or anything similar. I don't think this is scam. We went on Corralejo Catamarans and we had a great time  ...Love this island, see you again soon 

Somehow scubaboy 1 post i find this hard to believe or am i being cynical 

[Keith Dean]

Some 15 years ago we where in Tenerife, that's before we found Fuerteventura. To get to the local beach, we had to pass an English guy who was a tout. On the second day I asked him to look at my face and as we where their for two weeks, not to waist his time asking again. He got friendly and gave me the best tip. Just tell them you have just gone bankrupt. It works every time!!!!

[jonesesjourneys]

Austin

These people have been around for ages doing the scratch card thing opposite Fund Grube in Corralejo.
They usually only appear to approach couples and it used to be that The Atlantic Gardens was their 'timeshare'.
2000 Euros? (no doubt plus an annual maintenance fee)
You could buy at least a 100 nights/14 weeks at the Atlantic Gardens for that sort of money: if of course you wanted to stay at the Atlantic Gardens.

JJ

[isleswing]

When timeshare selling was at it's peak, about 10-12 years back, some friends were going to Lanzarote.
These two were terrible with money. Lanzarote was famous for timeshare touts.

We got hold of a leaflet for them, actually published by HM government, on how not to get caught out. This was really an 'idiots guide to timeshare'. DONT give your credit card. DONT sign anything etc etc.

They even took it on holiday with them.

The timeshare company even rang their credit card company to get the credit limit increased, so they could pay the deposit !!

They came home complaining that they were having trouble getting their money back.

You really can't help some people.

[bedouin]

You really can't help some people.

As I said earlier, they deserve to have their money recycled!

[charlatanefc]

Been doing this the last few years down the Playa Fanabe end of Playa De Las Americas.  Dress it up any way you like, it's a con

[Biggles]

"The weak deserve their fate" is a philosophy shared by Darwinism, Nazis, Neocons, bullies and The Siths.

[isleswing]

When timeshare selling was at it's peak, about 10-12 years back, some friends were going to Lanzarote.
These two were terrible with money. Lanzarote was famous for timeshare touts.

We got hold of a leaflet for them, actually published by HM government, on how not to get caught out. This was really an 'idiots guide to timeshare'. DONT give your credit card. DONT sign anything etc etc.

They even took it on holiday with them.

The timeshare company even rang their credit card company to get the credit limit increased, so they could pay the deposit !!

They came home complaining that they were having trouble getting their money back.

You really can't help some people.

The rest of the story.
He was, at the time, assistant manager at a large holiday park on our Island (Wight). Part of his job was selling sited static caravans to holidaymakers.
You would think he could work out what he was getting in to.

Incidentally, even though they both worked full-time, and the kids had left home, they built up such credit card and catalogue debt and other arrears, that they lost their mortgaged home and have to live with relatives and he is now a gardener at a different park.

You really can't help some people.

As I said earlier, they deserve to have their money recycled!

[Ivemovedon]

he does sound a bit of a cretin. A timeshare touts manna from heaven

[PHo]

Can you point him in my direction. I've got  a spare bubble for a spirit level and some tartan paint I need to get rid of.

[isleswing]

OK, getting to the more serious side of this.

It probably can't really be called a scam.
A scam, really, is where they're offering you something that either doesn't exist, or is not what they say it is.

These things are run by some very clever people, with a good understanding of the law. (the same can't be said for the salespeople, and, especially the touts, who are either 1] mug enough to believe in what they're doing or 2] so desperate for work that they'll do anything in the hope of earning in bit of commission)

They will be able to prove that timeshare, holiday clubs, shared ownership and the other names are different things, and that whichever they happen to be selling is the best, (and only) one to buy, while all the others are, indeed, scams.

Every scheme will almost certainly turn out to be fully legal and legitimate.

Not necessarily good value.

Not necessarily appropriate for the majority of their customers.

Not, in my opinion, worth the hours out of your holiday, for whatever cheap incentives they have to offer.

[austin7]

Hi folks - this is a new group, I know because they approached me wanting to use my office, I decided I wanted nothing to do with it.

However a few days ago one of their "Girls" was standing on the street right by the entrance to my office, approaching everyone about trips - I told her to take a hike.  Half an hour later her boss came to see why I had chased hi s girl - I told him I did not like them poaching my business on my doorstep - he told me "They are not selling Trips" . To sell trips you need an Intermedio de Tourismo Licence, they do not have one - here whole poperation is Illegal - the police chase them every time they see them - and if yo are approached on the beach - tell the tourist office or the Police as this is HIGHLY Illegal.

[bedouin]

Hi folks - this is a new group, I know because they approached me wanting to use my office, I decided I wanted nothing to do with it.

However a few days ago one of their "Girls" was standing on the street right by the entrance to my office, approaching everyone about trips - I told her to take a hike.  Half an hour later her boss came to see why I had chased hi s girl - I told him I did not like them poaching my business on my doorstep - he told me "They are not selling Trips" . To sell trips you need an Intermedio de Tourismo Licence, they do not have one - here whole poperation is Illegal - the police chase them every time they see them - and if yo are approached on the beach - tell the tourist office or the Police as this is HIGHLY Illegal.

Right, I see.  So you're not entirely an independent observer then?  Puts a different complexion on your original post, I think.

[IsThisForumStillGoingWow]

Austins business is 'Where Abouts' Most regular posters know that already 

[bedouin]

Austins business is 'Where Abouts' Most regular posters know that already 

But lots of posters wouldn't have known.

[isleswing]

Hello  ...if I am not mistaken a girl from a company named like that has approached to me and my friend and kindly offered us excursions to go on the island. She was very friendly and we decided to go with her to their office where we made reservation...everything was very professional and there was no talking about timeshare or anything similar. I don't think this is scam. We went on Corralejo Catamarans and we had a great time  ...Love this island, see you again soon 

Surely Austin7's post was more honest than this one?

[jg]

Isleswing - there is a saying that I have heard from sales people many times:

"There is no mug like a good salesman."