|
Street touts - you can come across these people all over the place. They normally ask you to help with their survey or give you a scratch card - it’s all a pain and they are con artists. They are there for one reason only and that is to get your money. Personally they drive me round the twist.. why they can’t hire a kiosk and become legitimate I don’t know.
Also, don’t fall into the trap of feeling sorry for them - they try and send you for high pressure talks yo join a “holiday club” or a time-share scheme. For every person they send the tout gets a stash. If you don’t believe the warnings just sit and watch them for a while and see what happens when a police car comes round the corner - they scarper.
Report them, ignore them, swear at them, threaten em - they still come back for more, hell bent on spoiling your holiday.
A few extra things to watch out for -
1. You're at a timeshare presentation - not having signed for anything - when the salesman asks if he can just check your credit card to see that it's OK. When he returns he makes it very clear that you won't get your card back unless you sign. And making a fuss isn't advisable as the two large men at the front door are watching you closely.
HOLIDAY HELPER We recommend never let your bank cards out of your sight . Overseas card fraud is still on the increase but in the UK it is on the decline due to chip and pin. Should you use your card on the old voucher system make sure you take the carbon sheet as well as your copy of the transaction.
2. A number of the touts carry the logo of a trade body in order to give themselves credibility. The trade body concerned only exists as a few words on a piece of paper and no reliance should be given to such traders.
HOLIDAY HELPER Stop and think for a minute ...how long would it take you to get a top British holiday travel brochure? How long to get a ring-pull folder ? (makes them look the biz ) If you booked with a top tour operator they have your personal details... why would they send people out on the streets of where you holiday?
Easy answer is they do not, so don’t fall for it .
3. The person on the telephone tells you that you have won a 7 day stay in a luxury apartment in a hotel or resort in Spain/Canaries/UK/Bali etc etc. . All you have to pay is a very modest sum.
You pay.
You pay for the flights.
You pay for the taxi to the resort and present yourself at reception.
"We only ask that you sit through a presentation at the resort.”
HOLIDAY HELPER Once you are out of this country, and after four to six hours of pressure sales you will be asked "are you sure you do not want to buy ?" you say " No thanks"
From that moment on they will get you on the first flight they can back home to the UK and this will be of the airport of their choice not yours as they are paying for it not you.
If you did not enter to win a prize with the company ..then you will win nothing .
|
