Bogus holiday clubs

The OFT's bogus holiday clubs campaign is aimed at increasing the public's awareness of  scams and arming them with the knowledge necessary to recognise, report and resist them.

The campaign includes advertising in the baggage collection areas of Malaga and Tenerife South airports, from 1 May until 30 June 2008, and also from 1 September until 30 November 2008. An advert appears in the Thomas Cook inflight magazine from April to October 2008, and an article warning of the dangers of bogus holiday clubs will be included from November 2008 to January 2009.

The OFT and Local Authority Trading Standards Services staff will be handing out fake scratchcards and information leaflets at Birmingham, Newcastle, Manchester and Luton airports on 12 November 2008.

An estimated 400,000 UK consumers fall victim to bogus holiday clubs each year. Typically, consumers are approached by scratchcard touts while on holiday. The card will always be a winner and to collect their prize they are persuaded to attend a presentation on a 'great new holiday concept'. We advise consumers who are approached in this way to consider the following:

• Do I want to sit through a lengthy sales pitch? 
• Will the promises made by the salesman by in the contract and can I rely on them?
• If I sign something now, can I cancel later or get a refund?

If the answer to any of these questions is no, then consumers should just walk away.

The EU has commissioned a cross border project and the OFT is working closely with counterparts in Spain, France, Belgium, Norway and Sweden to develop campaigns and coordinate enforcement action.

Tha campaign was launched in May 2008 - see press release.

See more information on bogus holiday clubs.

To find out more about the campaign, please contact Emma Monk at emma.monk@oft.gov.uk

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