This is also very common on the island of Kho Samui, I was approached every day of a 2 week holiday by European men, with the scratchcard routine. I will never return to Thailand.

This scam have been going on for ages. The local authorities and officials also knows about it. But cant help, seems like everyone is involved in this scam, either directly or indirectly. From the scammer to local officials everyone seems to be involved. Sorry to say, places like phuket and koh samui are no more longer a paradise....

I was approached for the same scratchie scam in 2003, I have returned to Patong beach on 2 occassions since 2006 /2007 and found backpackers on scooters cruising the streets looking for wealthy tourists. JUST SAY NO to them and walk on.

On a recent trip to Kho Samui my wife and I were approached by a well spoken English man. He stopped and asked us if we spoke English, we had seen the man several times stopping tourists so we had an idea it was a scam, when we politely refused and walked on he began to verbally abuse us. This was the second day of our holiday, it was frightening, we were so frightened of this gentleman we never went to town again, ( Chaweng ) we even considered moving hotels, we will never return to Thailand and will never recomend it to any friends,

I was stopped by the same man on Chaweng, when I told him no he made some rude comments and left on his scooter, it is very annoying when touts stop you in the street, Thailand no more

I was also approached by this dreadful man, he spoke very good English, he was quite persistant and very annoying, I travel to Samui often. I wish the police would do something.

I have found the same scam in Phuket and Pattaya, its very annoying, cant the police stop these idiots.

just go have presentation help boy or girl get big commission.but don't forget.NOT BUY

this scam has being going on for ages . Not just in thailand . Now I just tell sorry I know being there done that wore the tee shirt
Its all a scam who gives anything for nothing
I am glad at least I got a free tee shirt and a second one for my g/f

To those who are saying thailand 'never again' - this kind of thing can happen in any country! You could be scammed, robbed, assaulted, WHATEVER - anywhere. Most Thai's are friendly genuine people. I once was in silom and had an issue with a scammer that turned quite heated and the guy grabbed some money from my hand and ran - and you should have seen how many of the locals came to my aid. So - dont let the actions of a few give you a bad impression of the entire country

I was scammed by these European men in Samui, it was not a nice experience, also in Bkk it was just push push push for everything. I have left with a very bad impression of Thailand. Sorry but I would not visit again or recomend to friends.

I loved the Thai people, however everyday on Kho Samui we were approached by English Europeans on scooters with scratchcards, it was so annoying it spoiled our holiday. Sad to say we wouldnt visit again. I suggest someone report them to authorities, surely this must be Illegal.

How on earth can one scammer ruin a holiday, and prevent you from returning here?? Get a life, please!!
The holiday homes scam is an old one in many European resorts. Yes, the holiday homes do exist, and they can be bought, and you do have a legal title. Nothing illegal so far. But they insist, when you buy, that the units are in high demand, and are easily sold if ever you change your mind. But only through their 'sales office', which is of course more interested in selling new units than it is in marketing your old one, or passing the keys to prospective purchasors. And of course tha you can rent out your unit in the months you are not using it... again by using their 'sales office'. Ha ha.
The Pompeians, 2,000 years ago, were wise to this - Caveat Emptor.

Jon, you are missing the point, for an elderly or even young couple to be approached by an aggressive salesman or scam artist in the street can be frightening, some of these men are pushy to say the least. These men should be removed jailed or fined for being a public nuisance. Most of all judging by the above comments they are hurting the Thai economy by driving tourists away. YOUR FANCY WORDS MEAN NOTHING.

Hi William and Jenny,
No, I am not 'in on the act' as you put it. I forgot to say that the prospective purchasors (=victims) are often taken off to a distant 'sales office' in a rep's car - they have no idea where they are, there are no taxis, and they are effectively held there until a contract is signed. The problem later is that this contract is binding (they have the right to withdraw within a time specified by Spanish, and maybe Thai law, but the company 'never receive' their withdrawal, and don't answer the phone.) And having bought, the unit is not resaleable. When I said 'nothing illegal so far', I should have said 'the Law is an ass' - the unfortunates have no legal redress, and are caught.
Scammers are world-wide, and are a bloody pest (have you ever casually strolled into a carpet shop anywhere in the Arab world, and come out without an overpriced carpet under your arm?) - but should not deter people from travelling!!

So easy to say no thanks & walk on.

Baz
You are so wrong, it is very difficult to say no to these persistent gentlemen, when they follow you and abuse you for not doing the scratchcard. After I refused a well spoken Englishman in Kho Samui he followed me, practically begging, then he made rude comments and stormed off on his scooter. It is not nice, and I certainly will not return to Samui, for the simple reason that these scammers are frightening.

I am a regular to Samui, I see the same English man day in and day out, stopping tourists. He has never approached me but the people he does appraoch he is very persistent with them. Does anyone have a Thai police website we can report these people too? it should be stopped as I can understand how the tourists can be intimidated.

This is my first time on this site, it is very good and informative

Thailand is a country of unfettered Capitalism - you can block pavements with your wares, you can blast out 400dB house music to 'attract' customers, you can even change the law of the land to avoid paying millions in tax, and still be regarded as a National Hero - so they are hardly likely to arrest a few street 'salemen', are they?
A police website? None that I know of. It is ironic that it was Thaksim who introduced computers to the Thai Police (and I wonder which corporation got the contract to supply and install them?).
Welcome to Thailand!

That in Thai business culture, being a pushy salesman/businessman is respected, even if they are irritating or downright criminal. And that scammers are a worldwide pest, but that we must be particularly wary here.

@Jonathai
"That in Thai business culture, being a pushy salesman/businessman is respected,"
Give me a break. either you have never lived out of Thailand or you are totally based. Salesman are same everywhere.

I do not agree Jonathai: Some salesmen are more dishonest than others and they totally do not care about people. They detach themselves from what they are doing just to get their commission. They know that their product is a scam. There is no excuse for trying to trick people out of money.

Jonatahi - "in Thai business culture, being a pushy salesman/businessman is respected, even if they are irritating or downright criminal". Please don't make such a ridiculous generalisation. You're probably just on here to try and wind people up.

Just returned from Pattaya bay, very difficult to walk down beach road without being stopped, we were constantly approched by both Thail and Europeans asking us to do surveys and scratchcards, some of them were very rude after we declined.

Hello All

I have been working on the street for 13 years, I have saved up most of my life, don't get scared for ud business men from the street, you would be surprised how much money some of us makes a week, just count one customer is 3,000 Baht for the OPC, my record in two weeks on Koh Samui is 50 Customers, well now do you make that at home in two weeks? Well this is why some people is working on the street and traveling around the world.

I know for some people it is scary, but don't buy anything we get paid anyway he he he.. NEXT time just say.. YOU WANT HALF OF THE COMMISSION TOO..

OPC - Koh Samui - Thailand

Don't start work for the TIME SHARE companies Quality Vacation Club & Absolute they don't pay there staff.. Just to let you know.. My friend used to work there before, and now he don't have money to get home to Germany they took all his earned commission because he needed to go home to his son birth.. but they didn't care..

Peter Austraila

hi all, ive just returned from thailand a few days ago, i was approached twicw in patong beach area by these scratch and win scammers, its the usual rip off stuff, didnt turn me off thailand though i love the place, just tell these scammers to go away or as i did, scratched the tickets so they have to print more and never turn up for the presentation, dont care how persistant they are, theyre not the local people just rip off merchants after a quick or otherwise dollar, thailand is not like this everywhere, justtourist spots occasionally, enjoy, regards,

Dave, sydney australia march 2008

Hi, we have just returned from Phuket, Patong beach, every day for the first 4 days we were approached to do tourist surveys and scratch cards, I refused everytime. On the 4th day the English guy became quite agitated and rude towards me. I was sick of this so we went to Pattaya and lo and behold there was the same scam there. I was harrased less in Tenerife. It was our first time in Thailand, and I definently wasnt impressed. I have informed our tour company about this and they ensure me they will take it up with TAT as they are getting a lot of similar complaints

Returned today from Koh Samui and had the same thing happen. My wife and I were approached the first day and WOW! we had won the big one! I got a free shirt but my wife had won a video camara or laptop or free weeks accomodation or maybe even USD$1,000 (of course we won the free weeks accommodation at one of their resorts!). We sat through the 'pitch' and after 2 hours they finally answered me regarding price. I declined to sign there and then (this was the only way to get involved given Thai tax laws they said) which is when they start putting alot of pressure and the big fat German turned up who owned the Company - scam or not the pressure they put you under does affect you for days afterwards. Uba the German and John the Pom - if you happen to read this - thanks for the free drink but you guys are idiots and spoil the island for the rest of us!

Wow I wish I found this web site before I came to Thailand
Then I would of none about the cards on koh samui was happy when I won the prize well the star prize all I had to do was
Stay for 90 min’s and say no or yes and the pom on the streets said I will give you a 1000 baths if you stay for 90 min’s
Well how hard can it be? So I go in Absolute. I was a bit nerves
And I was saying to matt like what have we dun but all he was think was when do we get out of here so we went to 90 min’s
And said that we wanted to go. well that was it they where getting very angry with us saying we where wasting there time because all we where doing is just saying yes all the way through it and then when I said I just want to go a big German man came out
And he was ok but he hangs over us so I was a very nerves
Never the less we got out off there thank good. so just to let you no when you go to ABSOLUTE all you will get from them is the sales talk but the pom on the streets got his money and so did matt plus a T-shirt and a holiday & 1000 bath not to bad for 90 mines

Surely all these Europeans working the streets do not have work permits. If you feel so angry about it report them to the real police or immigration, not the tourist police . They love deporting foreigners who break the rules and hassle genuine visitors. I have a Thai wife and she gets real angry about these foreign street walkers and the rip off end product. I ask the street walkers if they have a work permit as I am going straight to the nearest policeman to tell them your hassiling me. They disappear vey quickly.

Remember this is not just confined to Thailand. I experienced the same sales pitch in Bali 4 years ago. I scratched and won a T shirt. The street walker even scratched another one himself so my wife won a free T Shirt as well. Told by the street walker that I just had to go to a nearby resort and do the 90 minute presentation. Questioning revealed it was for a time share resort sales pitch. After first refusing I asked what he got out of it. $50 US. was the reply. Still not interested I said so he continued to scratch tickets untl I won the big one $US1000 cash. Just remember walk away.

I had also experienced a samilar approach 25 years ago in Surfers Paradise, AUSTRALIA. Only back then it was time share and the prizes were not as valuable. As I recall a plastic Rolls Royce Replica clock. Just the same sales approach all these years latter.

ALSO REMEMBER MOST OF THESE RESORTS ETC ARE FOREIGN OWNED WITH THAI PARTNERS. SO DO NOT BLAME THE THAIS ALONE. WE ALL KNOW THE VAST MAJORITY OF THAIS ARE WARM, FRIENDLY AND GENEROUS. TAKE THAT EXPERIENCE BACK HOME AND TELL YOUR FRIENDS, NOT A ONE MINUTE ENCOUNTER WITH A SALES PITCH THAT IS WORLD WIDE AND AS OLD AS TIME SHARE.

Has anyone ever actually used one of the free week's accomodation? I was given a quality vacation club voucher for a week of free accomodation in one of 5 or 6 resorts, and as a typically suspicious type I reckon it must be a scam (nothing is for nothing!) - anyone actually been to one of their resorts?

These free weeks are only to get you along to a presentation where they try to get you to purchase their package. There are no guarantees that the accommodation you get will be of good standard. The deal is about getting money out of people, not providing a service.

Hi
I work at Absolute, HARD SELL???? You guys astonish me, I have a work permit, I pay Tax, I love my Job, I have a Thai Wife expecting my Baby. In my job I am courteous, upfront and inform my customers of the Dos and Donts of Thailand. I have made a lot of friends around the World who have seen value in our fantastic Product. Maybe one or two can give a bad impression, but let me tell you, they are not in our industry for very long.
We save a lot of money marketing our product from the street, we pass these savings on to our new customers which is why we are so succsessful.
I see people every day whose holidays are not what they expected because the Travel Agent mislead them! I am confronted by Tailors, Tuk Tuk drivers and street vendors every day "Yindee tawn rap"
There are far more serious issues in Asia to be debated, and far more people worse off than you.
Stop Whining get hold of your testicles and do something that will make a REAL difference to somebodys life instead of worrying about your traumatic ordeal in a developing country.
Oh and if you would like to see what our product REALLY does why not pop in for a 90min presentation- at least you would know what you are talking about.

Your friendly Absolute Salesman

Hi "anon" strange name to atttach to a child at birth!

Sorry took a while to reply - could you list me the REAL jobs currently available in Thailand that pay 30-60K bht a week and give you weekends off? Thanks mate I must be some sort of cretin not to have consulted you before my choice of occupation......oh and have a nice songkrhan

A few years ago i filled in one of those survey's,after being approached by the students that usually do this sort of thing,while waiting for a boat down at Thaksin Bridge.I did'nt think much of it at the time so i was surprised to recieve a phone call the following day to say that i had won a weeks free accomodation at one of any of their many place around the world.All i had to do was to attend one of their presentations down near Sala Daeng,with no obligation to buy of course,and the prize would be mine.Just an hour of my time was all that was required i was told.Expecting a scam right from the moment i took the call i went along with it.I was'nt going to be talked into anything or part with any money so i had nothing to lose.The office they had set up was pretty busy with others who obviously were also winners.It had the look of a place that could just disappear overnight.It did'nt appear to be a Thai operation.The guy who did the presentation for me was English.The details are lost on me now,though in truth i was'nt giving it my full attention,but it was described as a "holiday club".You buy a place in one of their resorts around the world,paying so much a year for the up keep etc, where you can stay for so many weeks a year,or you can rent it out to other people when you're not using it or you can swap with others,that sort of thing.The guy was good i'll give him that and really gave it the hard sell.One thing i noticed was that there was nothing you could take away to read through and have time to think about things.They wanted you to sign up there and then.The guy wrote down lots of figures as he spoke just to emphasize what a great deal i would be getting,and he had a few brochures to show me photos of the places he was talking about,but nothing to take away.The one hour of my time turned into about two and a half hours,there was a video as well.When it came to the crunch and i told him i was'nt interested the guy visibly deflated in front of me.A more senior salesman was called who came on a little heavier telling me what a great deal i was getting.The price i'd originally been given was £3000 if i remember correctly.It then came down to about half that but then i'd lose a few of the options offered with the other package.When they evenyually admitted defeat i was given a slip of paper and was told i could claim my free weeks accomodation.Later i discovered that i should also have been given a brochure,with a claim form, so i could choose where i wanted to spend the week.I went back to collect it.They charged me B1000 for this.Although expecting this to be part of the scam i decided to go along with it just to see how far i could push it.There were many places to choose from around the world but with visions of booking something up at some resort only to be handed a large bill at the end of my stay i chose a hotel in Bangkok that would coincide with my next visit.I filled in the form and sent it off never expecting to hear from them again.Months later i got a call in England telling me they could'nt give me the dates that i'd asked for,surprise surprise.As i could be flexible they had to give in and give me the following week.Even then i never believed it.Returning to Bangkok i had a room and was'nt bothered if the hotel deal worked out or not,i did'nt expect it to.I went to check out the hotel beforehand over in Sapan Kwai,The Tower Inn.Much to my amazement i was expected and checked in the following week.Okay so its not the best hotel in Bangkok and Sapan Kwai is a little further away from things but it was fine.The only obligation i had was to sit through another presentation which consisted of some Irish chancer trying to sell me the same sort of deal as before and even he gave it up half way through.The week did'nt cost me anything and breakfast was thrown in.Now i imagine that a lot of these scratchcards and surveys are not going to work out this way but i think that with a lot of these free offers they're working on the assumption that you think it's a scam so will never claim you're free prize.It must really piss them off when you do.

We have just returned from Phuket, holiday was tarnished due to the retards trying to get us to do scratchcards and come see a presentation. We have passed our views on to the British and Thai embassy and also our travel agents. These idiots should not be allowed on the streets to harass tourists.

John/Sarah...
Did you pass on any other views to the embassies (and travel agents!!!)
.Indian men trying to sell you a suit by putting on a London accent?
.Thai men impersonating Bob Marley to get you to rent a Jet Ski?
.Burmese mothers using their babies to make you feel guilty enough to buy a wooden frog?
.Katoeys showing their operation to get you to pay for the next?
.Thai ladies calling John a 'Sek See Man' so as to lure him into the massage room? Where once out of your sight he will succumb to a happy finish. (oh yes he did!!)

As long as there is an audience there will be a show
And as long as there are punters there will be sales techniques (or call them by another name if it makes you feel superior)
Air your views by all means by why the derogatory remarks "retards and Idiots" these people are doing what they need to survive -There's no DSS here to pay the Rent!

"Retards?...Idiots?... Why didnt you tell them you have already done the presentation...just like I tell the guy at the service station on the M4 that I already have AA cover.
Its not hard guys - at least you know next year!

Jimmy , yes other comments were made to the travel agencies, but none bothered us more than the everday stopping and trying to get us to do scratchcards and listen to presentations. As for ladyboys, its not really my thing, but if you like it, each to their own. I dont cheat either, but again your morals are obviously different from mine.

As for my comments, ever heard of free speech? my comments were directed at foreigners who were trying to suck us in, not local Thais. We both thought the Thais were wonderful.

And yes it can be difficult to get away from those guys sometimes.

Jimmy

Just out of interest. Do you have a work permit?

These idiots stopped us several times in Samui ( Chaweng beach ) English guys pleading poverty told us they get a commision if we go to the presentation, and they need the money. These guys are parasites and certainly put a dampner on our holiday as we tried to avoid them every day.

Well done timeshare team for lowering your reputation even further.

Just back from Thailand again and here is the latest update on the Phuket scammers.

Join their exclusive holiday club and you get discounted holidays anywhere in the world. The scam. It only costs $us17,500 for life time membership. But wait I'm 58 and probably will only be able to travel for 10-15 more years. Then I get offered the shorter 10 year membership version for just $us7500. Told I'm still am not interested the Pommy heavy boss comes out and offers the final sign up today deal of $US4000. Great discounts just so they can get me to sign there and then. Thats the pressure.

To prove what a great deal it is they can also offer me discounted airline tickets from Darwin to Bangkok at $428 return. Now I know what these tickets really cost and the best I can get is $650 return. The liars they are then say its not $428 return for one person but 2. Thats becauase they get special deals from the airlines. Sorry boys Tiger does not deal with people like you. Anything to get you to sign there and then.

Still not interested much to the poms disgust, but away i go with my 1 weeks acommodation paid for. I've done my part and sat through 3 hours sales crap, not the 90 minutes originally required by me.

But it was a useful exercise for fact finding. Turns out what they are selling is not an exclusive holiday club membership, but access to the world wide pool of unused time shares at resorts their fellow scammers sold to stupid tourists. You can actually access these time share pools yourself so you do not need these rip off holiday club memberships supporting pommy salesman living in Thailand spoiling everyones holiday.

Think about this. If I invest the $US17,500 myself in a term deposit, that in Australia at the momnet is paying 8.5% PA. The interest I would earn would be nearly $US 1500 per annum. So that's about the same savings their offering me on "cheap holiday deals", So I keep my $17,500 and still can afford cheaper holidays and not in some crappy time share resort.

Salesman Jimmy above tells us what other job is going to pay him Baht 30 - 60 thousand a week. Jimmy Thais work for 10 hours a day 6 days a week if there lucky and get 10,000 baht a month. Enjoy your Thai livestyle but it won't be at my expense or any others who reads this blog.

Hi Guys,
Replies as follows;

John/Sarah
I was not suggesting that my list of possible complaints to a travel agent were morally acceptable – in fact more the opposite. I was giving you food for thought. Yes, you felt your holiday was “tarnished” by the action of others. I was pointing out that during your Rose Tinted Dream Holiday there were many people (Human Beings regardless of their sexuality) that were doing what they felt they needed to get through life.
I am not suggesting that every tourist should be on a mission to save the less fortunate, but I am suggesting that you consider yourself “lucky” to have reasonable choices in life.
My point is that you complained of an issue that affected YOU the most and expect your Travel Agent to make it go away, if only it was so easy for everybody in life.

John/Matt
You have obviously got the totally wrong impression of me, I’m not Gay nor am I Homophobic. Can I point out that Katoeys consider themselves Women at heart and many are very beautiful, not “my thing” as you put it but if it was, so what!
You both seemed very defensive on the subject – live and let live.

Morals John? Morals are a measure with which we judge ourselves not others so if ours are similar or not are of no interest to me.

Sure John I’ve heard of free speech and I exercise it with a certain restraint. Take a holiday to Myanamar you’ll not see one scratchcard! You can’t have it all ways. Freedom of speech – I fought in the Falklands and lost very close friends. I’ve heard of it and fought for it.
And lastly, we employ far more Thais than foreigners (England take note!)

Owl
Yes, as I said before I have a work permit.

Doc smith
If going on a presentation is such an ordeal I cannot understand why you seem to do it on every holiday – The presentation was not at our resort as we do not organise your flights nor do we profess to and your description of the product is not what I sell and the prices quoted do not match our inventory.
You stated “Sold to stupid tourists” in your post……………..most of our members are Australian, make of that what you will – your words not mine Sir.

Anyway I hope you continue to enjoy holidays in Thailand as I will enjoy selling them and spending the money in Thailand.

Long live the King

Jimmy it was an expensive dream holiday for us and yes it was tarnished by idiots on the street stopping us every day. If you are that much of a humanitarian, then sell all your worldly goods and give the funds to the poor. As for being a veteran, there are many worldwide, and as for being involved in military campaigns, Im sure you know then that the real vets are the ones who never talk about it, let alone publish it on a scammers web site. Think on Jimmy.

Merely stating that I had not only heard of free speech but have also witnessed the price some pay fot it.
There are many humanitarians who do not sell their wordly goods - I count myself amongst them.
I also consider anyone who fought for their country as a REAL vet, is it something we must be ashamed of?
Anyway Im getting bored now with this battle of morality, back to my initial advice..... tell them you have already been on a presentation the previous week and bought something......its very easy and you will hopefully enjoy your next holiday.

Hey Jimmy boy...how does it feel when you scam people? Forget the sugar coating of your actions and all the rest of the crap excuses you deflect with...just let me in on the core emotion of 'selling' when you know what will take place. I lived in a remote hilltop village in Greece with a population of 25 people, no proper road or transport apart from my uncle's donkey. No government help or benefits, just me feeding my family from selling on the street...nothing but corn & roasted chestnuts. I bettered myself by educating myself through reading anything i could find and drive and determination to do better. Now i live as a forigner in Australia ( and have no rights or benefits for such basics as health or welfare and have another 3 years until i am eligible for citizenship) with 3 kids and my Australian wife so you can see we have close similarities in our situations. Now i didn't sell myself out...so what possible excuse could you use to fool yourself into believing you have morals. What a pity someone with your linguistic skill would rather scam and take a fools job than say...teach the english language. I pity you and would love to know how you sleep at night so next time i may compromise the sanctity of pure morals, i too may sleep in peace. i pray your children will understand when they are old enough to know you prostituted yourself even though it was not physically. Enjoy your stay in your delusional world

OK Kris lets just break this down;

Definition of “scam” as provided by this website –
What is the definition of a scam?
1. A fraudulent business scheme (noun)
2. Deprive of by deceit (verb)

So my first answer is that I wouldn’t know how it feels to scam people because I don’t scam people. I know that is very hard for you to accept but that’s the way it is.

I have volunteered myself on this website for a verbal public stoning in the hope that one or two may actually sit back and consider the “facts” on which they based their initial assumptions – I see plenty of emotion, self pity and mob rule mentality but very few facts about my company. Hitler was a painter so does that make every decorator guilty of Genocide? Of course not! I am a salesman and I sell a very good product whether you like it or not, if there are less scrupulous sales people selling an inferior product then it is not my duty to apologise or make excuses, nor inform you of my sleeping habits – However, as you asked, Buddhist meditation is certain to give you a good nights rest!

My core emotion from selling is happiness, which I feel when providing for my family (just like you) so the objective of selling is money (now there’s a surprise!!!)

The “Delusional World in which I live” we actually share my friend. The transport we use, be it Donkey or S Class Mercedes and the goods we sell, be it Chestnuts or Timeshare, are only relative to the company we keep.

With the upmost respect Kris – save your prayers – My son is 23 and just finishing Law school and will be coming for a holiday with me soon ( without my job I could not afford to have guided him through University). I have another Baby arriving in a few months and without my Job I could not afford to welcome the arrival in the Bangkok International Hospital.

Good luck with the Welfare in Australia

P.S After reading your previous post to JONATHAI I would assume they had a pretty extensive Library in your hilltop village in Greece! Well done Son, a living legend in the world of self development.

Jimmy - What a lot of bull... Answer these questions. Why are people forced into buying on the day and not given a chance to cool-off (even a day or two) if you are so sure about your wonderful product. Why is there no registered address on contracts? Why on investigation there is no substance to the all the claims made in the sales pitch. Why are people being warned in England particularly about the lack of validity of Holiday Clubs? Why is the law governing these contracts not in Thailand but a tax haven in another country. I believe the only reason these clubs are operating in Thailand is that in other countries that have wised up to activities of these operations. Argue or not, these clubs are not in the interest of the common people.

Another thing, I am positive that you are just trying to defend yourself and if the real truth sunk into your mind then I am sure you would not continue in this field. Often people blindly defend something in an endeavour to make themselves feel better.

Hello I work myself in the Timeshare business as an OPC (outside personal contact). For me and most of OPC's I know take this business as a scam aswell but our goal is not to get you guys to sign up! It's to get my commission. I inform all the people I throw in the TukTuk that after 90min I have my commission and then they can get the f&!"@k out! They are also fully aware that they are not unique in winning the 1st prize. If they are intrested, they can stay the whole day if they want to and if they are not intrested, Say you just bought a house and you're in problem with the bank or whatever! Atleast I inform people that if they like it stay,if they don't I offer a solution on how to easy get away... I don't sketch up a fantasy world of the presentation and therefore none of the people I bump into afterwards holds any personal grief against me because everything lived up to their expectations.

I get about 30 customers a month 30x3000THB plus 30.000THB loyalty bonus, you do the math..

The big fat guy who scared you is nothing more then an alcoholic bum with bad nerves! IF you tickled his nipples he wold've folded similar the way a thai ladybar girl does when her farang lover tells her he loves her!

Why so many foreigners are working with this is because it's an easy solution for torublemakers to earn good money and living in the sun away from all the problems back home.

Other people are just sick of their old life and sees this as a new opportunity in life. I personally have made friends from every corner of the world, from both the timeshare world and the touristworld that have botht inspired me and taught me important lessons. I've done, seen and matured more then I could've ever imagined when I started this business as a insecure 19 year old hanging around all these 'bad' men.

See it as you want but it's not about the scam but the style of living that attracts people to work with this. If i stick a few guys that are knowingly aware of what's goin to happen I think that's fine.

Not to say that this kind of job is a part of my future as i do intend on going back home again trying to be an upstanding citizen, though I know in the back of my head I will most probably hear a voice saying ' Why did you leave? All you had to worry about back then was rent!'

Loads of people come and go in this business, as OPC's, Salesreps etc, etc Some people enjoy it do it for awhile and then goes back to normal life again... The reason people are doing this is 1. They make more money (when they are good) then most people they know back home. 2 Alternative lifestyles are more then welcomed and accepted 3. You HAVE FUN!

Listen to the argument: Stay back home in chilly scotland working at the factory doing the same thing you've done for the last 27 years? Or having the beach as your office, short working days, fun parties, funny people, take part in different cultures, seee stuff you wold never see all this for 4-6 hrs a day of 'Hey guys! Speak some English?''

And if you guys want to nitpick this message as good as you did with poor Jimmy (though I think he defends his Aboslute Club abit too much..... but he has to... he sells it ffs!) then you guys are not thinking out of YOUR box. Everything in this world is corrupted and there is no longer a GOD. Would you care about morales then?

The bst way to get all this dodgy clubs to stop is actually attending a presentation but not buying anything! See then the company has to pay the OPC's commission, transportation for client etc, etc. If nobody buys it will detoriate

Long message but what we chose to do for a living should be up ourself. I mean would you rather have this guy standing on the street on your vacation or having him back home living off the goverment up to all sorts of trouble and might decide to do something extremelly self destructive?

ITS NOT ABOUT TIMESHARE ITS ABOT THE LIFESTYLE
Kiss

Jimmy, you are right. the average Australian tourist is conned by the high pressure sales "sign now" pitch used by time share salesmen. Perhaps because the are naive, trusting and easily convinced by trickery. But that doesn't make the sales techniques employed justified. Yes you are selling a product that usually on reflection most people wouldn't want. If your product is so good why not offer a cooling off period that many countries now require. I am not personally aware of the "resort" you represent or what you are selling. But at least as you say you have been prepared to come on this formum for a public lashing.

You may well be the most honest time share salesman in Thailand but unfortunately there are 100 others that screw up your industries reputation.

Todd

Nobody is “forced” to sign anything at anytime. Before anybody applies for a membership they sit with an individual representative of the Trustee, and without the salesperson present. Our customers are given every chance to sit, read and digest the full details of the agreement……. Ho hum this is beginning to sound like a presentation on Holiday ownership at Absolute. The idea of a presentation is to answer any questions on our product and our company, so the client can evaluate whether or not they wish to join us.

You are asking me questions that have been picked from the scaremonger tree and do not have much relevance to what I sell!
Have you read a “contract without registered address”?
Have you been on a presentation?
If you have done both, then why did you not get an answer to that question at the time?
If you have done neither where then why assume that this is the case (because you would not be reading a contract without a having a presentation)
If you want answers to your blinkered assumptions then you will have to go on a presentation – 90 mins of all the questions you can ask – and guess what if you want to stay longer …..You can! How good is that?

If you think that’s avoidance then try this…..Walk into any major business and accuse them of being frauds, cheats, scammers and liars. Then tell them that their product is sub standard and you wouldn’t buy it – even if you could afford it. Tell them they are linked to a crime syndicate and throw in a few derogatory remarks for good measure.
After that ask them for a coffee and to show you around the premesis and give you a demonstration of their product and their working practices!!!

We do not only operate in Thailand, we are a Corporation and operate worldwide.
Other holiday ownership products just like ours are sold by Marriots, Hilton, Hyatt and the most well known – Disney….OH NO even Mickey Mouse is in on it!!!!

6.7 Million Households own holiday ownership – FACT
The most notably and extensive research (by Ragatz Associates) states that the high level of customer satisfaction is in excess of 80% has lead to one fifth of the new vacation ownership purchases being made by existing owners with the typical member owning 2 or 3 weeks for his own use.

Not all holiday ownership products are genuine – FACT
Absolute is the real deal – FACT
The philosophy of our Group of companies is to offer an ethical and professional service to all business partners and provide members with first class accommodation and service year after year.

Adam
I work in a quality, air conditioned resort – If I did work the street the only downside would be you sleeping in my workplace.

Vet
How’s Aldershot – long time since I was based there – can’t say I miss it though.

Doc Smith
Thank you for acknowledging that all Timeshare / Holiday Vacation Clubs are not the same and neither are the sales techniques. The border between persuasion and pressure is a very fine one and most salesman will step over it in their career, some of course more than others (and Yes some are outright conmen!)
I have only had two cancellations in over a year, both of which received a full refund (out of good will) due to the circumstances. If we openly “pitched” a cooling off period we would increase sales dramatically and increase cancellations, and of course increase legal fees, administration, labour and so on. We either charge the customer who cancels or add it to the price of future memberships, it is a problem for us either way. Because our product is not something you can take home and admire after purchase there is often a feeling of buyers remorse a short time after the sale, this is usually dismissed and when people actually start using the product they realise it wasn’t a bad idea after all. The cooling off period only increases the desire to pull out.

Yes, I have sighted a contract that has only a postcode address. The law was governed by another country that does not consider peoples rights. The salesperson did not make it clear that there was no cooling off period (misrepresentation). Fortunately, I did not proceed. Pressure is placed on a person so that do not get a chance to consider what they are getting themselves into and yes, a lot of people expect it to be a honest product. I do not believe you, Jimmy, again you are only trying to justify yourself. If it was a great product then you would allow customers to take a copy of the contract away for 24 hrs and digest the contents before entering into an agreement. It is only about money not a service.

We just finished our week free holiday after scratching our ticket last year, we had a real hard time getting our 90 min presentation, and if you miss it you pay for the holiday in FULL.
I cant speak too badly of these people they kept to their word after a couple of heated phone calls and our holiday ended up being free.
Give it a go, have a look. Ensure you attend your 90min presentation.
Otherwise as someone said previously " we have already done it" or "No".

Barfly - Sounds like it was a very stressful having to have 3 heated phone calls to get your free week. A real close encounter. Good luck for the future. I bet you are glad you read this website or you might have made the wrong decision.

OK Todd, the fact you didn't proceed with the contract does show that you had some reasonable chance to make a choice and you feel you made the right one. I feel the point here is that, Yes our marketing and sales techniques are direct and people are put on the spot for a Yes or a No because it works for us. Every business is about money first because without it there will be no business. I would love to live in Utopia where everybody treated others equally to themselves, but I doubt I would see it. When I came to Thailand I was amazed at how happy people could be that had so little. Our customers buy through want and desire, which of course we help instil. I am as guilty as the next for buying what I desire as opposed to what I need. I work because I need to and am as fair as possible in my approach. On Friday two members who returned for their first holiday presented me with two bottles of Australian wine and some chocolates.
Over 80% of the people we see have been to presentations before, even when they previously had a bad experience; they are looking for something better than they already get from the Travel Agent.

Barfly, I cannot understand why you had trouble getting the 90min presentation because that’s where we get our sales. I would assume it was a different company and not Club Absolute. Anyway it sounds like you gave an open mind and received the free holiday as promised.

TODD – You are quite funny!
The post from Barfly was reasonably positive and you interpreted “a couple” to mean “3”
It seems Barfly read the blogs after the holiday which wouldn’t have helped them in the slightest.
“A real close encounter” – I think you have a very dry sense of humour!

Jimmy the fact you claim you have a work permit to do this is an out an out lie. Either offer up the proof or shut the hell up. No time for fancy diatribes, either show the work permit or everyone will know you are a total liar. Better understand who is who here, you are just some farang big mouth scamming tourists. One call to Uncle and you will be going bye bye. It happens all the time. PS I work in immigration. This is something you won't need a scratch card for.

The scammer's company names are Quality Vacations and Absolute.

Sasawat, I feel insulted by your threatening, abusive and racist comments!
I do not believe you work in Immigration with such an aggresive attitude.
I do not believe you are an ambassador for your country and so your verbal onslaught will not disturb my eternal equanimity.

Well done Sasawat for speaking for thousands of tourists and residents, I hope you do work for Immigration and get these parasites off the streets. WELL DONE.

Good on you sasawat, eject these people from your island, they are bringing the reputation of Phuket into the gutter, and keeping tourists away, I have many friends who will not visit Phuket (Patong beach area) and Samui because they are sick of these scammers. Again good on you Sasawat.

GOOD WEBSITE VERY INFORMATIVE

Jimmy no work permit? I cannot see where Quality Vacations or Absolute are legal registered Thai companies, therefore it would be impossible for you to have a work permit as you claim?

Jimmy, in immigration, we are follow the law and my opinion with all farang working here illegally, is they should be sent home. You won't be the first farang out of here.

Does anyone have Jimmy's full name and country of residence?

As for all those asking for a Thai Police Website, there is a Tourist Police Office on the second floor at Suvarnabhumi International Airport. Please walk right is as the police and staff are very friendly and would love to hear your stories about this scammer. I am sure if word gets out that this many tourists are being scared away from Thailand by one tout, he will be picked up and sent home before you know it. Thai officials are aware that any threat to tourism is to be dealt with immediately.

We have lived in Kamala for 4 years and never had a scratchcard and I have just read all the notes here for the first time. I think Jimmy has bin brave debating with so many people on here. but nobody has said that he has conned them and you all seem to be using him as a scapegoat. He is outspoken but i dont think that is illegal. I hope what you say about yourself is true Jimmy maybe not all timeshare salesman are the bad.

The scammers stay on the well beaten path of Patong beach, the scratchcard scammers are rude and persistent, and the presentation crew are no different. I am happy Sasawat has come on board to help move these scammers away. They are ruining peoples holiday. Im sure you would have a different opinion if they all moved down to Kamala beach and stopped you every day.

Sasawat if u really r from imigration which u obviousley aint.........wot do u know about work permits? like no 1. we have to go to malaysia every once a year to get a year permit and it takes two days as we have to put our passport for checking and then we get it back the next day.. no 2. we have to go to Burma every three months for another stamp.......
I feel sorry to you guys who is getting fooled by this sasawat..
And i would love to hear views from a unhappy owner of these companies instead of views from people that just can not afford the product and just like talking about a product they obviousley have no clue about...

Gaza, you seem to be confused. No one ever goes to another country to get a work permit for working in Thailand. It sounds like you are doing a regular visa run. The people who do this DO NOT have work permits and are often working illegally in Thailand. Work permit is issued by the Department of Labour. To get one, you need a Non-Immigrant Visa. Once issued, it is valid for one year. After that year, you DO NOT NEED to leave the country to renew. You go to the immigration to renew the visa for one more year and work office to renew the work permit for one year. It is simple if you are working legally.

Well done Sasawat and Jackie, we should get round all the islanders and lodge a petition to get these scammers off the street, they do nothing for the economy and are putting off tourists coming to Phuket and Samui. It is high time something was done. Please carry on the good work of exposing these scammers.

Oh no. a linch mob in Patong! Everybody get off the streets-just incase they think your scammer.
Most expats come to Thailand to get away from the western beauracracy and nosey do-gooders.
And the Women are so much cheaper to entertain in Thailand - Why are you here Jackie???

Farang 2 - Translated sounds like "My money is running out and these guys seem to be doing more business than my shoddy girlie bar"

I'm coming to Phuket in October, Im more concerned about the Immigration Staff than the so called scammers!
Surely a scam has to be proven before sentence is passed.

Gaza, Jackie has it right and you have no clue what you are talking about. You are doing VISA RUN's because you are here with NO work permit working illegally.

To get a work permit you have to have a legal Thai company sponsor you and post 2,000,000 thai baht registered capital for every foreign work permit they wish to offer. This is AFTER you have already applied for and received a Non resident immigrant B visa which is applied for outside of Thailand. From the sounds of things, you have a VISA and NO WORK PERMIT. Good way to get deported once you get caught.

Jimmy the whole forum is still waiting for your work permit, or if anyone knows Jimmy's company, I will check to see if they have issued a work permit for him or not?

Somehow I think these people are here with a VISA but no work permit and have found this scam as the only way to financial support themselves here in Thailand with no work permit or job. If you cannot get a legal job here in Thailand you have no business being here and taking advantage of tourists who save to come here for a holiday is the worst. I would personally like to see one of them made an example of and tossed in prison here. That might persuade the others from doing the same.

Dr. M.K

It is obvious you cannot read because if you had read all the posts, you would surely know that the this scam has proven to be exactly that a scam.

I have a feeling Jimmy is using other ID's to substantiate his scammer status here.

No one in their right mind, after reading all of these posts could logically agree this is not a scam.

Sasawat, now I am being accused of using other IDs!
As for the Whole forum waiting for me! Do you really think I am going to publish my personal details on this website?
If my word is not good enough then carry on disbelieving me. I AM WORKING LEGALLY.
How about you publishing your personal details and substantiating your claims first, or better still use the proper channels.

Sasawat you are no imigration officer at all, just proven by your remarks....... sorry guys who are listening to sasawat garbage....
Visa runs are for toursists (correct) thay also for people working legally in Thaialnd to get non-B and non- 0 visa stamps, I have been in Thailand for 4 years, I owned a bar in Koh Samui for 3 of those years and everything you hav said is unbelievable garbage and the way you are talking on this forum you are probaly scaring more people of coming here......
I am not going to remark on anyone elses comments because i am not like that sad man sasawat, you all have your own opinions so please believe what you believe and if it sasawat you believe, so be it..

My husband and I just returned from Phuket and only got approached once by an aussie guy trying to get us interested in a free day trip then marketing date. We just told him that we were not interested as we are already part of a holiday company and he was fine. This sort of thing has happened in other countries as well and we have never had any trouble by just being polite and saying a firm no. Nothing is ever for free so dont forget that. Thailand is an amazing place to visit - dont be put off by others comments go for your self and see what it is like but as always when you are out and about ...Have your wits about you. Happy holidays

Exactley right Colleen, just say no and they wil politeley leave u...
Again right Colleen go 2 Thailand it is a beutiful place must be visited by every1 and no worries there are no vultures out there that has been viewed saddley on this forum

These companies target particular age groups and mainly couples. I am sure that some people are not bothered by these pushy salesmen. I am also sure the sales reps are only doing what they are told to do. The management of these holiday clubs are the ones that set the rules for such scams.
The people in Thaiand are wonderful, but it is a shame that these self interest people from outside Thailand are spoiling it for others.

I was approached by two friendly Thai girls, asking me to scratch two cards. On one I won a t-shirt and the other I obviously won at star prize. It seemed pretty geniune, but I was force to watch a long winded presentation, in the end I go so bored and furstrated I got up and left. Its all a scam, run by blood sucking foreigners who have nothing better to do than scam holiday makers to sign up there and then for thousands of euros. Its bad enough avoiding the massages, taxi's, Indian tailors and now this!

Think yourself lucky Noel - on the same day I was at work and some Guy came in and so we gave him a presentation on our exclusive Holiday Club only to find out he didn't have a pot to piss in and couldn't afford it!

Just back from my second holiday to Thailand and had a great scamfree time. How? I just said no! Some are rude and persistent... I've been chased down streets before... but this is a developing country, these people are POOR. You need to cut them some slack, even the Westerners.

Reading the board I find some of the "terrifying" situations quite amusing compared to what goes on here in London on a Saturday night. Guys "storming off" on their bikes? Very scary I'm sure.

And some of the replies to Jimmy here have been deeply offensive, maybe you guys are the ones with the manners issues. If you go around the streets of Thailand making homophobic remarks as seen above I'm sure you would get abused.

And out of interest exactly how do you guys have so much time to spare in Thailand as to stop and go for a 90 minute presentation?

We joined Absolute Private Residence Club last year and have just had a fantastic Holiday in Koh Samui. I must say I was a little apprehensive when I first parted with my money but I have no regrets at all at joining. The company Chairman was visiting the resort and asked me (by name) if I was enjoying my stay, how nice! My fourth visit to Thailand my first withh the Absolute Company and by far the best.

Noel
The only reason you stopped was because they were "friendly Thai girls"? Try removing your Brains from your testicles and you may be able to make decisions a little quicker.
When you arrived you SIGNED for a 90 minute presentation.You were not FORCED to do anything.
The fact that you were bored probably means you were more interested in the "friendly Thai girls" and not really listening.
What I fail to understand is how you come to he conclusion it is a "scam run by blood sucking foriegners who have nothing better to do"...... could you explain what exactly the scam is? I am interested to find what EXACTLY was a SCAM.

Jae
Well said! It is the overreaction and dramatisation from people that I cannot understand.

Tom, Rita
Nice of you to put in something positive..........How did you come across the website?

I am glad I found this post. I was consdering taking a job with Club Absolute. My wife is Thai, and as you know, it is very hard for a foreigner to find work there. Although I don't believe it is a scam, you are not being ripped off of anything (are you)? I was consdiering being a sales consultant. There web site claims that they will get you the Work Permit, and send the letter that the embassy needs to get the visa.

However, after reading all the things mentioned here, I have one question for you Jimmy. the following is right off of their own website.
"We sell our products off site and on site worldwide and in Thailand we concentrate our biggest efforts to expand our member base. We have various ways to generate our clients from a range of very successful marketing programmes to generate interested parties to view our sales presentations in all our locations. Now we are generating around 2,500 presentations a month and are not short of quality tours.
The clients are pre-screened at least twice to make sure that we deem them “Qualified to Purchase”.
After the screening process they will then be handed over to the Sales consultant, who will proceed with his multi-media presentation after (obviously) a brief introduction and friendly warm up. A sales presentation can vary in time, but the average time is between 2 and 3 hours; one of our sales managers will at different times of the presentation come and speak to the clients and at the end of the presentation will come in to do his best to close the sale for you!"

Jimmy, I ask you this, how do you PRESCREEN people that you are pulling off the street?!?! Obvioulsy, with your own admission, this is an outright lie.

I am really sad to learn of all this, since I had been looking for a long time to find employment in Thailand, just so my wife could be near her family ( not to mention I love the Thai people and the culture)

It is not my responsibility to deal with employment enquiries but I will reply to your question from a personal perspective. I also have a question for you, when or where did I state that we do not prescreen clients?
The phrase "Qualified to Purchase" is so that we can allocate the clients to the correct Salespeople. Our marketing costs a lot of money and so we cannot justify losing a highly potential customer just because they did not speak the same language as the Salesperson. If the client does not "Qualify to Purchase" they are treated with the same courtesy and given a presentation and receive their Gift. However the Tour does not appear on our Marketing Statistics. Would a client who joined us yesterday be in the market to buy our product again today? Of course not so of course there is screening. I could go into greater detail but as you have chosen a scammers' forum and decided to remain anonymous, and also accused us of lying, I do not feel obliged to disclose the company's marketing policy. Maybe you could use the correct channels next time!

May I just add that we have thousands of applications for employment every year and here are three fundamental necessities for employment with us;
1. A positive mental attitude.
2. Belief in our product.
3. Common sense
It appears you lack all three and only want the work to enable you to get a Work Permit and Visa.
Good Luck with the Job hunt!

I found this website having 'Googled' Club Absolute as a mission to find out how genuine/beneficial the product they try to sell really is. Not good news for Club Absolute that their name is linked to this website. I have had the personal experience of sitting through a very tedious presentation about a holiday club that could not even provide accommodation in two of the three dream destinations we were asked to give. I just want to raise three issues really before I leave others to continue with the offensive and very unnecessary personal comments made above.
1) Jimmy describes three fundamental necessities for employment with Club A, one of those being 'belief in the product.' If this is the case, and staff employed really do have 'belief in the product,' then why are you unable to provide customers with literature to take away and a 'cooling off' period to decide whether handing over 10 grand is the right thing to do? European Union legislation requires that by law a 'cooling off' period must be allowed. Obviously Club A work differently. I can personally say that I am not a person who would hand over large amounts of money "just like that" and would never do so without having gone away and done my research and given thought to the positives and negatives. I am ever so confident that my view also applies to the majority of other people too!
2) For those of you who have said that one person asking you "aggressively" to partake in a scratch card competition has put you off ever returning to Thailand, come on, really? Was it that bad? I very much doubt it. Thailand is a wonderful and safe country. I'm sure you must have had worse on a Friday night at home?!!!!
3) Club A talk about selling a product offering 5 star luxury accommodation. Having done my research (!!!), the products on offer in Phuket and Koh Samui get far from positive user reviews. A big fan of TripAdvisor.com, I have found that Club A Sea Pearl in Phuket is only rated 86/111 hotels in Patong with some negative vibes. Samui Peninsula likewise being rated 123/196 hotels in Koh Samui. I do not see this equating to 5* resorts.

As can be read from my comments, I did not dismiss Club A completely, hence the research I have conducted, yet there are many unanswered questions and doubts about marketing practices.

MKUK

I found lots of information in UK about Holiday Club scams below is just one example in the Daily Mirror UK.

CON HOLIDAY
CONSUMER INVESTIGATION Thousands of Brits are falling victim to high-pressure selling and parting with up to £25,000 to join clubs that promise exotic trips at bargain prices..but that luxury break often turns out to be a shabby flat on the Costas
By Stephen Hayward Consumer Correspondent 19/08/2007
Related Articles
More Sunday
Have your say on What are you talking about? in our Forums
News picturesTens of thousands of Britons are being conned out of cash with promises of cut-price holidays in exotic locations.

Victims are pressed into paying between £2,000 and £25,000 to join holiday clubs offering cheap luxury breaks which they say fail to materialise.

Middle-aged and elderly couples are the main targets of the holiday-club sharks who promise a lifetime of five-star hotels anywhere in the world at knockdown prices.

But instead of a dream holiday in the Bahamas or the Seychelles they are often offered low-grade hotels and apartments in the Costas or the Canaries which can be bought just as cheaply at any travel agent.

Even holidays closer to home don't live up to the billing. One couple chose a break at a castle near Edinburgh - and found themselves in an unheated flat on the outskirts of Glasgow in December.

Other buyers find they cannot choose holiday dates and are committed to annual subscriptions even if they don't go away.

Many victims are approached while on holiday by sales reps who give them scratchcards saying they've won a bottle of champagne or a free holiday. To collect their "prize" they must attend a presentation which turns into a high-pressure sales pitch lasting five or six hours.

Consumer watchdogs are so concerned about the hard-sell tactics used by some club reps that they are leafleting UK and foreign airports warning holidaymakers about the £1billion-a-year business.

David and Lesley Sylvester, both 60, from Derbyshire, agreed to go on a cut-price £99 week's holiday to Tenerife. As part of the deal they had to attend a five-hour sales presentation by agents representing a company called Club Class Concierge - and ended up handing over thousands of pounds.

"The next morning we recognised its implausibility and asked for our money back," said David.

But unlike timeshare sales, where clients can cancel within 14 days, the Sylvesters say there was no "cooling-off" period, and they couldn't cancel. The couple who ended up in an unheated flat near Glasgow had paid £10,050 to join a holiday scheme called Estrella Dorada Mediterrenees.

When they tried another castle holiday, this time in Austria, they were taken to a rundown students' hostel in Vienna.

They took the holiday club to court in Barcelona where a judge ruled the couple should get a refund.

New EU laws announced by the European Commission will bring holiday clubs into line with rules that now protect timeshare buyers - but these won't come into force until 2010.

Steve Wright, 48, signed a £5,000 deal with a company called Designer Way Vacation Club, after attending a sales presentation in Huddersfield.

He said: "I was fortunate because I found out in time and I've written off the £950 deposit."

British members of the Designer Way Vacation Club, operating in the Canaries, were charged between £8,000 and £12,000 for a website "key" giving them access to "grand" discounts.

Instead, they mostly got normal online travel agencies whose offers they could have found themselves on the internet.

The UK's Office of Fair Trading reckons 400,000 Britons get sucked into holiday-club scams every year.

Sandy Grey, of the Timeshare Consumers' Association, said: "I would urge people not to go anywhere near these scams."

No one was available to comment at the Spanish HQ of Designer Way Vacation Club.

One couple chose a holiday at a castle near Edinburgh but found themselves in an unheated flat outside Glasgow in December

The same couple then tried another castle holiday in Austria..they were taken to a run-down student hostel in Vienna

HOW TO AVOID THE RIP-OFFS

The independent Timeshare Consumers' Association advises would-be members to walk away if:

You don't get an unconditional 14-day cooling-off period.

Any attempt is made to take money off you during the cooling-off period.

You are not given the chance to take the contract away to read it before signing.

All the verbal promises made to you are not put in writing.

You are not given, in writing, detailed examples of places, times and prices available.

Are you the victim of a holiday club scam? Call us free on 0800 289 441 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

MJ - I have answered Question 1 already on May 01(2 posts) and May 03 on this forum. One of the oldest excuses given to a Salesperson is "we'll be back tommorrow" or "We are going to have a think about it". Usually this means "We are not going to buy your product and we don't want to tell you why". The chances of them coming back are very slim, we would rather have a NO and carry on with business instead of making future appointments many of which do not turn up. Please bear in mind we do thousands of presentations every year and our statistics prove (check again May 01st) our method works for us and our members. No Company has 100% of it's customers satisfied of course! You ask for literature to take away, we feel a one to one multimedia presentation backed up by Internet access and a tour of our accommodation and developments in the area is more enjoyable and reassuring than a handful of glossy brochures which can be obtained at any travel agent. Your experience being "tedious" tells me the Salesperson failed miserably.
Q. 3. Our company does not promise to achieve 5* on all our resorts. During your presentation you were at our resort and had the chance to see others in the area - how could we claim it was 5*? Although we do have 5* resorts within our portfolio. I'm not going to argue the statistics given by other websites. Generally bad comments travel faster than good. Surely a tour of the resort and a chance to speak to existing members is better than the unsubstantiated comments given to a website?
The fact you have unanswered Questions tells me again the Salesperson failed and needs to go back into training! (Dont you dare say it was me!!! ha)

Ruby?
You didn't get my name right - MKUK should be MJUK!
Forgive me but it sounds like an Ad for the Sunday Mirror to me! The mistake with the name would confirm that!!

If I may add Ruby, the above comment is that of someone stealing my identity. I very much appreciated your input relating to the Daily Mirror and am not overly concerned that you misspelled one letter in my name!!!

Jimmy, as I said earlier, I don't believe it is a scam, however, how do you prescreen customers when they are taken off the street by win and scratch tickets?!?!? Out of all of the presentations that you do, what percentage actually sign right then and there?

M to a T. They are simply asked questions (nothing too personal). It would be better if you contacted the website that you did originally and you will get full details via email. As I said it is not my position to publish my Company's working practices, I am on this website on a personal level because I believe in what I sell and I believe there is a lot of scaremongery from some people. My sympathy to those who have had the unfortunate experience of being scammed in the past.

Does anyone actually have a story of losing money in Thailand at one of these presentations?

To MJUK Y
ou are not very negative talking about Club Absolute, but one thing you state about the Samui pnisula rated 123, oh my god sorry but stayed there many time and have been back and forwards 2 Thailand and mainly Koh Samui, the penisula is probaly at least in the top 20 as u can see i am not exagerating like some people on here, it is a outstanding resort so soory but i disagree with that comment from trip advisor you say. MISSINFORMED INFORMATION, i call it, check it out and make your own opinion.........

You are very right Dave the samui pinisulla is beautiful, we stayed there through a travel agent and we did go through a prsentation and I can say it was not tidious as people have said, it was very interesting adn I understand Jimmy in the way they market as the salesperson clearley told me the reasons for buying today, me and Fred were pretty sad that we could truthfuly not afford the wonderful package that was offered to us and when we said no, the salesman very nice guy took me to collect my prize and we have booked a week next year in the same resort which we won after the presentation, its booked and we cant wait. So all I say people is enjoy Thailand at its best...

No scam proven in Thailand then??!!

Hi Jimmy, I am just wondering whether you actually own a vacation club membership yourself mate? not being sarcastic, just wondering if a salesman puts his money where his mouth is and if "no" do any of your fellow salesman own one? Interested to see the answer to this mate.

Good question Kiwi, I have been in the job for 1 year now and I dont own a membership.. reasons can not afford it as it is not cheap and I can use the companies anyways which I have done for my mum and dad...
There is about half a dozen that work here and do own a membership like I say iI have only been doing this job for 1 year and in that 1 year I have signed people up and they hav stayed here in Thailand and around the world on our membership, I believe it is the new way of holidaying and travel agents wil b old hat...

WOW!!! After all that "aggrevation, pressure and hassell one would think you wingers would need another holiday.
I too "won" a 7 night accomodation package. I wa stopped in the street and I scratched away. No big deal. I was given a free tuk tuk voucher to the presentation. I sat around a bar for over 40 minutes chatting to the salesperson and we had a great time. Then the presentation... I must admit I was interested but not in a position to buy and I would not have anyway, because it is in my nature to check. I then had a "harder sell" done and "no, not today" was my reply. I left them with all in good spirits and no hard feelings with a, "wee appreciate your time" farewell. I didn't feel I needed therapy after and although this is my first time to Phuket, I will definately return. What is wrong with you people? The approach maybe different but the sell is the same, just on a larger scale to a department store selling large screen TVs etc. Everone wants and needs to mke a buck somewhere. Ladies go to a hair salon, have their hair cut... "your scalp in a little dry, maybe you should try this product, it will clear it up straight away.... you hair is dull, try this". It's all selling and if you want you buy. If not, you decline. Look on the brighter side of life my fellow travellers.... enjoy your holiday and be stronger and more street wise next time. Life is about learning and you got a free lesson in dealing with street hawkers... be thankful

Ive been to Thailand a few times now and been approached by these people a few times and just laugh at them every time.
I can understand local Thais doing it but it disturbs me to see foreigners doing it too,working illegally no doubt.
These people are usually failures in there home country in some way or another and escape to live in a third world country 'for the lifestyle'(read cheap sex and alcohol),and are generally of dubious character.

If they tried those street sales tactics in their home countries they would be arrested or in Australia here,probably have the shit punched out of them.

Jimmy - I went to the presentation.
I have non what so ever respect for luring people with "one week wacation" scott free just com at collect . and the very understated agenda for the presentation
Furthermore I find it very strange that your are asked to sign before you now which amount you are signing for. Especially if the product is valid. AND to avoid your remark - I did ask but couldn't get a reply. Im sure that more than 90% of the guys representing ABSOLUTE has other reasons than tan, cheap girls and beer, to leave their home country and join the ABSOLUTE in exp Tahiland. And to be sure that we understand eachother they are without a doubt comming from in a very grey area in relating with customers, borderlining to experinces with fraud, in a degree that they wont get employment back home. Why because you only meet thei guy once. In othere relations your meet teh sales representative sevaral times.The ABSOLUTE sales guy we talked with had been working in several ABSOULTE offices, and why I wonder?Perhaps to avoid returning unsatisfied customers or???
Can ABSOULTE/Jimmy produce happy proud menbers of ABSOLUTE or just ashmed aussies that won't say anything.
No matter what your intentions or veldefined words you use - if the customer feels he/she's is in the claws of a scamartist or company - that is not at good sell (no returning customere or referrels. As before where are the happy members of ABSOULTE I have never met one! If the concept is marvolus- the referrel (mouth to mouth) by happy customers/members should be more than enough to keep the wheels turning for Absolute.... Rest in peace I'll warn all I know to throw away 4 hours of good holiday time to listen to a salespitch. By the way why dont ABSOLUTE contact potential customers in the middel of the winter back home, with proper documentation and time to consider their magnificent product. Whats the clever answer to that.....

I haven't read back as far as May, but could you explain who you are Jimmy. I've attended one of your presentations and yes, My family and I were suckers. I paid a deposit as we intended to take further holidays, yet after arriving home, found that the resorts or accomodation in certain countries, didn't even exsist. We were given sister company websites to look at and told another lot of lies. I may have parted with a deposit, but you are definately not getting any more money out of us. As a police officer in my country, I can assure you that if you attempted anything like this, I'd charge you with fraud. You can keep sending your emails to us Jimmy, but you're waisting your time. I'm onto the Office of Consumer Protection Board and the Department of Internal Trade in Thailand and have obtained the services of a local lawyer. If the deposit is not forth coming, then it is I who will be taking legal action. For anyone else who is thinking of buying into it, then think again. Don't trust them. By the way, I also intend to go to the media in our country. I'd return the t-shirts, but have added to them. One now reads, 'Absolute RUBBISH' and the other reads 'Absolute LIES'.

I live in Patong and a day never passes without these creeps approaching me on a motorbike,
they always open with the word do you speak English as soon as they speak these words just tell them you live here,they soon leave you alone.

About the work permits and stuff sorry to say guys all people working with this stuff in Thailand has a legit working permit, maybe not obtained in the same way as you would for another job in Thailand but it's legit. It's people exploiting the horribly corrupt Thai government through mob connections.

I worked with it before had my bluebook and my work permit sorted for every timeshare company I worked for. Absolute, Laguna Holiday Club and Andaman Beach Suites.

I can tell you that they do have work permits - hundreds of farang sales people in Samui, Pattaya and Phuket have work permits by these two Thai companies.
It is legit. It is legal. The companies are Thai-owned and Thai-managed.
It may or may not be a good deal - there are other ways to get RCI points other than from Quality or Absoulte.

It's not the salesmen in the offices that don't have the work permits but the white trash on the street that hassle you to go to the sales presentation. Call the police if they start hassling or abusing you. They have to carry their passport with the work visa in it. Most don't. Watch them run when you tell them they are annoying you and you are calling the police.

Hey Jimmy, you seem to be copping abit of flack over this one mate, look back at the start of this blog written by mark carius, Sun 02 Dec 2007 06:57:42 MST.

If your happy with your job, well done, if people cant say no to your mates because they get abused, then I suggest they tell the sods or you to #*!! off. I'm sure there are a couple of big blokes amoungst you that can handle yourself.

Cheers

I write to AJ. I am glad I found this informations. I am victim Club Absolute. During my holiday last week Thai girl on Patong Beach was asking me to scratch cards. I was first time on Phuket. I don't speak good English. I was pressured on a Person who sold holidays. They said I can have exlusive holidays for years, get discount in hotels, can be anywhere in the world more times. It was scams. Now I know about it. I payed deposid. It was a lot of money for me. I will my money back. What I can do now? Could you me help get back my money?

Hi AJ, I am also writing to you. We have also paid a deposit with Absolute but have serious questions about the validity of all we were told. We have also engaged a lawyer as we do not want to pay the balance. From your experience, can you give us any advice or who else we can speak to about this. Which venues could you not find and where did you find reference to them. I would like some more info to give our solicitor. Is there an email address that i could email you on. Thanks

Hello Mark Carius- do you really think I am emotionally affected by the comments of a few who find relief in venting their deep seated anger (usually caused by their own inabilities) on a free for all website???????????????? Come on guys give some substance to your whingeing, - in fact who has actually been scammed- I asked this question on this site ages ago!

Hello Girl.

The promises made that you have published are true, so where is the problem? Dont be frightened by these keyboard terrorists - enjoy your future holidays with absolute while the rest of the non believers trust the travel agents!!

Get real.. we got the tshirts and free holiday but it truely works. I am at the Olympics this week in Beijing and hey - you guys need to get a life. Well done Absolute -I would not be hear without you.
If you paid a deposit and want it back - who else does that - no one! Get real. These guys run a good business. 50 or 100 families a week - 10 or 20 join their club. 80 free tshirts and I bet 20 use the free holiday (and about a third or half of them buy it eventually).
Forced to buy - get real. Not today mate!
G Day

Dear Girl
Sorry 2 inform u but if you dont speak good english then you would never be put on tour, we call it a NQ. not qualified..........

AJ- If you are truly a police officer in your own Country as you say, then answer me this - do you uphold the law as it has been written - or are you alone Judge, Jury and Executioner? You say you would charge me with fraud if I were in your Country! If you have joined us then you signed all the relevant paperwork (legal paperwork) which you now say you are not going to honor! Confused!!!!!! Proven cases of complaints against the police in the UK dropped dramatically when they introduced CCTV to their interviews and arrests......maybe we should do the same with our presentations but until we do we will rely on the signed documentation.

You tell them , Absolute is a great company that stands behind their product . They are everything they say they are and more. I am truley happy with Absolute.

Im not sure about absolute as a company, it the tactics they emply, they are in Pattaya now, between 8 am and 3pm you get stopped every 5 minutes buy some dodgy looking farang on a scooter asking do you speak Enlish, do you want to do a scratchcard, these guys are obviously scrapping the bottom of the barrel trying to stay in Thailand, it really does get annoying, without being rude I just say no, and mention club absolute and they go away(sometime) The tourist police should look at these guys as they do harass people on the streets.

QUOTE JOHN "Do you speak english"....... my god that is a really bad harrasment charge which should be put in place, get on to the tourist police they wil either take you serious or lock you up for wasting time when they have better things to do.

Yeah John we do seem to be going around in circles here a bit, on 17th April I tried to make the same point- what is harrassment? asking you to buy something? Offering a service? proposing a deal? showing you something you may like something you may want? Every day living in Thailand I am offered something by somebody and every now and again I accept. Wheres the problem? If I dont want - I dont buy. If I buy and regret it -I dont get my money back. "Do you speak english?" try this one - NO (offer refused end of sales pitch!)

Very dry Mark Carius! lol

we can discuss their methods, if they are serious or not. but as far as I remember from reading the statements above, there really hasn't been anyone been screwed by Club Absolute. we decided not to go this season, but a few months after that I can say how the booking process was. at first I was also pissed when I found out that the entire scratch card thing is a set-up, but honestly, if they came out with the truth right away, I wouldn't have even thought about going with them. I know it's hard to find out who is an Absolute Salesperson and who isn't, but who had good/bad experiences with Absolute so far? (besides the fact that they try to get yout attention with fake scratch cards...)

Where is this Jimmy fellow? If you are still around i would just like to let you know that I purchased an Absolute Membership in September 2007. I tried to use it in February but the accomadation was not available. I booked again now for September and was given dates of availablity. I responded with acceptance of the dates and booked the flights. I have not recieved any confirmation of the booking and every email I send gets an automatic response but no reply. If I get F****D over this, god help the people in Pattaya when I get there. I will be in that office and raising one hell of a stink. I wonder just what you will do when i'm standing out front handing out copies of my emails to everyone that your little Thai recuits try to bring in. Also downloaded from the web your advert for hiring Sales people. That would be another nice little thing to be giving out to all your prospected clients. See if you can make your mandatory targets then! This web page itself would also print up quite nice.

You know the best bit, my TGF wants to continue this after I leave with her friends. Might not have the same impact as a westerner but should cause enough grief.

You say in you spiel to employees that you screen and target people that can afford these an absolute membership. Your dead right, I can afford it. I can aslo afford to go out of my way to cause as much grief as possible to absolute if they screw me over.

Hi... Message for AJ or whom ever would like to help!!! My parents recently travelled to Thailand (Phuket) for their first time ever leaving Australia... They were not too sure what to expect however as mentioned in the numerous letters above, they were approached by some lovely people with scratch cards and were then taken to the ABSOLUTE Hotel for the presentation etc etc...... They were treated extremely well and thought that everything was legit. They then accepted and put down the deposit and later payed the remaining money... which was in total $17,500.... It is not something they can really afford, and have never gone out on a limb before however at the time were completely sold and first time out of Australia on a nice holiday... They are yet to try it out however after doing a bit of research it seems that it is not legit... Is there anyone out there who have actually used this and tried it to the full extent? We are at the moment keeping an open mind about this and would like to make the money back we have spent... However at the same time, should CLUB ABSOLUTE be nothing more than a lame excuse for a greedy person to get their kicks out of scamming innocent, naive people for money I also want revenge.....!!!! Thanks!

Becs- what if it is not a scam and your parents made a good choice and had great holidays-would you go out of your way to publish a good report of your experiences? You are claiming that after research it seems that it is not legit!! in what way- I am not being sarcastic or nasty towards you and you are obviously protecting your family -but apart from your parents overspending on their holiday what has caused you to be so anti club absolute? I ask this because I joined myself aand am yet to use it so its made me a bit nervous about it all, i havent finished paying for it yet but was going back to Thailand in december.

I would do some serious research on what they offer. You might get something if they still exist in the future. The holiday accommodation other than thailand is not obtainable. You can get cheaper holiday elsewhere because your money invested is dead money. Maybe you get the week each year. It would be better money invested elsewhere. Good luck.

If anything the methods the employ to snare people into going on a promotional presentation is not great.
It is an absolute nightmare in Pattaya now, with farangs on motorbikes stopping you every 50 meters. It is extremely annoying.

hahaha massive holes in the road -5 girls saton a moped doin there hair- music burstin yer eardrums from every bar-concorete lorries wit the windows blacked out nearly killin ya-scabby soy dogs tryin to bite ya youar lucky to walk 50m eters an still be alive you nonce an your worried about some faggot givin ya a scratchcard- its people like you that keep encouragin proper tourists here and next thing itll be like fxxxing spain or italy all clean an borin

Geordie - Thanks for your reply... Yes after reading all of the negative feedback I would definitely write up a report if it did work! I haven't done alot of research as of yet however we have tried to book a few holidays with it always being no availability... Although we have managed to book the free holiday for next year and have confirmed it at the actual hotel too. If you are yet to finish paying for it, we will try it out and let you know how it works for us!
Thanks

Just ask the touts to show you their work permit! They soon disappear :-)

If they are farang touts and most of them are, they are definitely illegal as it's not a job farangs are allowed to do because it is taking jobs away from Thais. If there's a policeman nearby, report them. Ask yourself why would they ride off quickly if you threatened to report them if they WERE legal?

There are enough Thai touts on the street in police pockets without the annoying farangs too.

Just to clarify some laws in Thailand.
It is ILLEGAL for a foreigner to "tout" on the streets. He must have a work permit and the work permit is only valid for 1 location as in an Address of a Building. Working outside this office is a breach of Thai Law, and if anyone really wants to do something about it, you can always inform Immigration/Labour department there is one Located on the beach road in Patong.

I have lived here in Phuket a long time.

Yes they are scamming people, I have even been told so by the guys working for Absolute!

Amazing what comes out over a few beers eh, also all the guys I have met in this line of work really do like their beer....a lot!!!

They all seem to know each other. Because one guy was so persistant that I ended up in a fight. He lost. His face didnt look to pretty when I left him. Stayed for another month. Never have been approached again.
I higly recomend this method.

Of course Theo, what a fantastic idea, did you think of it on your own or did your mummy teach you this while you were home from school for being bullied by the other boys? if the Law doesnt work or we find it doesnt suit us or then we get into a fight so we win the argument - its amazing how the politicians of the world have not picked up on this unique method. A true flash of brilliance, your Mum should be proud. Have you ever thought of being a foreign diplomat when you grow up? Maybe for Uganda
PS do you take steroids?

No, but I go frequently to the gym. Besides I am a barkeeper here in Amsterdam. Have to do this kind of bad things every ones and a while. Part of the job

Theo, I hope you wear kevlar under your vest? Thailand is NOT Holland!

Lets bring this back on track ..... the Holiday Club / ABSOLUTE resort scams are the same "time share" scams we all experienced in Canada, USA, Europe .....buyers beware. Just say no thanks, smile, laugh and enjoy your vacation. Paradise doesn't exist except in your mind.

Plus there are always better discounts on the web for resorts and hotels.

Http://www.latestay.com is a good place to start

The point is to laern from others and AVOID the scams...

here is what works for us:

when they approach you, take their pic with your digital camera or phone. tell them you will post it on the net ( here would be a good place) and see just how fast they scurry back under their rock.

getting a pic of anyone you suspect of being a scammer or rip off business does wonders to get them to buzz off.

We have an Absolute membership - my b/f was scammed when he was in Pattaya.... we have used it once - one wee free in Phuket in quite a nice resort... however we have tried to book a few times and each time they tell us they have nothing available... When we went for our free week accommodation we also had to go to another presentation where they ask you to invest even more money - luckily I was with teh b/f at the time so we said no and they didnt' bother us about it. However at the second presentation they told us that we could get accommodation in NYC and we have since tried to book it only to be told taht they do not offer accommodation here... We are now in europe and are trying to get as many holidays as we can ... we havent tried so far but I don't expect to get much success.... it has turned out to be a very expensive week in Phuket!

Just read this entire thread - phew!
I attended one of Absolute's presentations a few years ago in Koh Samui, but didn't sign up there and then on the principle that I never hand over my bank/VISA info until I've had the opportunity to check that it's not a scam aimed to get your details for identity fraud.
I went to Thailand to go diving while living in cheap accommodation, but after an encounter with one of the bluddy great potholes while on a moped, I had a big cuts on my leg/elbow/hand and the diving was ended (can't dive with a cut as it'll get infected).
So to make myself feel better, I decided to spend my last week in a 5* hotel. I was immediately given 60% off the brocure price without asking.
So why pay Absolute £10,000 for something you can get for free?
The outside contact guy was quite friendly, and even told me that I only need to spend 90 minutes at the presentation for him to get his commission, then I can bugger off with my T-shirt.
As it happened, the presentation was just across the road, and I had a nice cool drink in an air-conditioned building (a relief as it was a really hot day).
The sales pitch took much longer than 90 minutes - more like 5 hours. I didn't mind this as I had nothing better to do and I was curious as to what the angle was. And I could easily have walked out.
It did get a bit pushy towards the end when they began to realise that I didn't have any intention of signing up. We English don't usually like to cause offence (unless we're drunk!), so my first excuse was 'I can't afford it'.
'No problem' said the saleman. 'Here's some info on a loan with Lloyds TSB that you can take out'.
'I'd like to think about it' I said.
'This is a once-only offer. You need to sign up today' he said.
'I'd like to check out the alternatives before I sign up' I said
At this point he gave up.
I did get the T-shirt though, but it was way too big so I left it in the hotel room.
Here's my opinion - Absolute is neither a scam nor illegal. It's just not as great a deal as it's made out to be.

Hi to all, we have just returned from our holiday in Phuket and off course we scratched 3 stars & hopefully won our Thai guy the 5000baht he said he would get. We just looked at it as a free tour in air conditioned comfort had a nice chat to the taxi driver who gave us some great information about bartering and the best places to go for shopping, had a nice chat to an english man called Steve. Of course we won a free weeks accomodation for next time which we won't use. All you have to do is tell your friends if they go to just say they have already done it, we were approached by a few different people afterward. I found the english men to be the worst the Thai's were very friendly. It was easy for us to say no but then my husband is 6foot 3 and a large man it takes alot to intimidate him. I can imagine it could be alot scarier for other people but please don't tar Thailand for it is the Thai people who need our money. Just remember to say you have already done it. Kup Koon Ka

I can see how this is extremely annoying and not making people want to return. I had this problem in vegas with the damn time shares. I was approached multiple times every day I was there. If it was a one time thing, you say no and move on. But after constantly being interrupted in my day, I was fed up and very unlikely to return.

Come on....we come here for a 2 week holiday, fall in love with a beautiful girl. What else are we supposed to do...teaching at 28.000 baht a month....give us a break, we are only working, if you dont want to buy dont but let us earn a living hey..

Just tell any moto cycle people, surveryors etc that you are resident in thailand and live there, have condo etc etc. Kind of pees on their fire haha! They seem to think that all people they approach are newbies so if they b/s you then b/s them back. fair game. This worked for me about 20 times in 5 months Phuket Pattaya Bangkok.

our family had a wonderful holiday in Phuket, and my young son is very keen on going back there for an extended time. We are busy organising for him to go there and he has been offered an opportunity as an OPC at one of the companies mentioned above. It all sounds very legit and they will help him organize a legitimate visa and work permit once he is there (including a trip by him to a neighbouring country at his cost). After reading this website, i, as a parent am now extremely worried. Firstly it is costing us a lot of money to send him half way across the world, secondly i obviously want him to be successful and happy there - even if he just earns enough to live reasonably well and thirdly, we are decent honest people. He wont be comfortable there being known as a street crook/conman or someone to be wary of and to avoid. He would like to earn enough to survive, interact with the locals, make friends and be well-liked and popular. He also cant be stranded there with no money after having being ripped off. The job is 100% commission only, so, no 'clients' attend presentation - no earnings. Monthly expenses remain! The little money that he arrives with wont last too long. Are there any OPC's out there with some constructive advise? PLEASE

Concerned parent. Beware. I have read comments from other websites complaining about their salespeople not getting paid. This product is a scam because it does deliver what people think that they are getting for their money. The money invested is a very high price for a small return, if they are able to get any bookings for holidays at all. It would be very stressful and for a young person confidence destroying.

MY FAMILY AND I HAVE BEEN TO THAILAND 3 TIMES, KOH SAMUI INCLUDED. WE LOVE THE PLACE! THE THAI PEOPLE ARE BEAUTIFUL ! THOSE "SCRATCH AND WIN " MEN CAN BE PUSHY BUT JUST TELL THEM TO SHOVE OFF IN A STRONG FIRM MANNER. WE SCRATCHED AND WON A LOVERLY HOLIDAY TO KOH SAMUI. IT WAS WORTH THE FEW HOURS OF LISTENING TO THE BLA BLA. YOU HAVE JUST GOT TO BE STRONG AND DON'T LET ANYONE GET TO YOU. BLOCK THEM OUT AND TAKE THE PRIZE AND GO ! JENNY

Jenny, I think you must have visited very different resorts in Phuket and Samui from the rest of us. If you walk down Patong beach, there are tuk tuks cluttered door to door for as far as the exe can see, everyone shouting tuk tuk to you, also the tailor shops in Patong constantly harrasing you. And on top of this you now have the scratch and wins trying to get you to go to presentations. Dont be naive and say the Thais are beautiful people, you are just an ATM machine for Thais, thats all, they dont like you, they even pimp their women out to bars and other places just to milk money from farangs. I have not been bothered by the scratch and win people for a while, but they are still there.

Yeah it has happened to us all and you just have to expect this behaviour and not buy it. Use a little common sense.

For the love of God.
First, it would only be a scam if you dont actually get the gift you were promised, which you all seem to get.
Second, if you dont like it, dont be so cheap that you give up half a day of your vacation time for a 100 us certificate, or what ever you where offered.
Timeshare exists in every country of the world. Some are scams and some are not. I bought a timeshare in mexico 12 years ago, and its the best thing i ever did.

Pleased you enjoy your timeshare Joan good to hear of positive experiences. It is a matter of CHOICE, if you want Timeshare and it suits you thats great. I personally prefer choosing my holidays without any Company involved giving me certain dates etc etc, but again this is my CHOICE. There is no such thing as FREE in this world, and generally cheap means cheap!.
We were asked by some Brits in Phuket to attend one of these conferences, we were confronted on the street by a Brit on a motor cycle, when we refused he looked pretty forlorn saying he worked on commission just for getting punters in... Ok we felt sorry for the guy (could have been one of our sons haha) so we went in and yes, 3 hrs later after a mighty hard sell we declined their offer of a Timeshare and yes they werent too happy but we were all born with a hole in our mouths, and they understood the word No.
It made for an interesting discussion that evening, hey the guys wanted to swop their lives from the Uk to a better life in Thailand and who can blame them, they chose this path and good luck to them if they managed to drum up business..... lol Bulldog @greedy bastards

Compleiners get a life!!!!! Let people earn a living!!!! So many other jobs, so many scams: travel agents, cars, even banks for crying out loud!!!!! Dont led the greed beat you and stop going to collect free prices!!!! Look at your life and be honest: have u never try to "scam" somebody on something? If u say no, u lying!! Take it or leave it, but stop moaning!!!!!!!!!

Yes, nothing wrong with corruption. I dont understand why people everywhere in the world get so upset about it!!

Very very annoying and agressive touts this guys an girls from Absolute! It's all about time share, rip you off and deliver bad quality once you sign up. Sorry for everyone who works there..

Pacifier, actually NO, I have never tried to scam anybody EVER lol. some people are born with a conscience mate! Lying! why should I Lie .. I think being honest reaps its rewards hands down, watching your back all the time must be so nerve racking lol

We went to an Absolute presentation in Patong in December. The salesman was useless, but maybe this was because we were only there for the free lunch!! The best question to ask is " What accommodation do you have in Malaysia?" The answer is none but he did not answer. Any reputable company would allow you to go away and think!!! Enjoy the free lunch and the time out of the sun but DO NOT be taken for a fool - unless you are?!

Don't get annoyed - watch out for their white t-shirts and Europeans on mopeds and tell them "We've already been to Absolute" and then they pass you buy. You do stand out as a European couple!!!!

Dear "not persuaded"
You went on a presentation whilst on Holiday "for the free lunch"? -

You asked if there was accommodation in Malaysia and the salesman didn't reply - and yet you knew the answer was "none"? - Well he didnt lie to you then, thats good surely? Does that make him a bad salesman?

You state you wanted to go away and "think"? - About what? whever you enjoyed the free lunch? OR were you actually thinking about joining????

You didnt want to go away and think at all.....you wanted to go and find another free meal for the next day of your holiday! based on that!! - I doubt very much you could afford to join the club anyway.


Good luck with your free lunches "Mr. Timewaster"

Mr Confused is one of the salesman and hasnt any time for Timewasters, he is too busy scamming and becomes frustrated lol

Me and My Girlfriend just got back from Hong Kong and we were approached by Club Absolute. The guy was pretending to be taking surveys and I asked him "are you selling anything" he said "No. Not at all, this is just a survey".

This was a LIE.

He really made us beleive that we had won something when I revealed 3 stars on my scratchcard but the 90 mins turned into 4 hours and the "no obligation" turned into abrupt-hard-sell and the prize of a "dream holiday" turned into a weeks free stay at a thai hotel of their choice....

last time I checked, a "dream holiday" consisted of more than just a hotel promotion. Flights?

I am just glad I never gave them a penny.

I wrote a detailed description of what happened to us on my blog ( http://muzzerino.blogspot.com/2009/01/absoluteclub-scam.html ) and I have also complained to the Hong Kong Tourism Office about Club Absolute.

Sell us holidays? fine. Just dont lie and waste our time with false promises and prizes.

Patong seems to be the number one place for this scratch card promotions spiel. At some point whilst walking anywhere you will be approached by someone on a motor cycle and asked to scratch a card which surprise you are a winner.

It may be worth doing this once and not attending the promotion but getting a look at the small print on the rear of the card so you are better informed and able to tell your friends because you will be approached again and again in Patong / Bangla Rd.

Once you know the small print and who is not elligable you can say you dont qualify and explain why because a simple no doesnt always work with the more determined agents.

......If people are rude and swear or get violent with the scratch card people it would be met with violence as these people would feel aggrieved and possibly lose face. If there is violence then the police will inevitably be called resulting in more hassle and possible payment from the farang party/s far in excess of any time share presentation hassle.

Decline politely rather than angrily dont let these scammers ruin your holiday.

Hey Jimmy,
If you are still out there with your red cape defending your industry in Thailand, I have a couple of questions for you as I am considering selling for Absolute. I know that anyone on this thread probably can not believe that someone would consider such an evil thing with all of the "scary" stories that were presented, but I am someone that has sold all of my life, and really like providing a product to people that they "want" not necessarily what they "need". Sounds like fun to me!

Perg
If someone "wants" something they will go and look for it -- not wait for an aggressive bloke on a bike with a dodgy scratchcard.

Dave,
It does seem unfortunate that this is the way they market their product. I was in Phuket a couple of years ago, and luckily didn't get approached by one of these folks on the bikes.

Are Thai vacation clubs scams?

Absolutley. They are scams.

The sales people prey on the unsophisticated.
They don't pitch to lawyers, bankers, accountants, brokers, etc. - people who hear lies for a living.
Perfect 'Q' or qualified 'Up' is a young tradesman, like a contractor, who thinks he's rich because he had a good year and wants to be a jet-setter, even though he's probably on his first Asian vacation.
The 'Rep' who gives the two or three hour presentation or 'tour' tries to become the 'Ups' friend by appealing to his vanity; get him to talk about himself and then pump him up.
The promises: half-price air travel, free upgrades, RCI exchanges, DAE exchanges, last minute discounts, airport transfers....some of these guys can really bullshit. But its not written in the contract. The contract says: only the written contract is binding and not oral representations.

Now lets see what they deliver for the A$17,500. A contract for membership in a Club, whereby you pay $200 per year... and a Certificate from Hutchinson Trust saying you're the "owner." Owner of what?
In Quality Vacation Club, you would own Rights of Accommodation for that week for 30 years...in that one resort. Yes, you can go to that same resort every year for one week. As long as you pay the $200 per year. Guess what, you idiot? The so-called resort rents for 1250 baht per night...anyone can stay there for $200 per week.

Now how about the exchange? RCI, DAE? Sure, they've paid the RCI membership fee and you have a card and can log on and look at all the pretty resorts. But can you really exchange? Hahahahah.
Did you really think the $200 per week hotel in Bangkok or Pattaya can exchange for a resort in Eurpoe?

OK. They said you can sell your membership anytime. See - look at the listings online. Forget it, it never happens.

Where does all the money go? Does QVC or Absolute or TaiPan own any resorts? Do they really own these plcaes? No. The vacation clubs lease a few rooms. And not for 30 years, but just for a few years. The Rules of Occupation expressly say they can offer alternative accommodation.

So where does the money go? You guessed it. Commissions. Ten percent for the Rep, 4% the 'TO' - the fast talking closer who comes in after the three hour tour... 3% to the 'deck manager'...the 'OPC' on the street gets a "spiff"...and the rest goes for all the conventions, shows, gifts, ofiice expenses...

at the end of the day, the Club is just as broke as you...

Now, what about the Euro-trash that sell these things? Are they making a ton of money? Hell no.
They are no-doubt living in some 6000 baht per month room and as soon as the club pays them the commissions owed (sometimes late, sometimes never) they will go to the next club in another sunny isle...

What about the trustee? Are they staright? Come back next week for an honest assessment?

Farang Gaeng,

What a load of hit you are pumping , You have no idea and are only speaking your opinion , have you ever talked to a owner with Absolute I think not because if you did you would have a much different out look on the product they have and how it works for the people involved. Sounds to me like you have some kind of a grudge , Like you were given a chance at a job and were sacked for being a jerk. Good luck with you attitude buddy.

Timeshare or holiday club membership suits some but not others, its ok to listen to the spiel but its really up to the individual to decide whether this is the thing to invest money in with the same risk as any investment you may not get back what you pay in.

Hard selling really is a big turn off as is PR bull**** and is alive and well in such cities as New York. (No way would they get the big money they wanted for the product I was enquring about the way they treat their customers!). Its a big industry as is all 'selling' and it does prey on the intimidated and the 'free on license for two weeks' working people who are holidaying in the resorts of Thailand, Spain, Portugal etc etc etc. Read the small-print and you'll find the clubs are looking for a 'special' kind of person :)

They are selling dreams which equates to invisables and speculative stuff by means of the amazingly fun scratch cards which are a seemingly harmless and holiday fun type thing, their way in to some very hard business with big ticket items, requiring some investment.

If you feel that the person selling something is not worthy of your trust, follow your nose and don't part with your money. If the pressure is on to make a sale retreat further in the opposite direction as your salespeople (and this is what all promotions team members are effectively) are trying it on to feather their own nests or stay an extra few weeks in Thailand at your expense.

Keep your wits about you.

Not a scam, a business like any other. Its your money, you decide if the holiday club is the thing for you. The guys and girls on motor cycles are just PR staff who are selling a product indirectly.

Things would improve if so many people had been told the truth from the outset about these businesses.

The selling business is a pressured environment per se relying on targets being met / goalposts moved / exceeded. The staff in these companies sometimes have to tell white lies to get the sales targets required from cold calling. Watch the play / film Glengarry Glenn Ross as a cultural example!

Just be polite, say no when you mean no and realise the companies are a business relying on your spend.

Farang Gaeng,

I know it's a tough world out there, and I'm pretty sure you have to be an adult to travel the world. Give people more credit that aren't doctors and lawyers; you can be quite bright without 8 or more years of university. And try working out, it will relieve quite a bit of stress.

I think going through one of these sales pitches can actually be a great learning experience. Just like any buying experience, you can just say no.

The absolute lies.

1. The week you purchase will trade for weeks anywhere. True for Marriott, not for any Thai timeshare.

2. You can make money renting your unit. Rediculous.

3. This deal is only good for today. High pressure mierda. They know that if you have time to check you would never buy a Thai timeshare. Never, ever.

4. You can resell your week. Sure, if you corner someone and feed them the same crap for four hours...

The next big scam:

UPGRADE TO POINTS PLAN. You now know your timeshare is worthless, and you can't trade your week for much...so let's upgradre to our new scheme and you can pay us more money ....

Next week:

How to win your case at the Consumer Protection Tribunal and get back your deposit.

Farang Gaeng (The sacked employee!!! : )

You know a lot about the negative side of the Timeshare Industry? A majority of the points you made have valid content, but you have taken every negative aspect and proclaim that every customer will get the same sales pitch and promises that YOU made! If you had spent your time learning the positive aspects of the product you were trying to sell - You would still have a JOB!!!

Good luck at Marriots! LOL.

yes just endured a 90 min presentation which went for 3hrs...we were too polite. reason we went to the gig was for a free breakfast which we hoped would be different from the place we were staying.
The guy was gutted that we didnt want to part with the "todays special" of $11,000. Even offered a $4000 trial. lesson learnt..dont be so polite just walk out when you have had enough.

I would like to have asked a wee bit more as my quick maths i was doing on the sums didnt add up. but i worked out the less questions i asked the quicker the presentation would finish
once again im too polite !

Mark, at least you admitted you went for the free breakfast, I have been to one in Phuket, a young english lad on a motor bike pleaded with us to attend because this was his way of obtaining a salary! We attended, it was like a boxing ring, Round 1: soft sell Round 2: soft drinks given : Round 3: medium sell, Round 4: was horrendous, hard sell with a vengeance, we didnt go for anything other than we felt sorry for the young english lad but boy did I learn about the selling game.
We came across something similar in Tererife for our sins in the 80's, an offer of a "free walkman", endured the patter, we were not even allowed to discuss the matter between ourselves, there was a bodyguard" with us at all times lol...
We came to the conclusion you would have to be such a boring person to endure 2 weeks in the same place (yes, we saw the videos about exchanging with others around the world... all BS!!!). Why when I wanted a holiday couldnt I pick up a travel brochure and choose a destination without having a "Timeshare2/3 weeker" on my hands. No thanks.... but a great insight into how desperate people are to sell to the naive people with a dollar in their pockets! I wouldnt buy Timeshare in europe or Australia for love nor money where at least we have Trading Standards!

unfortunately my parents were sucked in to the scam.
one of those it will never happen to me kind of deals.
they signed up with the deposit which is around $9000.
this was fine..(well...) but then they started automatically taking out money from my dads credit card without permission!
instantly realised it was a scam! unfortunately too late for the other $9000
so it can certainly become worse than just harrassment on the street i can tell you that!
unbelievable that these europeans would go and ruin for the poor thai ppl trying to make a living from the tourism industry and all these ppl (so evident in this blog) are being put off going back!
such a shame!

BUYER BEWARE! always have your wits about you!

i think you guys are being pretty harsh to Farang Gaeng.
he obviously had a hard run with the company. and fair enough!
im angry at them too and they didnt even take my money or try to scam me!
i think Farang Gaeng is simply warning ppl about the dangers and pitfalls of the things these so called 'salesman' spin you to get you to buy!
good on you, thanks for sharing your knowledge!bias or otherwise

Holiday clubs arent for everyone. If you do attend a presentation, given the sums of money ,outlay, investment, call it what you will required, make sure you are the one asking the majority of the questions so you can ascertain whether it will be beneficial to you and suit your future travel needs.

If you are told the truth then its not a scam but a business, however if you are lied to then it becomes a scam because there are unscrupulous sellers out there, the same in every industry and even on ebay!

If you arent interested or feel its not your thing, walking on by is the best option you dont waste your or the reps time here.

Research before parting with money, full stop.

Over enthusiastic selling or pressured deal closing is the issue here which can include little white lies and best case scenarios (pre global downturn!), examples include the most talked about re-sale plan or trading weeks here and there with other members.

Find the evidence of other people who have bought club memberships and make this a vital part of your research when you are thinking of investing in holiday club membership.

The onus is on you to make sure you get value for your money as with everything.

Scam Scam Scam Scam Scam.
All the thais see tourists as walking cashpoints and will do anything to scam them.
They don't realize that tourists are visiting their country to relax, sight see and have a good time and perhaps spend their hard earned money at their free will in nice restaurants etc.
If these Thai scammers tried these scams in USA they would be jailed for years.
Sooner or later tourist industry in Thailand will be zero and all Thais will be affected. Even the honest ones ( such a person? ).
I work in the travel industry and I now tell as many people as I can not to travel to Thailand. It's such a shame I have to do this but until the Thai Government stop the scams I would never sell a holiday to there.
Yes there are scams all over the world in every country. Even in New York, London, Paris etc. However, at least in these cities you can walk down the street without being pestered every two minutes.
Anyway, I am glad that the credit crunch is hitting hard. More people taking hoildays at home. My business has never been busier.

Yes I'm thick and ignorant but a rather rich one too. At least I can hold my head up high and say I've never scammed anyone. There is a difference between scamming someone and doing business with someone.
BTW. This site is to warn tourists about the scams in Thailand and how easily you could be caught out. It certainly isn't for promoting the Thai hospitality and the shit hole of a 3rd world country.
Not everyone who visits Thailand is a Sex Tourist. If you believe that then you are the thick and ignorant one.

Oh, and as for me being a Yank you've got your facts wrong.Idiot.

Benny "All the Thais see see tourists as a walking cashpoints and will do anything to scam them" .

Don't you realise how wrong you are??? Where did you go??

Benny why dont you enlighten us as to how you were scammed? All you have done is given your opinion of what you THINK of Thailand and its people.. and explained how you THINK you are so much better!

No wonder you were treated with hostility Mr Bigshot, Im surprised you were not the one to be "jailed for years"

Benny, you are no longer able to give your opinion here; i am officially kicking you off this site. As for people from the U.S. in Thailand, hardly anyone goes there, because we don't have much vacation time per year. As for people from the U.S. going there for the sex trade, I have never heard anyone talking about going there for that. My wife and I visited Phuket and didn't meet any yanks there; we did meet a lot of nice Europeans and folks from Scandinavian countries. Again benny, this is about getting scammed while in Thailand, not a place to vent your hostilities toward others that are different than you.

And I retract my comments suggesting the reasons why US citizens visit this beautiful country. The US forces are doing a lot of good PR work in remote areas of Thailand. Sincere apologies!

So now we have an American (perg) to control this medium! well I feel very sad that Benny wasnt able to air his grievances via his blog...... so maybe Benny can enter The Teak Door forums and be assured he isnt getting kicked out! Perg you are wrong, there are many Americans that have retired over here but then you wouldnt see that because you frequent the tourist sites. Many Americans up north who have retired happily with their spouses whatever, and maybe they were wise to some of the scams but this is a forum for visitors and residents to alert people to "the scam of the day" and seeing there was no Lese Majeste crime committed what is your problem?

Sammie, read the post!! he has merely run down the Thai nation as a whole and given no reason whatsoever!!! No specific event or incident mentioned. How does that help anybody?

Bulldog! please refrain from shouting! there are people here that are not all native english speakers and we ar entitlted to mis interrpret eh!! lol

Of course! I understand the points made but was annoyed at the anti Thai sentiments made!! I will take a deep breath......and re adjust my brain.

whatever!

Do you actually notice there is no mention of a Club Owners complaining on here derrrrrrrr
Probally because they are enjoying luxury holidays around the world and maybe saving money at the same time to take more holidays...
Point is thats why they aint talking crap on here because they aint got the time between work and so many holidays..

Living proof that its for some and not others I suppose?

"Saving money" Its all in the mind.

Can enjoy the same luxury holidays all over the world and not be tied up in any contracts or schemes.

Read the first line before you answer back!

Is this still going on (the Thread I mean) Jimmy are you still around ???
Is this the same mob that has a club in Soi Bangla now ??
I was stopped in November 08 on my 4th trip to lovely Phuket, I just kept on walking, girls were looking better in their short skirts ??
Cheers

to Jimmy, if you really feel you are doing a good job then spend less time talking online to people who are rude and will not try to see it from another perspective.

To others who have had their holdiay spoilt - I do believe that if you didnt like the color of the sofa in your room then that too may spoil your holiday may be relax a little more in life guys.

Personally I love thailand and spent many happy months over the past years there and have never had a problem when I politely said no thanks to scratch cards on the street. I have enjoyed a good value for money 7 nights holiday with my husband in thailand for free trading paying for the accom for a MINIMUM 90 MINS PRESENTATION however we did get a free breakfast as well for our 3 hours at absolute presentation. I think that 7 nights accom plus return airport transfers and a free meal for 2 people for 3 hours of our time was very good value and all in all I found the tailors to be the biggest pain in the butt .
Each to their own - Colleen

Hi Colleen, Thanks for the positive outlook! my last post was in August, for the exact reason you said, but I do still read the posts out of interest.

I would like to know all the datails from all of you as much as you can and after i will try to do something for all of you, thank you in advance. Please contract me at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

for the all information of timeshare in Thailand;

Hi Police, you would like only timeshare scams, or jewellery scams, or police corruption or tailor scams please?

Hi, we were obviously foolish in buying into Absolute Club holiday scheme in Phuket Thailand.

We have decided to refuse to send them further payments after having read all the negative posts on your web site. Is it possible that they can sue us for breach of contract?

Further, is it possible to claim our deposit back from them? We are from Australia.

Joer, Australia, personally I dont know anything about Absolute Club so maybe other bloggers might guide you, I would cease making any other payments and consult a solicitor over there, or certainly look at the small print. Obtaining your monies back, doubt it, its hard to obtain anything back in Thailand! It might be an expensive lesson learnt, holiday moods do strange things to people's wallet! If the contract is affiliated to say an Australian bank then you might have to consult legal advice! Good luck

We were scammed in Chaweng Beach in Nov 08 and signed up $10k AUD....only upon our return we had a good look on the net and learnt of the scam. We will obviously not be paying any yearly fee's. Does anyone have any experiences with them when refusing to pay further, they do have our credit card number, looks like time for a new one. Feel very foolish but had not heard of this scam prior...unfortunately.

Chaweng Beach? That is the main area in Samui, right?
Why are these scammers allowed to do this ?
Do they pay the authorities?
I always wanted to go but.. the place sounds dreadful.

My wife and I have recently visited Phuket in Thailand and had the misfortune to get caught up with the Absolute Group scam. As commonly reported, we were approached by a guy on a scooter. He was French, very friendly and personable and invited us to each scratch cards. Everyone wins a prize he said. At least he was upfront there. My prize was a T-shirt and surprise surprise my wife scratched off 3 stars which meant we could win US$1000, a luxury cruise, a video camera, a laptop computer or another holiday in Phuket. The French guy told us that there were only a few of these 3 star prises each week, but we had to attend a session at the Absolute office which we would be about 90 minutes. We would only collect our prizes after we had attended this session. The session took about 4 hours by the time we had gone through all the high pressure pitch which included visiting a couple of their "studio sites" in and around Phuket. They promised a vast array of possible holiday sites all over the world, all readily accessible at greatly discounted prices. Give that we took at least one OS holiday each year, what could we lose? The final pitch came from a very smooth talking English guy who made us an offer at a great discount. At this stage we were vaguely interested, however as I had stated several times I was unable to exercise "due diligence" before making a decision. We were invited to have lunch on them in order to talk it over together. I was still very sceptical and suggested to my wife that we visit an internet cafe nearby to check it out. It didn't take long to find the dirt on this company, even on the slow Thai internet service. We immediately returned to the office only to get involved in a slanging match with the manager. I suggested that any organization which used questionable/sleezy marketing tactics to suck people in to their scheme would very likely use similar tactics in their operations. The manager did not like it and the whole episode rather spoiled the rest of our stay in Phuket.
Incidentally, the so called prize was another trip to Phuket. It appears that this is the case with most of the prizes. When you look at the conditions of the prize (in small print) you have to attend another one of their marketing sessions on this visit or pay the full cost of the accommodation. I would suggest that very few would take this prize. Both the T-shirt and the prize voucher went in the bin!

Received the following helpful advice from Marg UK.(time share talk forum):

You have to make your own decision.

Do not pay the balance.

Consult a solicitor. Timeshare in uk have a consumer protection advice. Do a web search and they will give you advice. I found a web site called bangkok scams. www.bangkokscams.com Read the information there! Beware!

Marg

More Helpful Advice From Marg U.K:

Make sure you cancel your card at Visa end, not just at your bank.

Do nothing, do not respond in anyway to their threats or emails, or letters. If you get harrassed by them, get your solicitor to write them a quick letter.

It is better to not respond in anyway.

Your deposit will be hard to get back. But do not give them anymore money.

There is a Scamwatch in Australia. If you want to alert them, then that can be a positive step towards others not falling for the same trap.


Marg

I was stopped in the airport and asked to do a quick survey, as a polite person I gave my time, the very next day we got a phone call saying we had won a prize of a free weeks holiday at one of two hotels in phuket. Hmm i thought that I had not entered in any competition, so I rang them back and asked what it was about, they said they just wanted to attract more people to the two hotels, show us their accommodation and have a complementry breakfast, take 1.5 hours of our time - sounds good to me for a free weeks holiday. But then after we got there a nice english gentleman sat down with us and had breakfast, I had suspected all along that there had to be more and there was. At breakfast I asked whether this has a sale pitch for time share, the answer was a flat NO. Well after 4 hours that is exactly what it was. This is not a whinge but after a direct question that is answered with a lie then a scam is the first thought, whether or not this is a good or a bad product is irrelevant, we would not have gone had they told us from the start.

Hi Honest Aussie. Sounds like you met with the same nice English man who treated us to breakfast, cocktails and beers at Absolute Sea Pearl Resort, Pattong Beach.
He informed me that we had something in common. He had been born in Italy however had migrated and had been brought up in England; I had migrated along with my family and had been brought up n Australia. We how realise that this was simply a ploy to get us talking and gain our confidence.
Wise up visitors to Phuket and simply walk away!

if you want to have some fun with the scratch card guy, scratch it and sniff it and tell him is smells like bullshit

LOL mikey

Wow, all I can say is Wow,

I just read the comment above "David,. Adelaide Australia" and I just about fell of the chair when I read your last line. "Both the T-shirt and the prize voucher went in the bin!"

I wrote an account on my own website of what happened to our group at another Absolute resort. (Location Withheld)

It is exactly, almost word for word what happened to our group although we did the internet research afterwards, and yes, there are so many forums, blogs and sites that speak of the shameful scam that they employ to get your money.

Saying that though, it appears that a few people certainly defend Club Absolute and maybe this is because they offer a great service to them, if so then good on you. BUT.....

We know for a fact that some of the people who wrote malicious comments on my very own blog in defence of the company are affiliated with it.

Lets just say that one of them left a traceable username and before long I had a list of that persons facebook friends, once of which was the very salesperson at Absolute to tried to strongarm our group into buying.

Does this mean that the positive comments above are from Absolute Affiliates ? hmmmmmmm

The comments could be so alike that some sceptics may suggest you had written them yourself. Oh dear I dont know WHO to believe anymore!!!!

Still not certain that there is a scam here???

Disagreeable sales techniques?...possibly
Overenthusiastic sales people?...probably
Overrated Gifts?...take it or leave it!
Scam?...Very doubtful. Ive yet to read what has been offerred in writing but not delivered?

The unmoveable thing here is the customers power to say NO and keep on saying it.

Time share or Holiday club stuff isnt for everyone, its up to the customer to decide if it is for them.

I know its not for me but I would argue that for some it has its advantages.

Just the set up of the companies and the reps telling lies / scratch cards etc etc to meet targets at fault here, a common fault in the sales industry worldwide.

Stand your ground and dont be mis-sold.

I asked if they are trying to sell me something. the answer was "NO, this is just a survey" this was a lie. The entire purpoe of the scratchcard, survey and act that I have won something special was all intended to get us to buy something.

Scam? I say yes. Lies? I say yes.

Scambo, if a westener tries to get me inside any office in a place like Thailand I am dubious, it is 99% sure it is some scam or other. Legitmate foreigners dont pavement walk looking for punters. If as holiday makers you are interested in buying anything like property in Thailand, go home, dust off your holiday feeling and do some research first.

Well Sammie it sounds like you know what you are doing. But that doesnt mean that everyone else knows this. However, I think westerners posing as legitimate 'surveyors' is quite an easy thing to trust, especially when asked if they are selling anything and they lie.

Ironically, now that I know, I would trust the Thai locals more than an Englishman or South African, at least they are honest when they try to push you to buy something.

Its easy to fall prey to these pricks when they lie to get you in.

Its not questio of knowing what I am doing, its years in Asia trying to survive lol. We have more information at our finger tips these days (for good or bad!) and its keeping abreast of keep safe in a foreign land. Keeping safe starts at your point of departure (western airports have their share of theft!) to the point of arrival. My Australian husband has been known to pack thousands of dollars in the hold suitcase (unlocked) much to my distress, and nothing was touched. I am more cautious (and probably more likely to get scammed lol). It is wrong to say a particular race is dishonest there is good and bad in every culture, what is unforgiving is when one of your own places you into a false sense of security and then you find out it is a scam, its more difficult to swallow.

ha ha ha, the idea is that people will discover this site and find out about the scams and bad stuff that can happen in thailand from those who live and have experienced what can and does go wrong.

no one here is getting paid, we do this to help others avoid the scams.

I have just returned from Phuket having had the same experience as David from Adelaide. I was expecting pressure from the Thai shop keepers who were generally polite and did take no for answer. However I did not want to offend the Thai man on the bike with the scratchy ticket offer. What do you know, I scratched 3 stars and he told me if I didn't go with him he wouldn't get his 2000 baht so my partner (who won a hat) and I went back to the office. There we met the "nice" English man who provided refresments in a cafe and spent an hour talking about himself. Then the sales pitch started back in the office, although I never actually got him to tell me the cost. Then a "nice" Scotsman who was also reluctant to talk cost spoke to us. The English guy showed us how to navigate round their website like I had never seen a computer before. It just went on and on. Once I said a definite no, he had to ask the Scot if he should bother with us anymore. We were sent on our way. I just wish I had known about this site. We were approached every day and one guy even told us we should be wearing the cap so they know not to ask us again. A pity we threw it in the bin.

Yeah, thats a good one, say it with a grin and you should get your message across.

Dave from adelaide u silly silly Aussie, its such a scam that you did do the presentation and you did like you said win a free holiday in Phuket which is worth 500 euro and yes you do another presentation which you can still say NO.................oh and you visited a couple of Absolute resorts too...........What is your definition of a scam..
Mine is you dont get what is said and youirs

This is an interesting post and after reading through It I dont beleive its a scam. I work in propert development on some large projects, mostly in the middle east, after working on aproject for a few months and attending meetings you get to know about everything, from seage treatments, to villa sizes to amount of green space etc... And anothetr thing is that you also take notice of the ads in the newspaper, now what they print and state there is often in my opinion only 70% true and 30 % bull s**t now are these people who but these $500,000 usd villas being scammed ? Am I part of the scam for changing the design from whats being advertised ? I dont think so, and I think its a similar thing.

People here say you cant do due dilligance etc.. this is just a sales technique, pure and simple they are creating an environment which makes the seller think they are the only one getting this deal or that the product is ion short supply and you have to act now, ive had this tryed on me before for renting apartments and I simply respond by saying " Yes, I like the apartment, however I have to talk to my wife abou this and I dont feel comfortable leaving a deposit with someone Ive just met, howver Ill take your card and contatc you within the next few days to let you know what my decision is, If you find someone in that time to rent the apartment then by all means give it to them, this is business not a charity." You would be suprised how often they call me back after a few days.

So really I dont think its a scam its just a type of selling technique, which is very effective on a lot of people, dont blame the seller if he sold you something you didnt want, you can always just up and leave."

Also on the guys that scooter around gaining commison from these tickets, have you ever wondered if they are in fact in need of money, maybe they got robbed or just werent overly smart with there cash, not everyone has relatives who can wire them emergency cash, If i got in this situation id rather be selling tikcets than trying to ferry back a bag of coke to sydney.

Oh and I have been to Thailand and I loved it, my only real complaint is that its just too commercial for my liking, but each to there own and I have to say that I prefered Vietnam and Malaysia to Thailand but not by much.

However, if anyone is going to Thailand and is worried about being acosted by ticket sellers, holiday clubs etc.. then go to KOH CHANG its a nice little island and not a ticket seller in price, the only real "scam" to speak of would be a slightly (in my opinion) overpriced bus ride from the port to the main town, but its a truly lovely place.

Anyway theres my 5 baht !!!

Regards,

Chris

Koh Chang is the largest island after Phuket. Your right it is a nice island, I have been going to Koh Mak since the 80's before tourism existed, Trat market is extrmely pleasant to walk around if your going that way en route to the islands.

Sammie, why are you so cool, level headed and polite, I hope it rubs off on some posters?

Sammie, it should of read, you are so cool...

Chris isnt all that wrong of course. Here in Amsterdam I win big prices every month. You are the lucky one!! Only few have been selected!! And so on At least thats whats in the commercial mail I get. It goes to the wastepaperbasket right away. Many telephone calls, unasked comming from all kind of sellers with unique offers. Electricity, subsribtions. Unique coin collections and so on. I dont believe this sh.. in Holland. So why should I believe the same unique chances and offers in Thailand?

Ed...thank you.


Theo, I agree with you. Peoples tolerance levels of hard selling varies so much and it can be extremely irritating on occasions having your thought process interrupted. Children selling small items though can make me smile like in Cambodia, Vietnam hill tribe kiddies, Laos, , they love to practice their english and since the abolition of drugs i.e. Laos, Thailand in the hills, tourism brings a source of income so that tends not to worry me so much.

Chris-Abu Dhabi.. In principle I agree with you pertaining to young people trying to work their way out of a hole, there is alwasy the big BUt though, It is illegal to work in Thailand without a work permit, and for sure they dont have work permits, I would never like to recommend this source of avenue to the youngsters, Immigration prisons are not pleasant at all, and the end result would cost them or their family thousands of dollars for their removal.

Totally agree Mick, he has to be joking, right?

Illegal is bad news and usually means a jail sentance here for even the most petty of crimes including waiting for a trial hoping that you will only be fined for the original offence.

So easy to get into a situation here for the smallest of things so be careful out there.

Beurocracy here is rife but side step it and you eventually will end up in trouble.

Chris, we are all human and make blunders, its a forum so dont worry, I am sure you have some wonderful stories from Abu Dhabi, even some related scams. Would be great if some IP minded person wold set up a related site pertaining to world scams leaving this site Thailand related.

HAHAHA
These comments are so funny.........One quote "Club Absolute Fly By Night Company" sorry to inform you guys but the company has been running since 1998 and been in Asia since the year 2000 so man that is a bloody long night to be flying..........
Thai Policeman ...........Quote "any timehsare companies in Phuket please inform me" sorry but there is 4 plus and one is called the Marriott and obviousley Club Absolute sorry to inform you guys its not illegal because it is holidays and watch Thai Policeman because he will be some guy preparing to extract money from you for his none help.....
Keep commenting about what you dont know because its all good reading hahahahhahahah

I would be secure in my selling technique if my product was Mercedes, if I were to sell Holiday clubs and I felt secure in the product I certainly wouldnt feel the need to consult a scam forum to leave such negative input, unless of course tourism is declining and this is a good way to fill in some time. The technique of " you cant afford it anyway" making a couple sound cheap and nasty is sad, particularly when you target older retirees, who can be banboozled into a hole. If I want to buy a car, I research, investigate, then I might go back, so why on earth are people handing over thousands of Baht on something they have no knowledge on.

Yes Khun Issan, but not everybody thinks like you, which is why the world is such an interesting place. If you had a knowledge of the advertising techniques of the World you would realise that everything in business is done for PROFIT and thats it-even charities have to earn! You buy what you NEED or what you DESIRE............up to you!

Chris from Abbey Dabbey, respect to you for taking it on the chin mate, sorry about the mix up in anatomy, I was useless in biology at Eton, I meant you're small finger?

Sad, but its true of such action by the OPC* from North Shore Real Estate and Absolute Group. BEWARE when yur in Koh Samui and phuket@@!!!!

I bought a package from Absolute, the sales is friendly, the product is ok I guess, have not used it though.
I agree they hard sell, but i think its up to you to "hard walk away" too
By the way the person runing the show is call Andrew Faker or Barker, sounds like a dog if you asked me.

Just walk away or spend your 4 hours getting a free gift which meant nothing, but as long as you see anything to do with ABSOLUTE just walk away. Stay away from the DOG!

Sometimes simple common sense advice is the best. If it wasnt why do many people get involved with timeshare or holiday club ownership because they felt harrassed by the hard sell?

The prophet and of course Sara, what is so wrong with the statement "hard sell means walk away" if people did they wouldnt lose thousands of dollars, pounds and euros on schemes that dont really suit them.

You dont like what I say, up to you but dont be so rude about it.

Storm, I cannot comment because I really know nothing about time share practices., but I am sure if they are genuine and selling a genuine article, then they would be happy to let a perspective purchaser go away and think about it before committment.

I got conned into the Absolute Club membership while in Koh Samui a few years ago and have just returned from Phuket where I used the Membership for our accomadation. We found the Absolute staff to be excellent and had no problems with it. However the big problem was we travelled in low season and if you do the maths on our membership, we ended up paying too much for what we got.
I would recommend that people avoid these clubs and just book package deals. We would haved saved about $1000 AUD if we had done that. Now we are stuck with this expensive White Elephant and don't know what to do with it. Does anyone know if it is possible to sell the membership(No doubt for a big loss) ?? So we can holiday much cheaper each time and start reclaiming the loss we have made.

i STILL AM YET TO SEE WHAT EXACTLY IS THE SCAM?? Many people buy into the concept and then are scaremongered into thinkng it doesnt work so they pay no more money and lose what theyve paid!!! I am 90% sure this post will NOT reach the forum---but THANK YOU because you are proving my point! because we now use this website as an example of scaremongery that publishes what it wants to- what goes around comes around -you are actually helping us with credibility with your own one sided views....thanks from all in the holiday club industry.

Still some of you guys dont/want to know how corrupt places like Phuket is. WE DO have a work permits but we're not allowed to work in the streets. So if we get caught by the police we have to pay a fine that the TimeShare company will cover. The Police ofcourse sees this as a source of income, so instead of taking the OPC of the streets they will try to fine us each day to make more money instead. After so many visits to the police stations around Phuket I got rather friendly with them. They used to give me a glass of Coke and some Coca leaves to freshen me up :). It's an evil circle, yes, but I had the best time of my life living down there whilst working as an OPC.

I want to take part of this conversation also. We went to listen to the "90 minutes" talk. I was familiar with this kind of business and knew what to expect but somehow after SIX hours of talk they got us to believe into their product. So it was six long hours we were listening to them. My boyfriend was even more enthusiastic about it and I couldn´t think any way out of it by that time anyway, even though I felt a little trapped and would want to walk away without signing any contract. But six hours did the job and we had to decide there and then without any more time to think about it.

We payed 1000,00 euros deposit and the rest of it was agreed to settle after we got back home (10.000,00 euros). After leaving the hotel Absolute I felt almost sick because I was thinking that it was not a good idea after all to spend so much money to Absolutes timeshare. So we sent them a registrated letter within three business days to inform we want to cancel the deal. They sent an email and the short answer was: deal cannot be cancelled, dont you want to have a holiday anymore? So this is their way of making business. After the customer is trapped, dont even dream about getting out of the deal. It seemed like they are laughing at us with our money in their pockets.

This happened about three months ago and we decided not to pay them any more money. Few days ago we got a registrated letter where they are threatening us to pay the rest of the amount. Is this usual behavior from them? Have they started legal actions against people who doesn´t pay? We also sent notification to the police about this.

Quote;I was familiar with this kind of business and knew what to expect; they got us to believe into their product; My boyfriend was even more enthusiastic; the rest of it was agreed to settle after we got back home; we decided not to pay them any more money.

So by your own admission you "knew" what to expect, you liked it, agreed to buy it and paid a deposit.
NOW you want to pull out and consider yourself a victim. What if the company suddenly said -"sorry I know it was a legal agreement but we have changed our minds and will not deliver the goods as agreed"? Would you not try to enforce the agreement?

Yes, what I was trying to say is that I knew what to expect: that they would try to sell us timeshare, and thought I would not fall for it and 90 minutes talk is not so bad. BUT after SIX hours of hard talking and going around the Phuket they got us to believe in to their product. We were tired, had not eaten after breakfast and our minds were not at the best during that time. We went there in the afternoon and it was already evening when we got out. Almost anything would have started to sound good by that time. I also felt like we couldn´t leave the sales presentation until we agreed to buy, the pressure was hard and the sales man followed us all the time, even when we went out to smoke. The decision had to be made there and then. So finally we agreed to pay the diposit with visa and told that we´ll get the card from our hotel. OK, of course the salesman came with us, so not a minute chance to think it through alone OUT of their sight or to back off.

Also I feel we got wrong information about how easy it would be to sell the timeshare forward/get rid of it. They told us that it would be easy and there are good markets for them and we would get good money out of it. I asked that many times (because I was thinking that I dont want to be married with the timeshare the rest of my life) and they said no problem with that. But as I have understood here timeshares are very difficult to sell and you hardly get much money back compared to the amount you have invested.

I also know that if they would have given us a chance to think about it, even ten minutes alone OUT of there to solve our minds, no deal would not have been made. And they know it too, there is a very clever tactics to "nail the deal" and they know exactly what they are doing after many years of practice. I was thinking how it can be possible that they can still do this without no problems with the local police. It´s very sad that they can rip people out of the streets right under their noce. I found one answer to that question from the internet: they have been bribing the police, the news was in the local newspaper. So now I understand, police get money and Absolute get money and everyone else is happy except the people who get scammed to deals that are no good.

There is no longer any "friendly, outspoken" salesman, there is only threats and the friendliness is long gone. Ten points to Absolute!

I knew what to expect: they trying to sell the timeshare. But didn´t think 90 minutes listening would do any harm, SIX hours instead did. They literaly spoke as into it. The deal had to be done there and then, no chance to leave and think about it alone. The sales man didn´t leave us for a minute, even when we went to smoke he came with us. Pressure was hard. They also said that it woud be easy to sell the timeshares further, I dont think that´s the case anymore after reading peoples opinions. But they sure know how to do it.

So you are saying people dont have a right to withraw from the purchase or change their minds after they get a chance to think it over ALONE? Thousands of euros is a very good reason to think it again. Is there something wrong with that? Have you ever heard about consumer rights and cancellation periods? I think they haven´t either because it woud ruin their business. Legal agreement with suspicious methods and without consumer rights. Sounds good yea? For the seller.

Did you think that if we were happy about it, why would we want to cancel anyway?

Just got back from Patong, got hit with winning on the Airport Survey some free tour that turned out to be an Absolute 90 minute spiel. We went and listened to 'Peter' for the speil, did a tour of their premises on Bangla rd. (still under construction) and Tri Trang (tired old dump, but a nice looking almost private beach) and did the 'thanks for the info, but I'm not committing to anything on the spot'. Still have the card for the supposedly free weeks' accommodation but given what everyone else here has said I'll probably just cut it up.

The people handing out scratchies were even more annoying than the "suit boss?" and "hellooo massssaaarrrj" and that's saying something!

m.

Just got back from Koh Samui. We paid 5000 Euro deposit for the Absolute membership fee. Now, should be pay the rest of the money? Did anyone got sued by Absolute?

To Screwed couple: Please keep us informed about your progress.

I was in Chaweng in early may this year and my friend met the scratch card people, they were ok not too much hassle but my friend doesn't like that sort of thing so he walked out of the presentation. I then, had a beer with the guy (there was him and his g/f working the cards) so I 'won' and went to the presentation, not too much to ask really,, I'm on holiday and they're trying to earn a living, presentation was ok no hard sell, the guy doing it was nice and polite, upfront about everything and didn't seem unduly upset that I didn't have £10,000 to spend on Absolute holiday club. I sat through what he had to say and didn't commit myself to anything. I 'won' my weeks accomodation and left. It won't stop me from going to Thailand, maybe some people might be put off by the whole scratch card thing but I can't really see why. What I would like to know is if anyone has actually used their free accomodation. It does say in the small print that you will have to sit through another presentation in order for the accomodation to be free, one reason I probably won't use it is that I can't really imagine my Thai g/f listening to all that without copping the hump and walking out!!! I'd be interested to hear from anyone who has taken advantage of the offer though.

Finally, with any so-called scam, all you need is your wits about you, if you haven't got any wits then you're unlikely to have the money to pay for it anyway so just enjoy your holiday and say 'no thanks' or 'Mai ow khap' if someone is trying to make a living selling you something you don't want.

Everyone should try to relax a little I think.

Last time we committed to 10 days on Samui and would have been happy to leave after 3 as it was too westernised for our liking,also the time share sales people are a disgrace on Samui.I had a running battle with one particular loud mouthed know all who was British by the way.He became personal with his insults and called in his Australian helpers when I insisted he stop asking me to take part in his scratch card con ............you know that one where he scratches the card and suprise! suprise! you have won a chance to win a villa on Samui,just folllow me etc.Yeah right ....any way this guy was so obnoxious he used to spot me and cruise up the side of us and shout rude remarks about us being nasty English people etc.One day I saw the vermin coming and jumped out at him before he could say anything,he swerved and sped off .A few minutes later two Australian Guys appeared on motor cycles,about seven foot tall and 5 foot wide,and then suprise suprise along came their team leader keeping safely behind the two Gorrilla's.He uttered a few insults about "unfriendly" tourists not being welcome and decided to leave well alone.I kept quiet on the insistence of my wife who was really upset by the whole thing.She was so upset I had promise not to retaliate in the event the vermin showed up again,other wise she wanted to stay on the Hotels beach untill it was time to fly out.It's along way to travel to be abused by British scum trying to rip their own people off............Samui is a place I would never set foot on again.Nice Island ruined by it's own popularity,far too touristy now,for me that is.Sorry about the rant................. we have decided to try an Island called Ko Koh Khoa very quiet I believe so hopefully the so called sales people will not have arrived there yet.I wonder how long Thailand can play host to these vermin?will they wait untill all the resorts are empty?Shame really,I wonder what would happen if someone took this tub of lard down a back street and kicked the living day lights out of him?Would the Police ignore the incident or would this cause untold problems for the long suffering tourist?Anyway with all the latest scams I keep hearing about in Thailand I wishI hadn't booked the flights now.So this will be my last trip to Thailand,I think the only people that will be going there soon will be sex tourists,and we all know how they ruin a resort loud music screaming girls ..........I know I will start a tour company selling holidays in Thailand to people who have been abused whilst on holiday,we can hunt down time share sales people,pose as potential buyers and take them to a deserted area keep them there for hours on end and take it i turns to beat the shit out of them.I am sure we will soon clean the streets up of this vermin.

Dear Ann

5k euro buys you 25 years of hotel stay in a prime timehsare location
I wonder what you bought that needs to pay further, ther are other solutions to this I am sure.
and I have yet to know anyone who got sued by Absolute.
email me at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Hi Bishop.

Tried to contact you but your email address is not valid. Whats the story?? Would like to hear from anybody with Absolute experience.
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Jeronimo- lovely story about how you disliked your holiday and disliked Samui, but where was the relevance to being scammed? Frankly I dont believe most of what was written in your post. I expect you gave as good as you got when asked to take a scratchy. If you are British and like quiet Islands try the Outer Hebrides it will save you money as well.

Does anyone know anything about Premier Holiday and Leisure Co working out of Phuket using the scratchie scam to get you to attend a hard sell for "holiday club membership" that looks a lot like Timeshare

We went to phuket last year for a holiday (which was great we do love Thailand) Thailand is unreal EXCEPT FOR ALL THE HOLIDAY HAWKERS. We also were unfortunately inducted into the Absolute Membership yes we did pay a deposit with visa after about four hours sitting at the Sea Pearl and tuk tukings us up to Tri Trang and a free lunch (Tony from Spain the salesman was very smooth). Once we got home we decided that we could not actually afford to pay the extra, so we rang "Jimmy" ät Absolute Sea Pearl (yes you Jimmy) and asked if we could cancel as we got hit with an extra tax bill, his reply was that it was too late and our money had already come out of our visa, he then told us that if we cancelled the payment that we would be sued by them and that they had a great legal team, we tried to cancel our visa but he must have put the payment through immediately (the extra payment was not due to come out until a few days later). Anyway we are now poorer for our stupidity. So I thought well I am stuck with this membership so lets try and use it so on several occasions I have tried to book our holidays through Absolute (the hotels in Australia are all low end old timeshare properties that I wouldn't put my dog in)each time I try ringing Absolute in Thailand (if they answer the phone) they take my information and I never get a reply no phone calls no emails no nothing no holiday - SO JIMMY, TONY & PAUL THIS IS FOR YOU - WHEN I COME BACK TO THAILAND AND I WILL, YOU BETTER BE PREPARED FOR ME THE SCREAMING WOMAN IN THE SEA PEARL OR WHEREVER ELSE YOU HAVE SET UP AND I WILL FIND YOU. So if anyone at Absolute is reading this when I telephone you next time you better give me the royal ###### treatment and book my holiday as promised.

We just came back from Phuket and the same ol' same ol', we too completed a survey. We then received a call at our hotel that we were staying at saying that we won a free 7 day holiday if we took part in the 90min presentation. We were already aware of this time share offer but went along anyway because the offer for a free breakfast and Phi Phi island tour was too good to refuse. After the family and I (3 kids)pigged out on breakfast we went on the guided tour to Tri-Trang hotel. Not much to look at from the outside, but the room (studio), views and secluded beach looked very appealing.

Back to the Absolute Hotel for the spiel. Our salesman, Stefan, was very pleasant and informative. He gave us all the bits and pieces with the facts and figures all jotted down on a piece of paper. It was the salesman coming out of him. We asked a few questions to which he was able to answer without a problem.

It all sounded too good to be true, pardon the pun. We were keen as mustard to sign up, but our cash flow prevented us from signing then and there. The BIG Boss then came out and gave us some alternative payment options, but with a wedding coming up, that was more of a priority. Stefan suggested that we go away overnight and think about it and to get back to him the following day.

After some discussions with some friends who are sceptical with this sort of thing, we decided not to go ahead with it for the time being until we had done some further research. We told Stefan this the following day and he was fine. During the whole process, we found that there was no heavy handed approach and felt that we could leave whenever we wanted.

We did inquire as to whether we could still take our free 7 day holiday and he (Stefan) said yes that there was no problem with this. We plan on using the 7 days for our honeymoon, thanks Absolute.

We'll keep you posted on whether we do get the 'free' holiday or sign up for the deal.

At the end of the day, if you don't want to do the survey or scratch the cards, just politely say NO. It's not that hard...

Dear West Aussie. Sounds as if Absolute are trying a different technique to try to get the heat off them. This product is a scam and they should be ashamed on themselves.

I used a 7 night holiday at Kamala Beach Resort on the condition that we attend a 90 minute lecture on NOT time share (but it smelt like time share, looked like time share and sounded like time share so to my mind...) anyway after 2 free gin and tonics a 90 minute presentation and a bit of a hard sell we said no thanks and walked away to finish one of the best holidays of our lives. So just learn to say "no" politley or if you can't be bothered learn to say "Non je suis Francais" and walk on it throws them into total confusion... and people expect the French to be rude.

We sat through a very convincing 3-4 hr presentation in Phuket with Absolute last September and signed up afterwards. Once getting home we wished we had not especially after researching the resorts available to us in our own country (Australia). We were told that all the properties were of 4-5 star resorts in some of the best locations but anyone who knows Bundaberg for example knows this is obviously not the case. When trying to book out 1st holiday back to Thailand this month we found it impossible to reach anyone by phone on any of the Australian numbers but finally get some answers by email. We are flying out at the end of the month and are not sure what we have gotten ourselves into but time will tell and we will keep you posted. Hopefully we will be able to report back with great reviews but still very unhappy about our options of accomodations in Australia (extremely poor).
QLD

Rainy day in Phuket so filled in four hours listening to Absolute presentation and touring properties, Too much unverifiable information was given and pressure to sign on the spot unjustifiable.
Attitude of John was offensive when we expressed reasonable scepticism. Subsequently established questionable nature of enterprise. Take care!

All this stuff can be neutralised by telling whomever sidles up to you on a scooter "I live in Thailand" then theyre off to the next one in a flash because you then will not be what they are looking for and therefore illegible for their offers and promotions and not a target for their surveys.

Even if you dont live in Thailand, how would they know?

If I wanted to join a holiday club I would do the research myself before parting with money and not take intructions from someone who comes up to me on the street in Thailand especially if they are from my home country. Holiday clubs work out for certain types of people and are not suitable for many others, theyre legitimate businesses for sure here but the sales techniques are very questionable and intended to capture the intimidated.

Very good blog, I think I know the guy you are talking about greased back hair and talks like a schoolteacher, he was rude to us too, I was looking for him 2 weeks ago on Samui, but never spotted him. He isnt the only one with friends on the islands. We are looking forward to the next meeting. The idiot spoiled our holiday. As they say every dog has its day.

Hi "screwed couple 2" I dont usually respond to the posts on here but as I have been named and a request has been made I would apreciate you giving me your agreement number or name so that I can see you get the Royal treatment that you have requested!! I would like to make 2 points though - I respond to most emails on a daily basis (maximum 48hrs). Payments are only put through on the agreed date or later! Please dont shoot the messenger guys I will ensure your booking requests are dealt with promptly - you have my email address.

pighoglet



"I live in Thailand" "

good advice, but I find wearing warn out looking shoes keeps the touts away just as well.

next time you walk around in tourist area, notice how many ppl check out your shoes.

sounds stupid, ( or simple) but it works for us

Hi, i to think ive been scammed. I purchased vouchers from Desternations Are Us here in Australia and in order use the voucher you must attend a seminar. I went to Patong and attended the seminar with Timelinx that is tied in with Freedom leisure Group which i did not mind doing. I thought what they were selling was good so i bought a 10 year membership that was paid in full back in March this year, since then ive had the odd email always with an excuse on why i still have'nt received my official membership. With the lack of communication and everything else ive lost complete faith with these JERKS and reckon they should be put in front of a fireing squad, i hope they get whats comming.

i think i just got scammed,, does any know or heard about premier property and leisure??? we paid a deposit, thinking it could be a good thing = signed agreements while being told there was a month cool off period and we could cancel if we decided not to go ahead. We got home and decided against it even tho we would loose our deposit. I then emailed this co. and told them we didnt want to go ahead with it and they offered us a 3yr plan instead of 23yrs. I let them know i was only interested in the so called 'free holiday' i had won from the scratchie. i sent many emails to which none were replied until i sent one saying i decided to go ahead with the 3yr plan and also needed info on the free holiday. I recieved an email stating that they were sorry for lack of contact, she was sick with a bug and they had computer probs and nothing was said about our holiday we won but they mentioned the 3yr plan and no matter what we had already missed our first payment and owed them 10,000 U.S dollars as we signed for the 23 yr plan and if we didnt choose the 3yr plan we still owe this amount.. im seeing a solicitor this week.

It will be interesting to be informed if Jimmy resolves the issues for "screwed couple 2" or it is simply window dressing.

Please keep us up to date.

Kat, Yes I know of them, same happened to us, didnt pay the balance once I had my solicitor check the contract, sent a registered letter which they say they didnt get, so I sent it via e-mail, havent heard from them since, I did cancel my credit card before the balance was due so they couldnt simply take the final payment out. This is a case of same same but different - its Timeshare under a different name

I wonder if any of the resorts are located in the south

PATTANI, Thailand, 3:24 a.m. July 20 · 0 Comments
Drive-by shootings kill 3 in Thailand
Drive-by shootings blamed on Muslim rebels killed three civilians in southern Thailand, where an insurgency has left thousands dead in the past five years, an army spokesman said Monday.

I've read this whole thread and I can't believe ppl are still falling for this pressure sell for accommodation which can be booked cheaper direct to the hotel..FFS whats wrong with you ppl if you done feed the disease the disease will die.
Wake up, its a f#cking scam big time, your buying something unsellable which is over priced and will have trouble using when YOU want to if at all and no cooling off period, just that should set off alarm bells.
I too was approached in Phuket back in 2006, I was a approached by girls on scooters who were very persistant and I eventually agreed to scratch the cards they had and low and behold I had unbelievably won a holiday somewhere (cant recall as it was a while ago) but to claim it I had to attend a presentation and they would provide the lift. I politely declined and told the girl to take the holiday for herself...she then started getting a bit agitated and even more persistant that I attend the meeting as she couldn't accept the prize....I gave her a stern NO and walked on.
If something looks to good to be true then it usually is...don't part with your hard earned cash so easily.
Let the disease die out.

if you are a single male and are approached with the time share scam, ask if there is a fee to bring girls back to your room. no doubt they will not want your business.

dont bother asking the girls on the scooters if they in the "game" ((( working girls))

they probably are

Yeh, just read the whole thread...........ours is the same story. Hindsight is a wonderful gift - If a deal appears too good to be true, it usually is! We were also suckers on the day. At the sales presentation, I was eyeing off a lonesome laptop, but wasn't able to use it even for 5 mins, as I would have Googled Absolute & walked (run) away. However, our salesman repeated 3 times that Absolute was 'sponsored' by Amex, Visa & Mastercard & if the company wasn't legit, do we think that these credit card companies would support them? He also said that if we had any problems once we got home, we had recourse through our credit card company. We got back to Oz 3 days later, immediately Googled Absolute & found out we'd been ripped! We paid the deposit with our c/card, so if you paid with your credit card, the following may be of some help to you:
1./ Although Absolute claim there is no cooling off period - there IS. (That's just their opinion)
2./ If you get stung, write to Absolute immediately, stating that you are exercising your rights to cancel the agreement & give them 14 days to refund money.
3./ DO NOT state your reasons - they will hassle you for a reason - you DO NOT have to state a reason. 4./ Also say that should they chose to ignore this notice, you shall have Amex/MC/Visa 'claw' back your funds. If 2 of you signed the agreement, ensure you both sign this letter.
5./ You must do this within the first 14 days.
6./ E-mail this to them, fax it to them & also post a copy (keep a copy also).
They will get pushy & threaten legal action, they will continue to request a reason-DO NOT give them a reason. They will also request another installment payment - DO NOT pay it, give them NO more money. Once you have done that, contact your C/Card company & suell them onto Absolute. It may take your C/Card company some time to investigate the matter & you will have to state your circumstances in writing, again you don't have to state a reason, just tell them that Absolute claim there is no cooling off period, when in fact there is. Be patient & good luck. Hopefully you will have some success-we did. And let us learn from the lesson!!

Hi Silk family.
Did the same silly thing myself but am not as far progessed as you. Certainly did not use the 14 day cooling off period - could find no reference in Thai contract law. I would like to hear more. Contact can be made via my solicitor if necessary. Also located in Aus.

Please email me: e This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

So do you have any explanation as to what was the scam??? You say ou believed what the salesperson said and then went home and believed wht you read on the internet.....You have given advice on how to get your money back but NO REASON WHY you wanted your money back. You said the salesperson said you had recourse and it seems (if we are to believe you) that you did indeed get your money back?! PLEASE tell me what are you warning people ABOUT? How did you find out on Google that you had been ripped off??

As the Sik family did...I just googled "absolute holiday club" and in the first TEN PAGES only found ONE website. with negative response...guess what?? it was this one.

re. kat, Sun 19 Jul 2009

Kat, don't pay them another red cent. They can't touch you as they are based in the British Virgin Islands and the law won't apply in your country.
I'm afraid you have lost your deposit, as we did too, but its best not to keep sending then more of your precious dollars.

The threatening letters to follow will be of no consequence so don't worry about it coz they can't get you!
Good luck, an anonymous friend in Australia

Be careful on the advice you take because these companies do not go to the extremes of employing international Lawyers just so that the paperwork can be ignored - The "blood from a stone " phrase comes to mind and sometimes a debt is ignored at the advice of a collection agency because they deem it worthless to chase (i.e. The debtor is potless!). This doesnt mean that everyone gets away with it...Be Careful you may damage your credit rating or find yourself in more Debt than you started with!!!

an anonymous friend from Europe

The above postings have intrigued me and I thought I would look into this further.

The time share industry has been around for years and there are countless cases where they have misrepresented themselves. Legislation in many western countries has been created to put constraints on this industry. The more legitimate organisations can still successfully operate in these countries but it is now much more difficult for the rip-off side of the industry to exist in these environments.

On their website, (http://www.clubabsolute.com/?page=AboutUs ) Absolute state that they are “successfully targeting other nationalities including those from Australia and New Zealand, Germany and Switzerland, China, Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan, as well as those from America and Canada too” It is interesting that they do not market internally in any of the western countries mentioned that have strict consumer protection laws. You don’t have to be a genius to work out why.

Absolute certainly portray an air of legitimacy in Thailand. Don’t be fooled as their sales methods are almost identical to those employed by the ugly side of this industry in the past. Aspects of their contracts such as “no cooling off period” and contracts subject to the “laws of the British Virgin Islands” and their one-on-one pressure sales methods are a true indication of their integrity. Also don’t be fooled by their use of the term “Holiday Club”. In many countries Absolute has relationships with Time Share operators who are good a proving poorly maintained 2-3 star accommodation. Also note that irrespective of what they call themselves, they will be deemed a Time Share as defined by many western countries laws.

From what I have observed in Australia, Absolute has never challenged a defaulter through the court system. Even if they do get a judgement through a British Virgin Island court they would have to go through the Australian court to impose that judgement within Australia. They have not tried this it as it simply is not going to happen. Once they have their contact invalidated by a country whose legal system is based upon British Law, a precedent will be set. I am sure that Absolute would avoid this situation at all cost.

Wiser now and the Sik family are giving good advice.

Hi Bulldog,

What is you relationsship with Absolute.????

According to Customer Service at Premier Property and Leisure, when I asked where their company is registered, I was told - "Thailand", I doubt a judgement in a Thai court for a debt incurred by using dubious methods would be valid in another country.

If you paid with your credit card, then contact your C/Card carrier as Club Absolute are fraudsters, claiming they are 'sponsored' by the 3 leading C/Cards. If they ran the same spiel by you as they did us, it is worth a try. But... be determined, do NOT give them a reason, it is like opening the door to an armed thief.
Most of us have never heard of Club Absolute before we enjoy our idyllic holiday in Thailand. We are then approached by locals, who appear genuine (this is who we feel sorry for). We then think, 'Yeh, I'd like more of this holiday lifestyle' and along comes the answer-Club Absolute, they've got us hook, line & stinker! Don't we all look at the real estate agents windows when we are on holidays?!
I don't think you need to spend too much money with a lawyer, just don't send anymore money to Absolute, cut your losses. Quit while the going's good, although it is worth persuing with your C/Card company, after all, they would have heard it all before.

And, just a comment for Bulldog - your name suits you- you could probably get a job selling rip-off holiday club membership! (Sounds as though they have already contracted you. By the tone of your comments, you obviously have a vested interest) If you are going to say something, please do us a courtesy & make it useful for others.

From what Customer Service from Permier Property and Leisure told me their company is registered in Thailand, I doubt that a company registered there would be granted a judgement in any other country for a debt which was incurred from a Holiday Club scam

Woof! Hi Sik family...I did ask what the actual scam was?? This seems to be more a site for those in favour of 100% consumer protection and those who cannot make decisions or if they do they change their mind in the morning. If you feel so sorry for the locals then pay the rest of the money you OWE and AGREED to pay and it will go into the local economy so you can sleep at night safe in the knowledge you have done something to help.
The MEEK shall inherit the Earth... The WEAK will always buy something they didnt really want!

Pay the scum nothing

Hi Bulldog.

As suspected, just another individual of dubious honesty feeding from the Absolute pie.

I am sure that all of this money would go to the local and none will go to the principals of Absolute that include two "Russian Businessmen".

One thing I'll give the tuk-tuk scammers is that they don't come on to these websites trying to defend their (lack of) honour!

And to those saying 'it's not a scam, you can just say no': last year on our way to the Grand Palace a lovely chap with a tuk-tuk stopped us to tell us the Grand Palace was closed, but he could take us to some nice temples. I said no thank you and kept going.

Obviously wasn't a scam, cos I could say no! And, really, a few white lies to get a customers in is just a 'selling technique', isn't it...lol!

If it walks like a scam...

to Xcitingtravel- not exactly news is it?! The many company websites and the Press frequently name the directors (and also how Absolute money is being invested by them in Thailand!)....would you by any chance be a travel company in competition with Absolute??? Just a wild guess. Good luck with the smear campaign.

As for the Absolute Pie? Quality ingredients -lovingly baked with sumptuous filling and plenty for everyone...Mmmmmmmmm............fancy a slice?

Hi Bulldog,

Just watch this and tell me how Absolute are different from the Spanish Holiday Club scam reported here:

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/866869/beware_the_holiday_club_scams/

And don't worry, there are more of these types of videos on You Tube for those interested (search "holiday Ccams")

It should be noted that Absolute has been well represented in Tenerife, Spain which is a hot bed of Timeshare scams.

Timeshare – Holiday Club – Whats in a name. If it looks like a duck and walks like a duck – good chance it is a duck.

They only people who do not publically admit that this is a scam are predators like you and Jimmy who prey on honest people. Deny it all you like – it is there for all to see.

To the people hosting this site – great effort and keep up the good work. The more exposure given to these people the more people will potentially avoid being scammed.

Thailand is a wonderful place with many charming people. The sooner you rid yourselves of this foreign scourge the better. They are damaging Thailand’s reputation and are driving off tourists. They may as well come back home and fill up our jails.

Nice to hear the couple didnt lose any Money in the end - did they still keep their prize that they won? At least the report was NOT about Thailand. I would imagine most industries have their share of scams -Building/Roofing -Garage Sales and repairs-Double Glazing - even Banking not so long ago! ...You have confirmed our industry is no differrent. Now try some of these links .....
www.clubabsolute.com
www.absoluteworld.net
www.thepersppectivemagazine.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-UIj2KsWAYg&feature=related
http://www.myhotelvideo.com/de/media/view/mediaid/233064
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UePpEkMPQwI&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hc-64bT0PSs&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JsVNJMDOdXE&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=318JcVCHV84
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86gCO8C7iVw&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdxr0Y4zIsw&feature=related

Interesting threads ... we sratched and won ( ha ha ) from a english chap called Kurt ... we went along to a place at Bophut called Kings vacation ... had the 90 min spiel ... quite liked the gentleman and we did try to get some actual examples of costings of hotels but to no avail which shouldnt have been to hard if they actually ran a internet travel business ??? we have received a voucher for Asia rewards holidays ... has anybody booked through these guys $99.00 for a week ??? Be careful it does sound reasonable if you travel ....

Was stopped in Phuket too in April 09 - company name was absolute - and wasted 3 hours on a presentation, I stood my ground though and told them that I was not purchasing anything

Look, what I don't understand about Absolute and companies like them is, when someone says no thank you, that should be it, but is it ever...

Not sure sure what your point is Babs as regards to being a scam? BUT- If sales people took the 1st NO for an answer - then they wouldnt be salespeople, Anybody who states otherwise does not know what they are talking about.

Linda - do you have any comments that relate to the word "SCAM" ?? If not thanks for nothing!

If the Absolute product is so good why did their rep in Hong Kong need to tell me and my family absoloute lies - including pretending to be from the Hong Kong Tourist Board, telling my 15 year old he had won a prize which was a laptop or cash or holiday and this rarely happens as only 6 out of 4000 scratchcards were prize cards, claiming this was nothing to do with selling us anything but just sending us off to the tourist board office some 20 mins away to pick up the prize and that we may have to listen to a tourist board presentation - in order to tell us about their product. Its an absolute disgrace preying on a child in this way. Of course there was no laptop or cash, just a couple of hours of hard sell which we waliked away from. Have reported it to the Hong Kong Tourist Board who asked my permission to report it to the police which I happily gave. They are now following it up with the police

Hi Bulldog,

Linda avoided being scammed as she in the end used her better judgement and did not sign up with Absolute. She was scammed in one respact as Absolute promoted a 90 minute presentation that turned into a 3 hour high pressure sales presentation.

I was in Pattaya Thailand in May2009. I was scammed for my own personal time of 4hours in which they told me it would take 30mins to 45mins of my time. I was being too generous for the thai lady who was in desperate measures of her only job to pass out surveys and scratch cards. She lied because I ask her straight up is this a scam trying to get my money. She said no and they were helping me out save money on 3-5 star hotels. They did get my money plus charges on international transaction fees on my credit card for cheap T-shirt printed Absolute, bottle of $3.00 Champagne, cheap black bag with small emblem of absolute, and a scratch card for free stay at a five star hotel in Thailand for a week. The British guy that got me even told me up front how stupid I was to get scammed with these idiots he works for after we went out drinking in Walking Street got him all loosen up and told me everything about this company. Yes they are scam artists and after higher class people usually americans that are currently contracting overseas in Kuwait, Iraq, and Afghanistan. If you were victim like me after signing the phony paperwork for the 39yr deal and that you cant change your mind. Hey its your money, get hold of your credit card company, tell them that you got scammed overseas and that they got hold of your credit card information overseas somewhere. If these guys are fighting to get more of your money. Make sure you cancel your credit card so they cant charge it anymore plus get all of any evidence of scams and tactical ways they used against tourists and your own experience to make them richer, copying scams and compliiants from other people on the internet. You have your rights. People are harassed, intimated, and even disrespected on their vacation time thats not right. Call the Police. Foreigners in other asian countries after innocent foreign people. These guys did get my money and I will not get most of my money back. Lessens learned. Just say no thanks and walk away no matter what or go to the police station if they kept bugging you.

Seems to be the case when you start talking in depth to the people with the surveys or scratch cards and they can see that you are not going to be taken in, then they admit the promotions thing is a come on for dodgy timeshare.

Had this experience when I talked last week to a vendor in Pattaya, nice polite thai lady just trying to earn some money to live after leaving her home town and arriving recently, her job, it seems was to get bait for the hard sales sharks back at the office as the prize could only be claimed there.

Just say no, be polite and say its not for you if its not, treat the low paid promotions staff as human and dont be taken in by sales or competition speil. Good luck to anyone who did get scammed, hope you can get something back.

Funny that tourist police r patrolling the streets and the scratch card guys r still working the street LEGITAMATE OR NOT
JJ the jet ski scammer who is Thai and SCAMMING western people is locked up.....
Is Absolute a scam ????
Work it out people there still here and always will b especially now they r selling Real Estate around Europe and Asis u divs...............

Bulldog u spend alot off wasted time on here speaking 2 people with closed minds and no ears like u said google Absolute...
I feel 4 u, but good luck in ur work

I'd like to thank the Sik family for their good advice, we were conned in Hing Kong with the same scam, followed their advice and eventually retrieved our deposit. If I thought about it when they told us that 'they had 5 million club members already' and multiplied that by the weeks in the year, that's a lot of resort accommodation required. But hindsight is a wonderful thing.
PS Bulldog is Bullshit

Ok, now the case get´s uglier. We just received a letter from a debt collection company in our country (Finland) saying we have to pay to Absolute Development the rest of the money (10.000,00 euros) within two weeks to avoid any legal actions... So Absolute did take this further, the deposit money 1.000,00 wasn´t good enough for them, they want more. So so, just thinking what to do next. I have met a solicitor who knows about this case, so I quess this case is going to a court.

Anyone has an experience how to proceed of what to do now? Sik family, can you tell me more about your case, how did you manage to get rid of this? We did sent a registrated letter in three business days to cancel the deal but they just said it can´t be cancelled. Do we have any rights, is there a cancellation period even though thay say there is not??

Just returned from Samui, we went along to card scratch win a prize knowing full well it would be a scam. It was. I have been to others in Bali etc and I am always interested in how they work them. English Kurt on the bike and Yorkshire David the sales office manager were very pleasant and not a lot of pressure. They explained they cut out the travel and wholesale agents and went straight to the holiday consolidators. Thus the cheap prices. I sat there expressionless with my sunglasses on and my partner just told him to cut the crap and get to the punch (cash) line. They wanted UK3950 pounds which he said was the lowest entry point he told me that it converted to $5800AUD CRAP I did the conversion on my iphone and it was $AUD7600. Even David said it was obvious that for us that the deal was a nonsense because we travel only once a year. (Possibly his way out while saving face) We did win a free holiday and and were told to go to the KVI site and log in and register before the 30th September. I tried tonight and there is no login frame in which to enter our special codes...surprise surprise!!!!
If you must attend remember they are relying on your belief that all they are saying is true.....try asking to use their PC or your own phone to check the site as they are speaking to you.
Their web site very cheap and very amateurish looking.
They even showed us a Queensland address which does not even appear on their website.
David was especially excited because KVI had just bought Tripadvisor.com because the were the only uncensored travel review site in the world!!!
So unless you have a few spare hours to have some fun with them stay away.

Debt collection is all about scare tactics. Please do not give into their demands if you feel youre in the right.

The debt collection agencies will try anything to make you cave in and pay to their customer. Lie and cheat to get their rake off.

Face them head on and theyll give up because you are not a soft target.

Its unlikely you will be taken to court because these companies are on very shaky ground legally.

They will only proceed if they can get any money out of the deal. If they cant then they wont.

How were you "Hong conned" if you got your money back???? eeerrrr confused- or maybe a "little white lie" eh? Since when has Hong Kong come under the catergory of Scams in Bangkok and Thailand?? And finally if you are so good at smelling bullshit how did you believethere were 5 MILLION members??? If , of course, you are telling the truth-maybe not.

To Screwed Couple & others,
Hang in there. DO NOT give them a reason, just keep it simple. If you cancelled within the cooling -off period (which they say there isn't one, that's also a lie.), contact your C/Card company stating the facts. Absolute are still hassling us. They want their money back for the 'free gifts' given to us!! They are threatening legal action if we do not pay for the gifts - is it then a gift?! They claim they did not receive notification of our cancellation - lies again, as we have evidence of mail, fax & e-mail notification & their acknowledgement, all provided within the correct time frame.
DO NOT let them frighten you, stand firm, DO NOT pay another cent. They will continue to instill fear with their threats and that is all it is...threats. If you have lost 1,000 euros & are unable to retrieve it, DO NOT pay anymore. You will not need a solicitor if you just ignore Absolute, that is throwing good money after bad. If you are able to follow up what you have already lost via your C/Card company-do that. However, DO NOT respond to Absolute's correspondence - just ignore them, like they ignored us when we first said 'NO' & could not get out of their greedy clutches for another 8 hours!

If people are FORSED to stay as a members after they are screwed to sign the contract, how can Club Absolute say they have "happy members"? What a joke! Do they really think people will happily use their "services" after fighting to get rid of the whole thing and not succeeded?? Sure: you got me screwed BIG TIME, don´t agree to cancel the contract, don´t agree threre is a cancellation time, don´t want to co-operate in any way. But of course I´m a very happy member and will happily use your low standard, out of season rooms. Very happy customers? Where and when? In a fairy tale? In a fairy tale that became a nightmare.

Check out this site, scroll down to the BBC youtube vid

The country might be different but the principle's of the scam are the same

http://www.muzzerino.com/2009/01/absoluteclub-scam.html

Hi Bulldog,

You maintain that Absolute is a legitimate company and the services it promotes are not a scam. For this not to be a scam it is reasonable to expect Absolute to be able to provide accommodation as required by its members on all but rare occasions and to provide a service that proves to be at least reasonable value for money. Is this correct?

On this forum it is evident that Absolute enlists local collection agencies in an effort to secure overdue payments. Ultimately, if the member still refuses to pay, the only option available is for these collection agencies to take legal action on behalf of Absolute.

If Absolute is legitimate and the contracts are balanced and not over prejudicial against the member and as such enforceable through law, why can I not find any evidence of any legal action as having taken place in Australia?

Has Absolute attempted to sue anybody in Australia? If they have, what were the results? Considering the amount of money involved, a normal commercial / legitimate company would take legal action in situations like this.

These are all reasonable questions in the circumstance.

Hi Bulldog

How were you "Hong conned" if you got your money back???? eeerrrr confused- or maybe a "little white lie" eh? Since when has Hong Kong come under the catergory of Scams in Bangkok and Thailand?? And finally if you are so good at smelling bullshit how did you believethere were 5 MILLION members??? If , of course, you are telling the truth-maybe not.

It would seem that these people were scammed but received their many back due to the intervention of the credit provider. Are you suggesting in theory that if a theft gets caught and the items initially stolen are returned – that he is no longer a thief. I think NOT!.

Also same scam, same scammer, same false representation, different country – ABSOLUTLY

Just been through the 4 hour spiel with ABSOLUTE meant to be 90 min what lie, got offered all sorts of deals to weasel me out of my money, I seen this out to the end as half way through I sensed it was a scam...... not time share ... so i asked where the property was in my home town ...it was the biggest timeshare dump i know of I never said anything just let the yank talk.... so on on on and on he went in came the pom manager now it start to say no then all sorts of pressure comes to buy a lower package...still no then a lower package is offered... still no finally we get the cold shoulder and are ushered out as quick as possible. Now of course we have a voucher for a week on patong , samui or pataya.... but shit I might just takem up on it and see if i can stretch em out to six hours this time then say no no no.... you see if everyone does this they will go broke...and thailand will be safe to visit again... thats the dream anyway ... goodluck people have fun with these fools get your free week and lead them up the path :-)

Hi,

Just wanted to let you know about our experience with Absolute Hotels. Thank goodness we didn’t book this hotel through Hotel Club, instead we booked Burasari Hotel at Patong Beach, Phuket. (Which by the way is fantastic?)
We just wanted to notify you as Absolute are listed on your website and was one of the hotels we were going to choose.
Our experience is as follows:

The first day we arrived in Patong, Phuket we were stopped by 2 locals who gave us 2 scratch cards.
My husband scratched a free t shirt & my son scratched 3 stars in a row.
Excitedly, the locals said that my son had won the major prize being a choice of the following;

Digital Camera; Laptop; Video Camera; Cruise Holiday; $1000US Cash;

They then asked us to get into a free taxi with them. We were suspicious so said no we wouldn’t go into
a taxi with them but would walk the short distance of 500m to collect our prize.

One of them walked with us and was very excited as he said they would be getting US$50 commission as
they had given away a major prize.

On arrival the other person met us and we were told that we had to sit through a 90 minute marketing
session and included in this we may be driven to another hotel for so we could give them marketing options/feedback.
We immediately said that we would not be doing this. They said not to worry as we could just pretend we were interested
and say we had to go just as long as on the initial meeting we said that we were available for 90 minutes.

Once this session was over we would collect the prize of our choice (of course our choice was $1000US)

When inside we were asked some questions on a form by another local & were then taken inside the Absolute Sea Pearl
Foyer to meet the sales people one with an English accent and another with an American accent his name was Robert from Jersey.

When he started talking we asked was it time share as if so, we were not interested. He said no way that it
was something else & it would take 90 minutes to go through it all. We asked would we get the major prize of $1000US
and he said it would be the prize that was to be scratched in another little box on the card.
we then realized that the prize would more than likely be a holiday in their hotel with many conditions, we said that
we were not interested in continuing. He then got very angry & asked why did we bother coming & we said we were
told that all we had to do was listen for 90 minutes and then we could choose the major prize that we wanted.

He said that the locals had lied to us and wanted us to put this in writing so that he could get paid.
We said no sorry to waste their time but we just wanted to go. My husband extended
his hand to shake and the English salesperson refused to shake it & walked off. Then the American salesperson
told us that he finally met an Aussie he didn’t like. - another sales tactic or didn’t like the fact that he had wasted 10 minutes of his time.

Anyway the problem I think is that Hotel Club legitimizes this organization and is also damaging the Hotel Club brand by being associated with Absolute.

Yep, the same scam is in HongKong now, with "free holiday" being offered in Thailand, or in the crummy rundown "Gold Coast" resort/ flats in outer (Mongolia) Hong Kong. BEWARE>>>

Dear Anne we have 40 plus clients come through the door on a daily basis off 7 dayz a week.
If we let every client pick 1000 dollars as a prize.
Do the maths we would b broke derrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr...................

anne,be honest,i know rob personally and u are talking crap,the guy is to polite to be rude and talk badly to people.likewise with "the englishman,"i'm assuming was a manager,not shaking your hand i think is rubbish. i find absolute to be a great product,its a normal down to earth product not too wow but does the job,it has great diversity with its new fractional and real estate products on top of its holiday membership as well! listen guys make your own minds up! we cant go on the bad or good comments on here,can we ,if you yourselves dont use the free holiday or utilise the ownership..the proof is in the pudding try it...90 mins is a guideline,if after 90 mins im assuming,as like any person with any product that if u are still there after 2hrs 3 hrs 4hrs you have some level of interest?! as a company word and mouth speaks volumes for us good or bad ,we obviously dont want bad press,but not all negativity is a bad thing after all we are not perfect! just remember if rob and "the englishman" had treated you badly,how that would affect us,its not clever,i think anne you are just jumping on a band wagon to smear the club! AND I STILL YET HAVE TO READ SOMETHING THAT EXPLAINS WHY ABSOLUTE IS A SCAM IN ALL THESE 300 POSTS!!

To you john n mary: you obviously believe in fairy tales! Good luck with that!

john n mary: so you still don´t get it even after reading these post (300 as you said!)? Would this answer your questions john n mary:

ILLEGAL marketing (not allowed for example in Europe), brain washing, BULLSHIT talks, very overpriced "product" that don´t deliver even near what it promises and very hard to get rid of (if at all), contracts without cancellation times and yes all this is a typical dirty timeshare business no matter what anyone is trying to say. Don´t you think there is reason enough? Or what else do you need? This is very typical way of scamming, haven´t you heard about it before? Where have you been living then?

My family and I had a similar experience to Anne about 4 weeks ago!

To-give me something else....blah blah blah..
It is NOT illegal-we are NOT in Europe. Brainwashing?????? --how can you say overpriced product??? unless you know the price -which you dont-unless of course you are listening to other comments. Like a Family of Meerkats one sticks their head back in the hole and the rest follow without knowing why-JUST TO BE SAFE!!!

john ana mary, have you take the magis mushroom?

To bulldog: sounds to me that the stick was clangin to the right dog :) Your name suits you "ABSOLUTE"LY well by the way :))

Dozens more reports of the Absolute scratch card scams here:- http://www.tripadvisor.in/ShowUserReviews-g297930-d315579-r7299651-Absolute_Sea_Pearl_Beach_Resort_Spa-Patong_Phuket.html#REVIEWS

Wow, so many like us! We were aproached in Phuket by a seemingly nice English couple, and ..no surprises, I scratched a shirt and my wife a 3 star prize [also hoping for cash, but got the holiday]. We were told we would be given a tour of their resort in Sea Pearl, and that was all we had to do for our prizes.{LIE NO. 1} Also, we should say we had 90 minutes, but it would only take 45 to 60 minutes to be shown around. {LIE NO. 2} After foolishly agreeing to go along, we were introduced to Mike, a nervous and clearly new at the game, salesperson who ran through what our tour would involve. Still only sounded like it would take 45 minutes. After being introduced to Mike's manager 'Milky' [think Milky bar kid] we began our tour of 3 resorts...one still under construction and dangerous to be entering..[never heard of public liability guys?], and the other 2 being 'refurbished' we were then taken back to the office for further torture. Many have defended the absolute club and asked why stay after 90 minutes if not interested...common courtesy , and not wanting to appear rude, and thinking..it cant possibly drag on any longer. Anyway, 3 hours and 10 minutes later we met the closer..the brash guy who will close the deal. What a WANKER. After questioning us about our travel plans for the next 40 years [who knows??] and explaining how much money we can save, and then realising we were not interseted, we were basically told to get out. When I asked about the joining price in case I may be intersted in the future , I was again basically told not to waste his time [cue Alanis Morisette song] and that we were clearly not right for this club. All this after being told a the start that there would be no pressure, simply listen to what they are about and then if we werent interseted, then that was OK. {LIE NO. 4}.
On our arrival home, I thought I would write to the company and express my disappointment at the marketing style, and demeanor of the staff, as well as being misled from the start. Of course, there is no direct link to their email, supposedly because of spammers....But obviously because of irate targets.
If this truly is a reputable company with nothing to hide, why LIE to potential clients, and hide the truth about what membership entails???? Still have no idea what the up front charge is, but even at $1 I would run a mile.
Thanks Phuket for a great holiday, but drive these ABSOLUTE arseholes out of your country before they do more damage to tourism than a tsunami.

tuktuk-tut tut!

thanks for the detailed account of your time those
"arseholes"

the line that causes me to think in all the time share sales pitches is similar to the one you mention "travel plans for the next 40 years"

my only logical thought is that travel cost will increase as they say, but so will incomes and so on, so its all b.s. to try and say how much will be saved. ( and thats if you plan travel for the next several years)

Jimmy the Timeshare salesman from Absolute. You are totally misleading people. As you know the office, certainly in Koh Samui constantly misrepresent the product to the people off the street. They illegaly tout innocent people that they know have no idea of timeshare and try to get them to sign up before they have had a chance to find out what a scam the whole thing is. Our personal experience in Samui on a couple of occasions showed that they never let the truth get in the way of a good story.
For instance they don't tell people that they can buy a week every two or three years so as to keep the price way down and the maintenance at a reasonable level. They decide what package they want you to but, usually the most expensive.
If they honestly and openly presented the packages in full to the customer and wrote a fair and equitable contract then there would not be all the complaints. The contracts give no out or recourse to the customer, that is the truth no matter what you say.
By the way, please don't tell me you consider the Sea Pearl in Patong four star. I have stayed in better motels for a fraction of what our TS cost us. $38K USD up front and $650 per year maintenance. Clearly not value fora floating week once a year. We originally sihned up for less than half the lump sum price and a third of the maintenance. The TS game, especially Absolute deserve all the vitriol that they receive.
We were recently sold an upgrade to our floating week in Samui which turned out to be smoke and mirrors, more deceipt from Samui. It is no wonder people like us bag the TS industry and especially Absolute.

I could pull this post to pieces with what you have said but why bother- you werent scammed so I dont see any relevance??!!

sounds like absolutes marketing technique is spot on, they told u that u won a prize (which u got) they asked u for a minimum of 90 mins to get ur prize and to look around their resorts and if u wasnt interested that u could leave with ur prize (which u chose not to do). im pretty sure u wasnt tied to a chair at any point. wheres the lie? in regards to the price, if u wasnt interested then why would u want to see the price?? they show everyone the price. its seems that u were shown a product that u liked but simply couldnt afford, got a bit embarrased and a bit shirty about it and decided to waste a bit more time and name shame rather than take the blame and write this blog. if they were hurting turism then they would have been there for so long, because of the t.a.t. just there for the free gift wasnt you.

Hi people
You obviousley know Marrriott Hotels who have been going since 1957 and are very crediable...
Club Absolute work very closely with Marriott and other big names...
Marriott also do timeshare themselves.....
Scam????????????????????????

My husband and I bought a three year holiday membership for $3,900 AUD. That gave us one free week per year as long as we bought one week at a reduced members price. We have had our first year and haven't had a problem. The only thing we had to do was bring our documentation along so we didn't have to sit through another presentation. We were asked if we would like to extend what we've bought and we declined. They were fine with that.

Having purchased the holiday package, we have saved ourselves $3,300 over 3 years in accommodation. I think that's pretty good as we holiday each year. That's a nice saving of $1,100 per year.

The only negative I have got is that you choose only from the internal hotels (the ones Absolute owns) and the external ones ( the ones that absolute have shares in). You can't just research a nice hotel and elect to stay there under this scheme.

The hotels they offer are quite lovely. Some, however, are a little bit off the beaten track.

I am not affiliated with Absolute, just a happy customer (in the first year at least).

Hi Ivan, you missed this one as well -or is that because it has great reviews?????
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g297937-d1493396-Reviews-Absolute_Chandara_Resort_Spa-Thalang_Phuket.html

let bryanlunt of Absolute know what you think on twitter :0)

actually 'guru', we were never told the price of any package..we were asked what we thought was a reasonable price for membership, and when I said 'you tell me whats on offer and I'll tell you whether I think thats reasonable'. It was at this point we were given a rant about if we couldnt afford a package, then we werent for the club. When I asked the price I was told it wasnt for me to know. I also said that perhaps at a later date we may look into it, and again I was basically told not to bother. Exact words were..'we only market through existing members or their guests'......are you forgetting you targeted us on the street??
My question to the 'closer' was that if he didnt have confidence enough in his product to reveal all the details [i.e. price] then it didnt inspire confidence in me to join. We were told all along that the club was expensive, but never once told the actual price. And "expensive" is relative to income, so without knowing the cost, how could we possibly make a decision.
Also the fact that we were misled by a number of staff, from the scratch card distributors, to the sales staff, makes me wary of joining such an organisation.
Finally, my intention isnt to 'shame' any staff, but by wearing name badges, this is the only way to identify staff members...and I know 'Milky' is not his real name, but that is what he was referred to as by several staff.
And by the way, when we are told..'no pressure' and then when we say not interseted, and I am given a speech on how to run my business, and that I will wind up dead if I dont take more holidays, and that my marriage will suffer if I don't take more holidays........THIS IS NOT "NO PRESSURE" . THIS IS HOUNDING!!! NO PRESSURE WOULD BE TO SIMPLY SAY..OK, THANKS FOR YOUR TIME. As this was not the case it is my absolute right to tell other people what I thought of the Absolute experience.

Ok, so its not really a scam but it can be very hard sell in this business. If the scheme offered was so great why would Absolute and their ilk fudge the issue on actual price and other extremely important issues involved in a major purchase?

Abuse often personal, when the offer is not taken up is a sure sign of the salesmans unprofessionalism and only provokes a negative opinion of the holiday club and timeshare product. They're shooting themselves in the foot with their abuse and hard sell.

This holiday scheme stuff isnt for everyone and the salesmen seemingly lose sight of this fact when they cant make a dollar out of everyone they see. If its not for you, and only you can decide that, give these schemes a wide berth and dont be bullied on your holiday.

No one questioned my FACTS......
So you all must stop winging on here and talking about what you dont know and maybe just find the FACTS out, good idea..
Take care people...

What a hot topic, it really hit a nerve with so many people, but this is a good lesson for many people to understand so i will tell you a story about my experience, my mother lives in Portugal, Villamoura, i'm sure many of you travellers know of this place and about 15 years ago these scams and time-share sales people were virtually attacking tourists on the street to go see the presentation and all the above posts were the same in my moms town, now the story i would like to tell you is that so much bad publicity occured here and bad press that tourists no longer bothered to go there and today it is a waste land with many buildings closed even the time share Hotels have closed and many people have moved out, only (some of ) the locals have remained, it's sad to see my place of birth in ruins and i'm sad to see all this happening in my adopted home of Thailand where i want to live with my Thai wife and my children, perhaps if the tourist trade does decline significantly then maybe so will all the scammers as well, you cannot keep stealing from the falang forever, they will go somewhere else and only the poor falang with no money will be the only tourist you will have in your country. Don't let the problems of other countries happen here, keep Thailand (the land of Smiles) smiling.

To you Fact: I can give you my comments because you seem to anticipate it so much.

You tell Marriott Hotels is a very credible business, so does that prove Club Absolute is?? I haven´t bumped into scratch card scams done by them, but I have with Absolute. As I know they are also doing business in Thailand and there is no-one complaining about Marriots way of doing timeshare business, instead this page is full of complaints concerning Club Absolute, why is that? There is always some weeds in every kind of business, you are the one (of many sadly) in this business. This is a FACT.

BEWARE of Club Absolute!! Stay as far from them as you can! It only gives you BIG TROUBLE to have anything to do with them. They only want your money no matter about the costs. Very low-lifed people!!

i bought a holiday club membership 3 years ago not from absolute but with a different company. It is the best thing my family and i have ever done. Yes it cost us a few bob, and everyyear i have to pay maintenence fees, but it has liberated my family, we travel all over the world.
So i must say thanks to the likes of jimmy you guys are making some of us happy!

Given a 3 star ticket in HK Ladies market, knew it would end up being a holiday and went along for the presentation anyway to get the holiday. Of course, I flatly said no to the offer of vacation membership after 2 hours hard sell. Too good to be true!!

After reading all this, Im trying to work out the best way to "scam" something from Absolute....what"s the best hotel on the prize list to opt to stay for free for 7 days? They wont want to try again and sell me the "package" in the compusory follow up 90 mins presentation at the holiday destination. Hope to tell them staight up in the first minutes of the presentation that I'm 100% NOT interesetd in signing up for the (not a ) timeshare membership!

Anyway, again, what hotel do people recommend for me to cash in on Absolute and refund my time I gave to them in HK?

"stop winging"
@Fact, the truth is whinging has an "h" in it!

We were stopped in the street in Kata Beach Green as grass obviously just off the plane,
we were approached by a pom with a special promotion scratch card Told that this was a thai government incentive to encourage tourism back into Thailand. When we all scratched wow wouldn,t you believe I won the BIG one Straight away I was suspicious But he seemed most excited stating that maybe only 1 of these cards is won a month Wow I'm starting to get a little excited. I asked him several times whats the scam , is this for real, whats the catch ?
No scam I was told I simply had to Listen for 90 mins to a proposal (why would this be neccessary if it was a legit promotion anyway?)
we were whisked away asked if we would go to a resort miles away said we werent interestd so they whisked us to a resort only about 500metres away isnt that convienient
we were then introduced to another pom had to sign some forms
for the next 45mins we sat there listening to this guys whole life story his sick daughter his speedway crash his liver shutdown how is wife is a teacher claiming he had lived in Phuket 6 years (mind you he didn,t even know what number one was)
still the 90 mins had not begun and it soon became obvious that this was a time share proposal
that was it my husband couldnt take it anymore , I was thinking nah stick it out get the free holiday ,cruise or 20000 baht as soon as he realised that we werent really interested in signing up to fifty year contract we were sent on a way real quick and when we asked if we could have information sent to us so maybe we could check it out on our own time not have to make a rash decision no way they didnt even want our email address
LISTEN CAREFULLY PEOPLE DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME

the funny thing is we over the next 2 weeks I myself noticed many more young coulples being approached and guess what? every single one of them was a big winner!!!!!!!!!

To Bulldog & Jimmy (and other farang con artists & parasites)

This is a copy off the Britich Consumer Affairs site- There are some very slight variation to the Absoloute methods but the program is the same. Review here for original web page: http://www.consumerdirect.gov.uk/watch_out/Commonscams/bogus-holiday-clubs/

If the British Consumer affairs view your methods as being bogus - in their opinion they would access your operation as a scam.



Bogus holiday clubs
You are handed a Scratch card on holiday and you find you have won a free holiday. Now you just have to attend a presentation to collect your prize. Not all holiday clubs are bogus, but there are many that are. With a reputable club you should be able to take the contract away and come back in a few days time with your decision, you should have written cancellation rights and everything that was promised to you at the presentation should be written down.

How they contact you

Scammers can call you at home or approach you on the street whilst on holiday and give you a scratchcard which reveals that you have won a 'free' holiday. All you need to do is go to a presentation to collect your prize and learn more about a new holiday venture. You will be told that this is not about timeshare. You will later find out that the 'free' holiday isn't free, as you must pay for extras, such as flights and other add-ons and go somewhere you don't want to go at a time that doesn't suit you.

At the presentation

Often the presentation will be at a plush hotel. The brochures will look glossy and convincing. You will be made to feel as if you are joining an exclusive holiday club which will offer exciting and great value holidays all over the world in top class accommodation.

What they don't tell you

Unlike the law covering timeshare arrangements, you are not necessarily given a chance to cancel if you have second thoughts.

The contract

A bogus holiday club will try and get you to sign on the spot - but do not let yourself be pressurised -ask for time to think it over before signing. If you are unsure get independent advice.

Watch out for the technique the bogus club uses:

The presentation has lasted so long you are tempted to sign just because you are desperate to leave
You are offered unlimited free alcohol to get you in the mood to sign up
They have made you a special a discounted offer only valid for that day
You are not left alone to discuss anything with your partner and you are given very limited time to view the contract.
If you have already signed up for one of these clubs and would like advice on your consumer rights, contact Consumer Direct on 08454 04 05 06.

If you have returned from overseas and have concerns about a holiday club you may wish to contact the European Consumer Centre United Kingdom (ECC). The ECC provides free information on consumer rights in Europe and assists in cross-border disputes. For more details visit the ECC website or call 08456 04 05 03.

If you are a UK citizen still on holiday in Spain and have problems with a Spanish based holiday club you may wish to contact the Spanish European Consumer Centre (CEC). For more details on the advice and assistance the CEC can offer visit the CEC website or call 91 82 24 555.

We brought Absolute timeshare and the first year was great, always receiving emails and information. The first year we stayed in Koh Samui at a beautiful resort - this was our "prize" week. The last 2 years have been a joke!! Three star accommodation, no responses to emails and an annual management fee that keeps going up. Next year's fee is more than what we paid to stay at "Gracelands" Phuket last year. We stayed at Gracelands after arriving at the Absolute Sea Pearl to discover a run down, out of the way dump!! Exchange weeks are never available and what about the "2000 Worldwide resorts" promised?? Load of CRAP - RIP OFF!!!

if you are good at what you do , enjoy what you do and are paid well for what you do you are a successful person. i work on the street, have always enjoyed a bit of witty banter and am exceptionally persuasive and convincing. I could sell bread to a baker. and I am paid. weekly. I average 20-25 thousand baht a week. I also have a non immigrant b 1 year multiple entry visa and a work permit. I am also young (under 25) and enjoy fantastic health, plus i live 2 minutes from the beach.

I feel sorry for the people moaning about timeshare they are obviously dissatisfied with life in general and if they weren't moaning about timeshare they would most definitely be moaning about something else or other.I also firmly believe that the majority of the people whingeing on this chat are overweight. Lose some weight you boguns and you might start to enjoy life again.
C.R.E.A.M.

Well done Brazen "blagger" [I'm sure you meant 'blogger' but I guess if you are rich, good looking and in perfect health..who needs to spell, right?]. You have perfectly exemplified the kind of attitude that most people are complaining about. You don't mention it, but I can assume you work for Absolute, or a company that employs the same kind of selling techniques.
Most people complaining were targeted while on vacation...this makes me presume that they have a lifestyle that affords them holidays. Also, if they haven't been taken in by the selling techniques, then again, presumably they have common sense i.e. intelligence.
I would rather possess these qualities, than have to run overseas to work somewhere I can pretend to be a 'big shot'.
None of the sales people speak of their experiences as an Absolute member...could it be they don't believe in the product, or perhaps they do have some common sense after all and like most people, feel it's a lot of money spent unwisely??
I would be intersted to know how many people working for Absolute actually are members, because the sales person we experienced certainly wasnt and even indicated he was a very inexperienced traveller.
I'm sure that Absolute wouldnt be interested in their staff as members, as they clearly would not earn enough to afford anual holidays.

If this is not a scam and is a reputable company, then why do we not at least have any of the 35.000 to 40.000 members you say you have make a coment of how good absolute is, instead of the ones that work for the company, ie Bulldog ,joe ninety,Guru ??????????????

Just back from Europe with 2 day stop over in Hong Kong
and yes my wife and my self were scamed by a young couple at the kowloon ferry terminal.
We had just been off the plane for a few hours and were going for a walk when we were wayliad by a couple of young people with the club absolute scam. I will not go into the details has they were typical of all the other blogs on this site any way we paid some money with misgivings on my part but my wife talked me into it as she is a soft touch for young people since our son was killed not long ago.
On return to Australia I brought up this web site and low and behold all my misgivings were right. Looks like i will be going to my lawyer and seeing what he can do I will also raise the WIK family way of fighting these people with him.

blag‧ger,
someone who gets something they want by lying to people in a clever way.

I dont care if my 'clients' buy the product or not, my only interest is that they stay the ninety minutes. When they stay ninety minutes i get paid. As I said before I get paid weekly.

I didnt 'run overseas' as you have suggested but rather decided to live here in thailand for reasons too obvious to mention.

Not only do I live in a beautiful place where people consider themselves lucky to visit whilst on holiday but I also have my wits about me. If I didnt I wouldnt make any money now would I?

So there tut tut on that.

And I never did say that I was good looking.

Why are you giving links to European consumer Sites - Spain and UK???
"Bangkok & Thailand Scams" And lets not get into the name calling "Parasite" etc... You obviously havent got the Kahunas to say what you think to peoples faces because you were wrapped in cotton wool as a child and not allowed to play with the other kids in case you got hurt - If there are so many unhappy consumers in the World why not go and find somewhere you can all live together and enjoy a Group hug and live in eternal equinimity?
Britain was once the greatest and most powerful nation- Yet now flying the Flag is considered unsocaible!!! It is now being brought to ruins by equalitists and those waiting for hand outs- So DONT talk to me about Parasites until you look under your own Crotch!

"someone who gets something they want by lying to people in a clever way."

I was wondering, do your parents know exactly what you do in Thailand or are you lying to them in a clever way as well?

"I dont care if my 'clients' buy the product or not, my only interest is that they stay the ninety minutes. When they stay ninety minutes i get paid. As I said before I get paid weekly."

You have no heart, maybe something bad happened to you in the past? I will say this, at least your honest!

"I didnt 'run overseas' as you have suggested but rather decided to live here in thailand for reasons too obvious to mention."

Let me guess, mmmm, the ladyboys?

"Not only do I live in a beautiful place where people consider themselves lucky to visit whilst on holiday but I also have my wits about me. If I didnt I wouldnt make any money now would I?"

Beautiful, but beneath the belly... Sorry, why would anyone consider themselves lucky?

What are you going on about Suzuki Shneider ???????????????????????????????/

ok kazuki... In what way would I gain or benefit from lying to my parents about what my job entails? my parents know what i am doing and they are happy that im making money and enjoying myself.

'maybe something bad happened to me in the past", 'let me guess you came over for the ladyboys" - there is no need to get personal kazuki. Your personal attacks on me as a person are very similar to a bad salesman getting shirty when his services or product is refused. Your not a bad salesman you are just bad at reasoning. I dont hold that against you I just wonder about your age.

During a long overdue romantic getaway in Phuket,which my wife Lindsay and I had spent a year saving up for, we were approached by a polite, well spoken young South African lad who claimed he was backpacking his way around oceana. We had read about all the scams over the internet and reacted with nothing but scepticism when he offered us a card, he put absolutely no pressure on us instead casually put the cards at his side all the while maintaining a perfect bodily stance and firm and assertive yet friendly eye contact and continued to smoothly shoot the breeze with us. I could tell my wife loved him. eventually the conversation was swayed with admirable guile back towards the cards, before we knew it he had written his name on two of them, handed one to my wife and began to scratch one off for me, telling us having cards on us would repel the other huindreds of OPCs swarming the streets, much like garlic with vampires he quietly added nudging my shoulder, not to mention the free transport. 'whats three stars?' my wife asked, 'oh here we go' I thought, although I will admit that from the audience point of view I was rather curious to see the rest of this so far immaculate performance. And I was not let down. He reacted with purposefully stifled glee so as to appear excited but still reserved and polite. He explained to us the prizes we had won and that this was his big commission card, a wide smile glued perfectly to his face. He explained that it would take only 90 minutes to do all the necessary processing of the prizes and Ill admit he almost had me convinced when he told us that should we win the laptop, they would have to give it a 'duty free electronic appliance allowance stamp so as to ensure you pay no tax when you take it back to austrailia' This was excellent entertainment to say the least. He explained rationally that they obviously did want our money in the future and that we should keep the ball rolling for the said time and just pretend like we were interested in saving on your holiday
drive there and back Free food and drink free awesome prize free big big commision
'I take it you guys obviously want your prize then!' he said victoriously shaking his fists in the air, Lindsay, who had been charmed from the beginning began doing the same, bleedin hell why not. I knew what the crack was. but for penach pezaz and perfection of the pitch, why the hell not. what a legend, wish my kids would get out there and take the initiative this boy has.

Kazuki Schneider have u got repeating syndrome or something??????
Also Absolute have 30000 plus members that are enjoying holidays around the world why would they waste there spare time on here if they had any between working and holidaying, and for sure they are not getting fat sitting on here derrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr...
This blog I am sure is full off fat unhappy people with there lifes, UP THE FATTYS lol

To; Schnide Suzuki

I was wondering, do your parents know exactly what you do in Thailand or are you lying to them in a clever way as well?

Hes my son and hes doing great -proud of him -go on son give it to em

You have no heart, maybe something bad happened to you in the past? I will say this, at least your honest!

The Lad takes care of his family and yes hes very honest - Thanks! Hes had plenty of Bad things happen in the past - has your life been Champagne and Roses?

Let me guess, mmmm, the ladyboys?

HaHa trying to make it sound like you havent!!!hahahahhaha pure Quality

Beautiful, but beneath the belly... Sorry, why would anyone consider themselves lucky?

We would consider ourselves lucky to live in this Country because we are not maybe stuck in an outpost of eastern Europe trying to keep the Peace or maybe living in Bolton and not having a job....I could give you a million reasons but I honestly think you are a total retard so go back and change your medication because its not working - while your at it change your name!

because "sceptic" u muppet,they dont think that any of what they have bought and enjoy is a scam,so they are not searching for these web sites to rectify any of your crap! they know its not a scam! please people find a better web site or existence to justify ur boring lives,the marketing not a scam just a way to encourage business proactively,presentation up to 90mins to receive gift not a scam,purchasing product not a scam,full disclosure to product before point of signing and during tour,therefore not a scam,use of membership for 40yrs for holidays not a scam,choice to purchase or walk away and carry on with current holiday situation! u still receive your gift either way! all the above is down to u to choose to go ahead with,absolute isnt a perfect business like so many,yet we still purchase or utilise the necessary product,i'm sure out of the 25000 members there are,that some are,unhappy ,but, they ("absolute") endeavour like any other business to adapt and change/accomodate,where feisable! im out of here i thought this site might be constructive to scams,to help holiday makers but it just seems like a witch hunt against one company! how ridiculous!

Just been reading the scams that is happening in Thailand. I'm an Aussie working in KL Malaysia. The company I work for was approached by 2 Brits offering the exact same holiday vouchers to either Bali, Phuket or Pattaya to be use by my company to enhance our marketing and promotion tools in order to have an edge over our competitors.

These holidays comes with a lot of terms and conditions in order to get a 5D 4N stay in those hotels you guys have mentioned earlier. After reading the similarities of one of the term mentioned that is to sit through a 90 mins presentation, I can help but wonder if this is the same scam that is now in Malaysia.

Have a favor to ask from any of you that is following this, I need to know whether anyone of you remember either 3 of this Brits, they are PHIL EDMONSON, ROBERT ADAM SCOTT & MARK LAWRENCE ROBINSON aka MARCO ROBINSON. Appreciate if you guys could help me before my company signs up with these blokes. Don't really want to be caught with a programme that is a scam which could tarnish the good name of my company among our customers. Cheers!!!

We're in koh Samui and filled out the survey at the airport on behalf of the Thai Tourism Board. I do things like this because it takes a couple of minutes and there is no harm in doing so.

Got a call a few days later saying I had won a holiday. Great - a wee bit sceptical though and this turned out to be justified when Roy, a fat, bald, old English guy turned up to pick us up from our hotel frothing at the mouth. He went on about having fallen in love....wait for it....with a Thai girl here a few years back. Sold up in the UK and came here.

Anyway, he had told us that he wanted to show us the two hotels "they" owned (explained it as if it was him and his wife that owned a couple of small resorts) and all about the weeks accommodation we had won. 90 minutes it would take. Great, Could do 90mins, not a problem.

Turn up at Absolute office in Chaweng and after having asked him on the phone the fist time we spoke whether there was a catch or not to which he replied No, it was clear he had lied.

3 hours and much sales pressure including slimy English Ex-pats talking up a storm and trying to be funny, we walked off after explaining I could invest my $43k, $27k or $4k in Gold or in a term deposit back home or some other way and make it work for me that way rather than buy time share. The annual service charge of 600Euro (give or take) is what I can get a weeks accommodation for anyway so not sure what is so special about it all.

Anyway, be aware, it's not a scam but how they lure you in to it is by lying, greasing you up and inflating the greatness of what they are selling.

Stay away.

Just a follow up - our C/Card company has ruled judgement in our favour!! (Refunding our card for the full amount we paid)
We provided the evidence & managed our dispute within the given timeframes.
Absolute continued to lie & threaten their way into bullying our money out of us even throughout the dispute process, They even lied to the C/Card company!

ADVICE TO OTHERS:
Follow the previous steps I have detailed in my posts since May '09.
Tell the truth & stand your ground.
DO NOT be pressured by Absolutes' standover tactics.
And learn the same lesson we had to learn: If it seems too good to be true - it probably is!
Run to the nearest sandy beach & waste your time there - it's a day better spent.

(And Bulldog - you need to get a life! You are wasting it with all your unecessary, negative comments)
All the above holiday makers were in Thailand because they have a life & have worked hard to be there.
They have every right to claim if they have been extorted.

I just hope these guys will get what they deserve and I´m sure it will happen eventually. Some day, some how bad is getting its salary. The day of justice is coming and then we´ll see heads falling. Are you ready?

Karma has a way of finding balance. In time, operation like Absolutes will become a liability for the Thai government and will be outlawed. Lunt and his executive cronies will walk out with Swiss bank accounts full of other peoples hard earned saving. Jimmy, Bulldog and other bottom feeders will find themselves as unwanted farang and will scrounge enough dollars to return to a western country they will not be able to afford to live in.

Yes Bulldog, I am a little overweight. I can still afford an overseas holiday once a year despite loosing my deposit to Absolute and will have more money in my self-managed superannuation fund on retirement in a couple of years than you will see in your lifetime.

Have a nice day you bloodsucker.

You people really are messed up in the head and I think losing the plot on this site.
What are you going on about I am now at work in Absolute office with a member from 4 years ago who is well happy with the product they have been staying in a Absolute Resort for 8 weeks now at 99 USD a week for the two off them.
Derr could you beat that??????????????? Backpackers not included he he these are 3 star plus 5 star resorts....

To; Schnide Suzuki

I was wondering, do your parents know exactly what you do in Thailand or are you lying to them in a clever way as well?

Hes my son and hes doing great -proud of him -go on son give it to em


You lucky man you, not sure what "go on son give it to em" means: good service, great value for money, honesty and entegrity, ?

You have no heart, maybe something bad happened to you in the past? I will say this, at least your honest!

The Lad takes care of his family and yes hes very honest - Thanks! Hes had plenty of Bad things happen in the past - has your life been Champagne and Roses?

What a nice husband/son, as for honest, did you not read what he said above 'lying to people in a clever way" you need to remove your head from out of the ground Mr.Bulldog? I'm sorry to hear things have not all been beer and chip butties, but things look promising.

Let me guess, mmmm, the ladyboys?

HaHa trying to make it sound like you havent!!!hahahahhaha pure Quality

Actually, I'm gay, I like body builders, does your son work out?

Beautiful, but beneath the belly... Sorry, why would anyone consider themselves lucky?

We would consider ourselves lucky to live in this Country because we are not maybe stuck in an outpost of eastern Europe trying to keep the Peace or maybe living in Bolton and not having a job....I could give you a million reasons but I honestly think you are a total retard so go back and change your medication because its not working - while your at it change your name

Hi Nigel -from 18th Oct- (My sincere condolences for the death of your Son!)
What was the Scam?? You say you bought something and then read this website and are now seeking action-Why because you read a blogsite which is totally unmonitored - anyone can say what they want without proof ?? How were you scammed?

Typical Victims -start the name calling and get all Brave once they get behind the keyboard

Sik family- Im on here for a bit of fun to wind up you whingers - I havent lost anything?! and how could you possibly say you have more than I will ever have if you dont know what Ive got-----you STILL havent learnt have you!

As for Karma .... Im happy you are not so what did YOU do so bad?

@Bulldog, winding people up? Your a disgrace, I hope I never bump into you in Thailand, grrrr!

Listen here Mary & John you ???? WITS we know its a SCAM. How many people took home that lovely colour brochure of hotels worldwide that absolute said you can stay in any of them,Well let me tell you i phoned three of them and to my surprise none of them had heard of absolute.And one of them was near where i live so i went there and guess what? The pictures in the big glossy brochure were not of the hotels accomodation or facilities and the manager had never heard of absolute, and said we wish our facilities were as good as the one in the brochure so i say SCAM!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bulldog
The only thing I did that was bad in a way was loosing my Absolute deposit of making a naïve decision.

I certainly have learnt my lesson and will certainly not be fooled gain.

Fool me once – shame on you.

Fool me twice – shame on me. – And this simply will NEVER happen.

And yes – my house has a state of the art alarm people so as to keep people like you OUT!

Now go crawl back under you rock and dream of what life and your self esteem would be like if you worked for an honest living and contributed to society in a positive manner instead of imitating a blood sucking flea

Did anyone here about the Jet Ski scam???
JJ from Thailand was arrested and hurled in jail for scamming and he is a local..
Club Absolute is still here and always will be and is run by foreigners..
Scam I think not.
This blog has been going since 24th October 2007 and nothing has been done to Club Absolute even the fat people on this blog giving it and threatening that they will do something, hahahahahahahahahaha STILL WAITING FOR U FATTIES, IS IT BECAUSE THEY WONT LET U ON THE PLANE IN CASE THERES TOO MANY OFF YOU SAD LONELEY FAT CLUB PEOPLE THAT THE PLANE WONT TAKE OFF hehehhehehehe..
UP THE FAT CLUB THE INTERNET IS A GREAT THING BUT NOT GOOD FOR LOSING EXCESS FAT (EXERCISE),,............................

For your information KARMA - I am currently on a laptop by the pool (MY POOL) enjoying a few Singhas and eating with a mixture of European and Thai friends - i dont need a state of the art alarm such as you because my Pitbulls have a free run to enjoy the fun of the chase (currently locked in the Granny House in case they eat one of my friends). AND MY DEAR FRIEND I contribute to the society THAT I LIVE IN to MY friends and MY CAUSES ...not to those dictated to me by making me feel guilty for being happy and successful.... :)

@Pitbull... Yes you should sincerely hope we do NOT bump into each other....Miaaaaow...Pussy

LMAO @ Pitbull, word of advise, number 1 only purchase a one way ticket and number 2 have a whole dug ready for a coffin to go in it.........................

Bulldog, lets get this sorted asap, lets YOU and ME (and bring your lackey LMAO with you) meet at my gym for a game of chess! Gym name is Spirit Gym, which is located in Silom Road, between Soi 9 & 11, Silom, Bangrak, Bangkok.
I'm there everyday between 6am and 1pm, if not convenient, then please suggest an alternative time?
Really looking forward to meeting you and your bum chum?

Hi Facts
Yes, the individual that featured on UK videos has been arrested and put out of business for now. I would suggest that there are many influential people feeding from the Absolute pie and as such they are well protected. All the same their time, their day will come and they will eventually be shown the door.

wow Pitbull- your roid levels are rising...cant say i could be bothered to take a trip to bangkok especially to see you- i am rather busy making money while your admiring your Bi's Tri's and lats! but I have an acquaintance who visits your area frequently keep your eyes open for him - average looking Thai guy wears a fullface helmet and sits as passenger the wrong way on the back of a motorbike - he may not stay for long but hed probably introduce himself briefly -just out of courtest of course!

Hi Bulldog

Your message to Pitbull truly shows the criminal aspect of your persona – or is it all purely a situation of you letting your dreams impose themselves on reality. Have a great day sitting by you fictitious pool. Hope you don’t get bitten by your fictitious dog.

And while you are at it why not let go of the concept that Absolute is not a scam and you are not living off the proceeds of crime.

Ha, ha, Bulldog, your a bottler mate, too many nights with those ladyboys have softened you up me old chump.

Youre right Reg -They certainly have! We grow up and learn that there are more exciting and more important things in life than being goaded into chasing a narcissistic steroid munching meat head around Bangkok! Dont buy a dog and bark yourself son or you'll soon be begging for a bone.

hahaha Karma- there is no end to your conspiracy theorists' view on life - not only is Absolute fictitious in your eyes so are my pool and dogs.??....I better pinch myself to see if I'm real!!!

HAHAHAAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA @ Pitbull the steroid muncher with more muscle then brains obviousley..
Why dont you pop to Absolute in Patong and prove your big hard truth and muscle LMAO idiot...Funny thing is with the brains u got you probaly will end up buying into the Club!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I was just wondering Bulldog why do you bother to visit this site and leave your immature comments over and over again if you have better things to do (like sitting by the pool)? Why do you bother? Really, is it that hard for you to meet all the critiques? Anyway, these comments are getting ridiculous. I´m very worried to notice what kind of people we are really dealing with. Doesn´t look good at all..... Now I understand better why Club Absolute operates suspiciously, if they have people like you working with them. Lord have mercy.

I work at absolute and came on this site was pointed out to me by a member of ours. I am not sure who is kidding who on here but I suppose that is what blogsites are all about. It doesnt seem to be benefitting anybody. Bulldog -LMAO-Facts and any others if you do actually work at Absolute as some have said could you clarify it with me. JT - UK.

Hi Screwed couple, Finland - Sat 19 Sep 2009. Calm down, don't worry. It is true that
"Club Absolute - Toothless Tigers

"Absolute" are scam artists, but they are also "toothless tigers". Their law firm Hutchinson and Co is based in the Virgin Islands UK and as such their law does on apply to your law or any other countries law for that matter. Rip the dept collectors letter up and flush it down the toilet where it belongs, it isn't worthy of the paper it is written on!

Given Good Advice
We had the same thing happen to us in March this year. Lucky for us we met a couple who were also victims on this very blog. They live in our home town just a few miles away and we are now great friends. They advised us to go see a lawyer and send them a letter to say you refuse to send any more money. We now believe that this measure isn't necessary as they soon gave up the case after about two months of threats. They are all hollow warnings....please be assured! Our solicitor advised us that for them to bring a successful claim against us they would first have to apply to our Australian law authorities. This would be an enormously expensive process for them and would NOT BE successful!

CANCEL CREDIT CARD IMMEDIATELY: The most urgent thing you need to do if they have your credit card details is to cancel that credit card immediately.

Getting your deposit back I personally believe will be difficult as you would have signed the credit card docket, but taking this measure will prevent them from accessing any more of your money.

Don't worry about their threats, remember, "Absolute" are unable to bring a successful claim against you and they can't damage your credit rating, please be assured of that! Our friends have been free of them for over 2 1/2 years now and we too have received no further threats or dept collectors letters. "Absolute" have given up the chase!

All the best, a friend in Australia

Just a comment in regard to those bloggers who insist on having "Hissy Fits" on this blog....if you keep your blogs factual and to the point you would actually be helping to advise others who need good sound advice.

If you want to personally abuse the "Absolute Scammers" then go do so personally. It may help you to feel better but senseless "bullshit throwing" doesn't do it for people in need of advice who are sweating over Absolutes threats......so PLEASE, go do it some other place, we need to get down to business here with some form of sanity.

Dear Sik family,
please repeat your advice on assisting to have deposit refunded through credit card company.

thanks so much, cheers Joe

p.s did you sign your credit card transaction slip?

Sad typical fat Aussies, you Australians really are thick.
I am a timeshare owner not off Club Absolute and I enjoy Quality and saving money holidays and Timeshare is the way forward 2day....
Carry on paying your high commisions to your loveley travel agents you idiots.
I have stayed at a Club Absolute resort with my American timeshare exchange and it was a loveley holiday.
So thank you Absolute you seem to have a good product however mine is working for me from America, good luck from America.
Australians are a very rare breed almost not human.

Hummmmm! Wonder is all American time share owners spell lovely as loveley? I think your credibility just went down the shoot!

Again, folks needing help, refer to Sik family for educated, good sound advice.

oh dear' USA enjoy your ripp off scam timeshare arrangement. i guess it worked out well for you seeing as you are obviously unable to decide by yourself where to go for good accomodation and how to avoid the travel agents and sur-charges.

and since when is paying a premium up front a good deal - dead money for you but alive and well in someone elses pocket.....dumb A#s

Well said Aussie! You and I alike. We never use travel agents for booking accommodation, and we certainly don't need to pay exorbitant and restrictive time share memberships fees.

Stoney Mondy is another holiday club in Phuket . Did anyone purchase a membership?

Bulldog, I would love to see you and Pitbull playing chess, go on love, I'd even pay to watch Pitbull prolapse your ladyboy loving arse...

The best thing about Australia is that it is located in the Arsehole of the Earth (which is why we sent your descendants there in the first place!) - only problem is it delivers its fair share of Shit!

AUSSIE AUSSIE AUSSIE FAT FAT FAT AUSSIES FAT AUSSIE FATTTIES

To bulldust, USA and all you other low life leeches that wave the abosolute b/s flag you are nothing but scum of the earth and deserve the abuse you receive.

Buuldog, where are your desendants from, I'll take a guess, its a choice between Accrington Stanley or Murpher Tydal?

Bulldog, I don't care if you like ladyboys or weight lifters, but I do care that you are laughing at people that trusted you? Anyway, I do hope pitbull prolapses you so badly that you'll need a colostomy bag for doing a number TWO...

Pitbull has a name for himself behind a computer screen...............character 5ft nothing, spectacles and spotty and guess what FAT like the rest off yer lol oh and a Aussie hehehehehehee

Bulldog/USA, after reading your nasty and spiteful comments on this page I've been able to make up a profile of you:

Scum that would sell anyone or anything to get your piece of paradise, cheating, lying, stealing and paying others to do your dirty work is second nature to you. Surely even you must be getting tired of looking under your bed before you go to beddy buys every night?

By the way, Have you ever sold cleaning materials door to door in Canvey Island?

No Mathew Ive never sold cleaning materials on Canvey Island and the funny thing is I have never sold anything for absolute - as I said ages ago Im on here for the fun :) too much time on my hands eh!?

Matthew where is Canvey Island??????????
Obviousley your not reading or understanding properley I am a timeshare owner and work in Information Technology for a big company in USA..(hence not selling anything)
You are well confused.com mate.
Shows exactley where this blog goes, NOWHERE.............

@USA, so why are you bothering to reply? Your the worst type of hypocrite, "Do as I say and not as I do" right?

I say what I like ..and like what I bloody well say.

Oh @ Mathew..is there any reason you mentioned Canvey Island? Kings was a laugh in its day - ever been there? what about Raquels in basildon? or have you just been watching too many guy ritchie films?

Sorry Mick I was just saying I have timeshare from the USA for a long time now and I used a Club Absolute 5 star resort on a exchange in Koh Samui for 150 USD for the week for 4 people and thanked Absolute for a great time, what is the harm in me saying that........
"Do as I say and not as I do" right?

"Do as I say and not as I do" right?

WTF ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

@USA, "I would rather die on my feet then beg on my knees" right?

Mick you are a Prick, and your name certainly suits you....

@USA, how about saying that to my face bubba?

USA, no love at home, dead end job, no friends and a plenty of DIY? I don't blame you for lashing out at everyone? But you can be helped, yes even you believe it or not!

http://th-th.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2438723015

"Absolute" are scam artists, but they are also "toothless tigers". Their law firm Hutchinson and Co is based in the Virgin Islands UK and as such their law does on apply to your law or any other countries law for that matter. Rip the dept collectors letter up and flush it down the toilet where it belongs, it isn't worthy of the paper it is written on!

A Word of Advice:
We had the same thing happen to us in March this year. Lucky for us we met a couple who were also victims on this very blog. They live in our home town just a few miles away and we are now great friends. They advised us to go see a lawyer and send them a letter to say you refuse to send any more money. We now believe that this measure isn't necessary as they soon gave up the case after about two months of threats. They are all hollow warnings....please be assured! Our solicitor advised us that for them to bring a successful claim against us they would first have to apply to our Australian law authorities. This would be an enormously expensive process for them and would NOT BE successful!

CANCEL CREDIT CARD IMMEDIATELY: The most urgent thing you need to do if they have your credit card details is to cancel that credit card immediately.

Getting your deposit back I personally believe will be difficult as you would have signed the credit card docket, but taking this measure will prevent them from accessing any more of your money.

Don't worry about their threats, remember, "Absolute" are unable to bring a successful claim against you and they can't damage your credit rating, please be assured of that! Our friends have been free of them for over 2 1/2 years now and we too have received no further threats or dept collectors letters. "Absolute" have given up the chase!

All the best, a friend in Australia

Bulldog, sorry mate, looks to me like you've been rumbled.

Hi Mandy and thank you for that website, very entertaining he he..
Just a shame its not getting rid off Mick the Prick ha ha (threatening me 2 I am so scared) lol..
Cyber Freak..

Helpful Advice From Marg U.K:

Make sure you cancel your card at Visa end, not just at your bank.

Do nothing, do not respond in anyway to their threats or emails, or letters. If you get harrassed by them, get your solicitor to write them a quick letter.

Note: We took Marg's advice. Absolute backed off.....sleep easy, we can assure all other victims of these scam artists, "Club Absolute" are unable to make you pay the balance no matter how much they threaten!

It is better to not respond in anyway.

Your deposit will be hard to get back. But do not give them anymore money.

USA' the more you post here the more it seems like you are some pimple faced geek teenager with nothing better to do than sit at your computer and put your fellow countrymen and women to shame with your pathetic and brainless comments

TROLL

Thanks Sik Family, Aussie Gold, Marg (uk) and Joe R for all your helpful advice. We got caught up with Club Absolute scum too, and 10 months later just don't know how? My wife and I are normally clear and cautious decision makers, so I have long suspected that perhaps, sinister tactics may have been be used, such as spiked drinks. The salesman was very generous at the club bar with drinks After having read advice given on the NZ Embassy web site;
http://www.nzembassy.com/info.cfm?c=21&l=67&CFID=6668&CFTOKEN=49719424&s=nz&p=61081
I suspect even more that this is how we were coursed into this nonsense scheme.

Thanks to the people I have mentioned above we have now escaped the clutches of Absolute.

Again the points are:
1) If you paid a deposit via credit card and they have access to your number then cancel the card.

2) don't answer any calls or letters from Absolute.

3) see a lawyer and have a letter sent to them stating that under Australian law their contract is invalid and you refuse to pay them another cent.
They will send dept collectors letters but they are unable to extract more funds from you or damage your credit rating.....again refer to Sik families advice

4) Stop worrying! Although getting your deposit back may be difficult unless you feel you were drugged you can prevent further loss by following genuine advice given by these people.

With best wishes, Benji

Bull, you no call me for two week, you have new ladyboy?

Bulldog, I'm still waiting, when are you going to pop by for a chin wag, cup of tea and a game of chess?

"Absolute" are scam artists, but they are also "toothless tigers". Their law firm Hutchinson and Co is based in the Virgin Islands UK and as such their law does on apply to your law or any other countries law for that matter. Rip the dept collectors letter up and flush it down the toilet where it belongs, it isn't worthy of the paper it is written on!

A Word of Advice:
We had the same thing happen to us in March this year. Lucky for us we met a couple who were also victims on this very blog. They live in our home town just a few miles away and we are now great friends. They advised us to go see a lawyer and send them a letter to say you refuse to send any more money. We now believe that this measure isn't necessary as they soon gave up the case after about two months of threats. They are all hollow warnings....please be assured! Our solicitor advised us that for them to bring a successful claim against us they would first have to apply to our Australian law authorities. This would be an enormously expensive process for them and would NOT BE successful!

CANCEL CREDIT CARD IMMEDIATELY: The most urgent thing you need to do if they have your credit card details is to cancel that credit card immediately.

Getting your deposit back I personally believe will be difficult as you would have signed the credit card docket, but taking this measure will prevent them from accessing any more of your money.

Don't worry about their threats, remember, "Absolute" are unable to bring a successful claim against you and they can't damage your credit rating, please be assured of that! Our friends have been free of them for over 2 1/2 years now and we too have received no further threats or dept collectors letters. "Absolute" have given up the chase!

All the best, a friend in Australia

I chcked out the website!
HUTCHINSON & CO was formed in 1985 head office in Camberley, Surrey, GU15 3YX
England.Hutchinson has unparalleled experience in operating not only in the EEC member states, but also Eastern Europe, Asia and the Far East where the Company was the pioneer of adapting the conventional Trust System to operate within the constraints of these former closed economies. Hutchinson is still today the leading trust Company in these regions with offices in India, Thailand and China and it is from these local offices that the Company can continue to ensure that it leads the shared leisure industry with its commitment to Service & Security – core values that it extends to all of its clients, no matter where in the world they may be.

Mmmmm....maybe you should do some more homework before giving legal advice....heres some SOUND advice - read things before you sign them -timewaster!

Drugged on a presentation??????
Now this is getting stupid................actually pathetic.

@albeit incorrect advice, nice comment, any chance of a link to the company please?

You can't polish a turd Jimmy.

Bulldog, I'd also like to see a link to Hutchinson & Co?

By the way, I've sent you a white feather in the post!

Hi all,

i was walking outside Siam Paragon in Bangkok and was approached by a nice indian girl who wanted to ask me a couple of questions in return for the chance to win a free gift. Lo and behold I won the star prize, all I had to do was sit through a 60 min presentation. 5 minutes later I'm sat chatting to a nice rep called Darren in some plush Absolute office. We chatted for an hour about Thailand and other stuff. Then he talked me through the club membership offer, clicked me through their website and showed me the glossy brochures. 2 hours later I asked him to get to the point (how much?) and his canadian collegue spelled out the figures. About 8K pounds for a 40 year membership ... hmmm ... not sure I got those kinda funds for a club membership even if I wanted one - which I don't, I'm pretty independant when it comes to organising travel. Never mind, I said no, thanked them for their time and left with a T-Shirt and 1 weeks free accomodation. I certainly wasn't going to pay anything on the day and certainly not for something which I originally had no intention of buying - I went out that morning to buy a couple of Polo shirts.

Simple truth is, if you are approached with "free prize" offers and have to sit through a presentation to get them, don't allow yourself to feel pressured to buy something. Jusy be polite, say no and go on your way. That way you won't be buying anything you didn't want or need. It will only turn into a scam once you pay for a service you don't receive.

Good luck to those that lost money and are trying to retrieve it though. For those that are being threatened by court action to retrieve more money, just rip all letters up and ignore them. There is no way you can be forced to pay more funds for a service you no longer wish in ANY court of law.

With regard to Thailand ... I love it and nothing would stop me coming back. I would recommend it to anyone wishing to holiday here, the people and place are amazing.

@Jo, By the way, Darren's real name is Bulldog!

We can personally back "good advice, Mon 16 Nov 2009 17:13:29 CST" We also took the sound advice of the Sik family after having been conned by "Club Absolute". Thanks to that sound legal advice we have now escaped the clutches of this company.

Thanks again Sik family!!!

Nobody has ever been forced to sign anything -but you did because at the time you wanted it-you then changed your mind and wanted to go back on your word and cancel and in the process retrieve your money.......Timewasters Utd. WHY sign in the first place????? You are using phrases like Clutches, conned, scammed and "toothless tigers"- unless you have fully paid for the product and have used it how could you possibly determine if it was a scam?? An agreement by the definition of the word is an agreement and because you have decided t pull out you assume the role of victims. If the company involved try to pull out they would be accused of being scammers!! but no you insist that there should be protection for people who cannot make up their minds properly or those that are easily swayed from one train of thought to another....you my friends are the tyre kickers on the car front - The window lickers on the caravan showground - we came to look but bought something by mistake -please help us we are victims! Carry on and share your fables of the toothless tigers - The Hungry salesmonsters who tried to scam you....meanwhile its "BUSINESS AS USUAL MY FRIENDS!"

No business of yours

Many of these people have paid a deposit for a membership they later find to be of little value and that was misrepresented by the vendor in the first instance. In your opinion you believe these victims should continue to be exploited and should continue to pay due to a signed contact that in unenforceable, illegal in many counties and is weighted to the interest of the vendor only.

Who are you trying to fool or scam now! I don’t think that anybody who has read the contents of this forum would ever consider Absolutes to be a viable, honest, customer oriented organisation committed to providing a long term cost effective accommodation. Dream on.

XCITING TRAVEL, you'll be surprised to know that No business of yours is actually Bulldog in one of his many original user names!

Howdy Bulldog.

Pitbull go and chew on a tree you foolish dog..

See above for a perfect example...

Pitbull? shitbull?- or is it BULLSHIT? - as much as I disagree and challenge "Xciting travel" at least he(or she) has something to say other than spit testosterone at the computer screen you druggy Nonce

@Bulldog, it beggars belief that you can write such a statement as above, but to be honest men like yourself make perfect prison guards, grasses and ideal partners for ladyboys.

The whole idea of this website is to warn people of scams in Thailand and possible solutions.
Lets leave the name calling and childish threats to the 'Embarrassing westerners who shouldn't stay in Thailand' thread.

Well Said Simon!

How Some sensible Advice For Those in Need:

We had the same thing happen to us in March this year. Lucky for us we met a couple who were also victims on this very blog. They live in our home town just a few miles away and we are now great friends. They advised us to go see a lawyer and send them a letter to say you refuse to send any more money. We now believe that this measure isn't necessary as they soon gave up the case after about two months of threats. They are all hollow warnings....please be assured! Our solicitor advised us that for them to bring a successful claim against us they would first have to apply to our Australian law authorities. This would be an enormously expensive process for them and would NOT BE successful!

CANCEL CREDIT CARD IMMEDIATELY:
The most urgent thing you need to do if they have your credit card details is to cancel that credit card immediately.

Getting your deposit back I personally believe will be difficult as you would have signed the credit card docket, but taking this measure will prevent them from accessing any more of your money.

Don't worry about their threats, our legal advice is that, "Absolute" are unable to bring a successful claim against you and they can't damage your credit rating, because is is beyond the bounds of your country laws.! Our friends have been free of them for over 2 1/2 years now and we too have received no further threats or dept collectors letters. "Absolute" have given up the chase!

All the best, a friend in Australia

@Simon, if only everything was so black and white, your not dealing with robots, but humans that have fiery EMOTIONS?

For those who are new to the forum and have been caught up in the Absolute scam the details written by "Good Advice" (as supported by other such as the Sik family and others) is a good template for how you deal with Absolute. You may miss out on getting your deposit refunded (as was the case with myself) but at least you intimately get Absolute and its blood sucking staff out of your lives whist minimising the total cost.

It is most important that you do not allow yourself to be intimated by a toothless tiger that makes lots of noise.

It is also obvious that there are those on this forum who promote Absolute and would like you to believe that they are a legitimate enterprise. Do not be fooled as these potentially are the people who conned and lied to you in the first instance.

For those going through the most stressful aspect of the process – good luck and hang in there.

Thanks XCITING TRAVEL for the advice, for me what is more painful then anything is knowing people like Bulldog the ladyboy lover are farang! How he and his merry men of no values and toerags can tell huge porkies and try and intimidate potential customers is beyond me. I only wish I could have a party for them ALL in my lock-up with two of my best friends, blow torch and pliers!

I am sure there are many victims who would like the opportunity to pass on their good will to these blood suckers but fortunately for all concerned there blood suckers are living in Thailand well out of the grasp of their victims. At the same it would be good advice for these individuals not to holiday in the land of their victims and end up being recognised. I am sure there are some who would defiantly arrange to have the smug look wiped from their faces permanently.

Im not sure this is a scam, I am in Patong beach now, every day I walk round Patong and I am stopped more than 8 times by Forieghners on motorbikes all asking the same crap questions. Also there is a small continginent situated on Bangla road daily who seem to be led by some eldery forieghn woman who is so badly tanned she looks as if he face and body are leather. More than anything these people are annoying and I have to bite my tongue sometimes from tell them to FXXX OFF. I have complained to the tourist authority of Thailand and the tourist police about the harrassment.

@Traveller, the women with the leather skin is Bulldogs other half, she sounds just like Dot Branning from my favourite show, Eastenders, I would like to point out that Dot is preetier!

Peter Botha- I dont work for Absolute but if you wanna bring your pliers and your best friends as you say then just come mention my name anywhere in Patong and we will surely meet...meanwhile do your mother a big favour and set fire to yourself :)

How Some sensible Advice For Those in Need:

We had the same thing happen to us in March this year. Lucky for us we met a couple who were also victims on this very blog. They live in our home town just a few miles away and we are now great friends. They advised us to go see a lawyer and send them a letter to say you refuse to send any more money. We now believe that this measure isn't necessary as they soon gave up the case after about two months of threats. They are all hollow warnings....please be assured! Our solicitor advised us that for them to bring a successful claim against us they would first have to apply to our Australian law authorities. This would be an enormously expensive process for them and would NOT BE successful!

CANCEL CREDIT CARD IMMEDIATELY:
The most urgent thing you need to do if they have your credit card details is to cancel that credit card immediately.

Getting your deposit back I personally believe will be difficult as you would have signed the credit card docket, but taking this measure will prevent them from accessing any more of your money.

Don't worry about their threats, our legal advice is that, "Absolute" are unable to bring a successful claim against you and they can't damage your credit rating, because is is beyond the bounds of your country laws.! Our friends have been free of them for over 2 1/2 years now and we too have received no further threats or dept collectors letters. "Absolute" have given up the chase!

All the best, a friend in Australia

"but if you wanna bring your pliers and your best friends as you say"

@Bulldog, do you understand English, " two of my best friends, blow torch and pliers! " your name is BULLDOG, right? I have a friend called blow torch and another called pliers. So before you make a comment next time, try to digest, analyse and answer articulately before opening your big ignorant mouth.

Bulldog, why are you so full of aggression, I think Peter was only joking, if I remember rightly, "Pulp Fiction" is where the term blow torch and pliers comes from. Take it easy and loosen up, you need a massage man!

No matter what is said and done to support Absolute in Phuket the truth is the truth and it cannot be hurt by attack - they are con artists through and through and prowl on happy holidaymakers in a most beautiful setting.

Stay absolutely far away from Absolute and warn anyone you know who intends to go to Phuket on holidays to be absolutely careful of scratch card carrying friendly people. Go to the beach instead it's cheaper in the long run.

Thanks for this post it gives us a chance to be heard and warn others at the same time.
Yes I am one of those who have complained to Absolute about losing my deposit and received in response legal threats but I am not frightened of their bully tactics.

To anyone from Absolute reading this - you can only fool someone once and once is enough. Absolute you and I do have one thing in common and that is you and I both know you are con artists and you hate it that people like me know.

For an absolutely wonderful holiday stay away from Absolute!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This is the absolute truth

Are you listening Bulldog, woof, woof!

To USA & Bulldog,

USA, not sure if to many people from the USA want you speaking out for them and what is it with calling Australians fat, Americans are number one fattest people in the world. Not sure if many Americans agree with you in relation to you opinion on Australians, you seem to me like some type of sex pervert that has some how lost his mind spending to long int he land of smiles going from cheap beer to bar fine.

Bulldog, we have about two million British people living in our country and we would be very happy if they leave the arsehole of the world and go back to the Uk. Unfortunately having for an extended period of time lived in both countries I can say with absolute confidence that the Uk is possible one of the most undesirable places to live in the western world, which may explain why you in Thailand chasing lady boys round.

I can say timeshare sales people's sales method are not what most people will find comfortable. I can say they do it because it is cheap for them and it is a numbers game. It is not for everyone but it can be fair value if you fit their profile. For me they don't offer enough location flexibility, I can not guarantee I will holiday each year, and I'm not confident that their facilities will be maintained.

Bulldog


I am curious to know why there do not seem to be the time share sellers plying their trade after dark in patong.

I noticed several while walking around in the day time, but at nite I did not see any?

"undesirable places to live in the western world," Lewis, please could you give a reason?

"we have about two million British people living in our country and we would be very happy if they leave the arsehole of the world and go back to the Uk"

@Lewis, totally understand where your coming from, thats why as an Aborigine, I would like to see the 21,000,000 or so non-aborigine people go back to the countries of there ancestry!

Hi Anka

Every country and religion has is quality as well as undesirable people. Certainly some of the individuals that live off the Absolute scam come under the undesirable classification. I would suggest that we make the best of the world we have and not wish for things that unrealistic and not sustainable.

If the Aboriginal people had Australia to themselves, who do you propose would maintain the infrastructure and defend the borders.

By its nature your comments are racist and have no place on this forum.

Thank you to everyone on this forum you have been a life saver, we are following advice and just praying they will leave us alone. I feel violated and abused, thank you legal adivce for confirming what others have said.

@Back At You, you miss the point complety, so whats the difference between what Lewis said and me,
you are being racist?

Oops! Completely not complety.

Back At You, I agree with Anka, you do come over as a hypocrite, are you?

Hi there "crying Australian". I would just like to re-assure you that you will be fine. Have a great Christmas and give up worrying....they "Absolute" are now chasing their flea bitten tails and licking their wounds!

As I have previously said, we got done like a burnt dinner by the Absolute scum, as did our friends. We followed their kind advice and all is fine.

I send our best wishes to you, cheers L.Advice

Just found this piece of info (thisismoney website) on bogus holiday clubs!

• Yearly cost to UK public- £1.17bn.
• Number of victims - 400,000.
• Average loss per victim - £3,030.
• Victim profile - A high 78% are aged between 35 and 64.

Bulldog, I need a job, please, I'll be your ladyboy?

So crazy that 400,000 people fall for this rubbish in my opinion of course. Suppose its the something for nothing scenario and people thinking theyll make on the deal? So many touts in Patong and a little less so in Pattaya with scratchies and surveys its becoming annoying to be approached every day.

Pattaya isn't too bad, I think that is because the majority of farangs are expatriates and just tell them to Fxxx off.

Patong is the real problem, they are just so annoying. It cant be much fun for the touts, scratching a living on a beautiful island, I know a few of them and they live in 300 baht a night accommodation , or share with several people to upgrade,eat crap food and generally don't have a life outside annoying tourists. I don't see the attraction of becoming a tout. And before anyone replies telling me they live in condos with pools blah blah blah, I really do know what your standard of living is like, it cant be much fun.

@Traveller, according to Bulldog's son Brazen Blagger, he can earn 25,000bt a DAY!
Take a look at his post of the 15th October above.

Anybody who wants to buy a time share in Phuket should only do it with marriott. its expensive but works. read the reviews

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz zzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Hi any advice
any good websites that you can recomend that i can book my own trip to thailand and vietnam i dont wanna go thru the travel agents and trying to save money any advice would be appreciated.

Cheers

Jacob, really depends on your status, try statravel, you could also maybe try couriering (Letter/document), you'll have to look for that yourself. Good luck, and if you ever bump into someone called Bulldog, run...

Sorry Jacob, let me explain the couriering, some companies will pay for your air ticket (Not sure if its return) if you deliver a letter/package. I think thats how it works, if anyone has any additional info?

Just back from a wonderful week in Phuket but got stung same as Sik family.

After some legal advice we have decided to do the same as you guys, Sik family.

We are clawing back our deposit through our credit card company, can you tell us which Credit card you are with then we can also quote that to our credit card .

Hi Jake
25 thousand baht, that is 500 UK pounds plus a day, I really dont think he is earning that much, these guys and girls all have Thai rent a girlfriends or wives, and usually some dodgy habbits they cant afford. I know, been there done that and it definently wasnt a great life. But, hey, good luck to the guys and girls.

Thanks for that Traveller, I'm just too gullible, but when it comes to parting with money I make scrooge look like Warren Buffet!

Thank you Legal Advice its nice to know we are not alone in this.
To Absolute Traveller follow advice on this blog and lets all stick together - you too are not alone.

@bored wiv the same shit comments, so why don't you start a new thread numpty?

I shall continue to assist "Absolute's" scam victims with sensible advice!

Victims; please follow my previous legal advice found on this web site....Persistence pays, together, we will win!!!

If the information on ths website gives good warning to those considering Absolutes proposal or helps victims avoid being exploited further, it has served it purpose.

As for the aptly named Damian McGoo - go away - this is an area for grown ups.

I submitted a query/comment seeking advice 16/12
Was it received ?

We have just returned from Phuket and got caughtup in the Absolute scheme
We were stopped at the Airport for a suposidly Govt Tourist Survey
2 days later we were phoned and won a weeks holiday. All we had to do was inspect the Absolute resort and promote the resort when we returned to Aust -should take 60-90 mins (nothing mentioned about a sales presentation or holiday club)!
Long story but very similar to previous blogs
We relucantly paid $a500 deposit for a 3 year $A3,400 membership
We discovered the whole exercise was full of lies, deceit and misreprentations and sales pressure tactics.
We sent no further money
I read conflicting information. does anybody know if a cooling off period applies?
Some legal advise says no - you signed it you are stuck with it however I have located a direct sales act of thailand that says a 14 day cooling off applies and deposit to be refunded in another 14 days (I think it was) I am unsure if the holiday clud comes under direct sales act ?does anybody know for sure?. Nothing on Absolute agreement- if a cooling-off applies it is supposed to be stated
also
Re credit card - on what grounds can the credit card debit be disputed. Some previous blogs indicate that the bank/credit card ruled in their favour. What argument do we have to put up? I spoke with my cc and they seemed to suggest that if we voluntarily signed it and what we bought was a club membership then we may not have grounds for dispute. No actual fraud was involoved ?? we have a memership even to we are not happy about the whole thing!
Can anybody help or have factual information or can share their experience of what we can do.

sounds like a lot so sendable people get duped by these guys.

any chance something is slipped into the drinks you are offered during the presentation?

"written by bored wiv the same shit comments, Sun 13 Dec 2009 22:09:21 CST

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz zzzzzzzzzzzzzz "


@XCITINGTRAVEL, did you actually read my comment, I was replying to the above comment? I won't say anything rude to you because I know you fu..ed up.

To all those people who feel threatened; when they stop you, just say before they get a chance to say anything; "I am already a member of Club Absolute' They will not waste their time with you and drive off immediately.

Reply to the post above, or you could say, get outta my face, before I rip your head off and s... down your neck!

Haha Get a life honestly... People are stupid if they get caught with this marketing technique (would quite call it a scam hey) I own a timeshare and it works great for me. Suppose it depends on the company... but get over it, god this happends in just about every country in the world. Are you going to stop going on holiday??? NO. Didn't think so!

@Corbett, I just wish everyone was as smart as you Jonny Fart Pants, don't play God on this website Schmuck!

Yes Mikey, I believe that there is EVERY CHANCE that something is slipped into the drinks you are offered during the presentation. Why would astute business people such as ourselves, and our friends who are also normally extremely cautious, be so relaxed and happy about handing over a huge deposit, and binding ourselves into a contract that would last many years. For God’s sake, we have been in business for years, without making rash decisions, why would we sign such a contract without seeking the advice of professionals?!

Albeit difficult to prove, of course they slipped something into our drinks! What decent salesperson would firstly numb his clients with alcohol before executing business with them? It seems to us that in hind sight that smart, fast talking, salesman was keen to shout alcohol.....no matter what cost. This form of sales technique is immoral, in fact I would go so far as to suggest, that this behavior is akin to a spider firstly biting it’s prey then dragging it away to eat it!

I don’t know, it may well be grounds for disputing your credit card charge. Whatever you do, the first precaution is to cancel your credit card should “Absolute be able to gain access to further funds.

Hope this helps. Please refer to my previous post for further advice.

The comment made about the drinks is potentially a valid one. I still cannot believe I made such a stupid decision and it is certainly the case that I am not alone here.

It is obvious when looking at their operation as a whole and considering the air of legitimacy they project via their web site that this is a well rehearsed and sophisticated scam and they will use any method they can get away with to parting you from your money.

We are basing on getting a refund from our credit card company based on
1) the club membership is low season only whereas we have been repatedly told it there are no restrictions
2) We were told that this is not a timeshare company and that the rooms available were based on Absolute placing pre bookings on a substantial amount of rooms in each resort, not true, a lot of tthe so called resorts are only a couple of timeshares in a timeshare resort
3) We rang up some of the so called Resorts, they have never heard of Club Absolute and no they do not have any affiliation
4) One of the Timeshare complexes indicated that one of ttheir clients, while in Thailand were aproached by Absolute to sell their timeshares from back in Australia
5) One of the timeshare complexes listed had been approached by Absolute but they declined

So all in all the Absolute scam is a low season left over timeshare con.
Their Thailand resorts look amazing but not sure how it all fits in this picture, very confusing

@pissed off aussies - you signed a form stating it was a presentation -if you give your details i will publish it - so you DID know it was a sales presentation and you are lying.
Everything you signed for will be received and agreement states "non cancellable & non rescindable" so what is your argument? It is YOU NOT the company that are going back on their word.

@xciting travel & legal advice - you are a pair of total idiots- I cannot believe thet you are suggesting a company could drug people into buying....I really am laughing at your retarded suggestions. Provide some evidence to your childish accusations or register with conspiracy theory annonomus you pair of prats.

hey Muriel ever smoked banana or are you a carpet muncher?

to Bulldog and Absolute worker

I am curious to know why there do not seem to be the time share sellers plying their trade after dark in patong.

I noticed several while walking around in the day time, but at nite I did not see any?

Mikey - did you see jet skis, paragliders, ATVs, after dark? Did you see nightclubs doing business at 11am down Bangla?- depends who you are targeting for your Marketing

Any absolute worker.
Please tell the 2 fat pommy birds to stop stopping me everyday in Patong, they stop on their motorbike everyday near Bangla and say the same crap,( HI EXCUSE ME DO YOU SPEAK ENGLISH) its just annoying now.

Many thanks.

Every statement below as stated by "Absolutely Screwed Over" is true, we can personally vouch for that:1) the club membership is low season only whereas we have been repeatedly told it there are no restrictions......totally correct!
2) We were told that this is not a timeshare company and that the rooms available were based on Absolute placing pre bookings on a substantial amount of rooms in each resort, not true, a lot of the so called resorts are only a couple of timeshares in a timeshare resort
3) We rang up some of the so called Resorts, they have never heard of Club Absolute and no they do not have any affiliation......alarm bells rang out loud and clear! Mostly, when we rang the "so-called" resorts on the list there was simply no answer and phones rang out. We eventually gave up calling. This is not the way an ethical company is run!
4) One of the Timeshare complexes indicated that one of their clients, while in Thailand were approached by Absolute to sell their timeshares from back in Australia
5) One of the timeshare complexes listed had been approached by Absolute but they declined

I REPEAT:

CANCEL CREDIT CARD IMMEDIATELY:
The most urgent thing you need to do if they have your credit card details is to cancel that credit card immediately.

Getting your deposit back I personally believe will be difficult as you would have signed the credit card docket, but taking this measure will prevent them from accessing any more of your money.

Don't worry about their threats, they are paper tigers, our legal advice is that, "Absolute" are unable to bring a successful claim against you and they can't damage your credit rating, because is is beyond the bounds of your country laws.! Our friends have been free of them for over 2 1/2 years now and we too have received no further threats or dept collectors letters. "Absolute" have given up the chase!

Absolute scam victim adviser, Australia

@Bulldog, you must have so many New Year resolutions to make, first and foremost, I think your ladyboy addiction needs sorting out, then resigning from Club Absolute, then you should give all your possesions away to the homeless and needy, then...

Legal Advice, thanks. Can you tell me what sort of harrasment we are about to get and from who
Yes, we cancelled our credit card

Dear absolutely screwed over and other victims. Firstly, expect some threatening phone calls from Absolute, followed by a letter or two from them and so-called debt collectors that will threaten to ruin your credit rating. Don't let this alarm you. The toothless tigers cannot harm you in any way, let me assure you of that! Be abrupt with their phone calls, simply reply, I have no further comments to add to this matter, then hang up. Phone calls will be followed by a couple of threatening letters. Simply rip their letters up and flush them down the loo, then have a ceremonial glass of bubbly and know you have won.

Always remember, their laws do now apply to your countries laws....think about that fact. How can they make a claim on you? Impossible! If you wish to seek personal legal advice then you should do so for peace of mind, however lawyers cost and this will just add to your losses.

We are a group of Australians with personal experience in this matter....we all got burned too. I'm determined to keep the heat on these dishonest sharks.

You have completed the most important task...canceled your credit card.

Please keep our "Absolute victims support group" informed of your personal experience.

We just came back from patong yesterday and unfortunatly we signed with absolute, i realized my mistake few hours later, my husband went back at the hotel and they didn't heard anything. I cancel my credit card very quickly but they already took the money 1000 euros, i don't want to pay more, i know that they'll try to arrast me with letters, today i 'll send them fax and e mails to cancel the contract and keep copies of those. I heard that they can forbid me to enter again in thailand is it correct? We live in france is there others french people vistims of them? sorry for my english i hope that you'll understand

Thanks legal advice, will keep "Absolute victims" informed

Don't some of the tactics detailed in this UK Sun article bear significant resemblance to those used by our friends at Club Absolute?

The article can be accessed through this web address: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/money/article224843.ece

To Foise,

Cannot see how they can forbid entry to Thailand if you break your Absolute agreement. At the same time I would be wary about returning as I would not like to put myself within arms reach of Absolute and their tactics.

I personally have not ambition of returning to Thailand. If their corrupt government allow operations such as Absolute to exist and allow all the scam artists to feed of the tourist trade through the various methods commonly used throughout Thailand, they do not deserve the benefit of my tourist $$$$’s. There are many other parts of the world I will visit before considering a return.

XCITINGTRAVEL, to be fair, scams are a world wide phenomena, and not just exclusive to Thailand. By the way, how many governments on this planet do you think are squeaky clean? Did you hear about the Members of Parliment (even the Prime Minister) over in the UK that were fiddling there expense accounts!

I agree with Paddy that scams are world wide, however, all the scams in the world can be found in one place PATONG beach. With absolute and the TUK TUKS being the worst. I used to spend one week in Patong every 8 weeks, now I just wont go because of the harassment. last time I was there, I was stopped 7 times in 15 minutes by absolute touts. The only safe place is on the beach, they dont seem to venture there yet.

@John, you need to take a holiday in Tenerife, you'll be wishing you'd be back on the streets of PATONG, trust me!

Actually Paddy, I visit Tenerife occasionally, and its nothing like Patong, Patong touts are just too much, full on all the time. Its difficult to escape them.

you ignore one and the next idiot is only 2 minutes away.

thank you xciting travel, yesterday i received my first mail from absolute "it's the welcome mail" ! they asked me to confirm my e mail address, i didn't answer and i send my mail to break the contract with another address that i created just before especially for that, i'm waiting an answer from them.

@John, I mean recently, like in the last 6 Months? You'll find more touts then tourists, fights galore, they are really trying to use strong arm tactics to intimidate and scare people into signing up. I'm in Patong presently, and theres just no comparison matey.

Hi Foise

Good luck. The Sik Family, Legal Advice and I are all Australians and many of the comments made relate to Absolutes legal options under Australian Law. My research shows that some EU counties have specific legislation to deal with this situation. Whist your legal status may be different due to French / EU law I would suggest that you follow the advice given by those noted above on this forum. I am not aware of any instance where Absolute have taken legal action in any country to enforce their contract and it certainly would not be in their interests to have a ruling made against them in any court.

Once Absolute come to the realisation that they cannot extract any further funds from you they will leave you alone. Do not allow yourselves to be intimidated and under no circumstance should you give them any further money.

Best of Luck

Hi Paddy,

I realise that Thailand is not unique in its corruption. If the Thai government come to the realisation that it is affecting their tourism $$$ they may take a different stance. Unfortunately this may have some adverse affects upon some of the charming local Thai (and other) population in the short term. If Thailand wants a quality long term legitimate tourist industry it has some important decisions to make.

Also the fiddling of expense accounts by western politicians is somewhat victimless when compared to the effects of the Absolute scams.

There are certainly counties that make more effort to protect the interests of both its citizens and tourists and I will be taking this into account when planning future trips

XCITINGTRAVEL,

" if the Thai if the Thai government come to the realisation that it is affecting their tourism $$$ "

Come on now, do you honestly believe that the Thai Government don't know whats going on, don't insult their inteligence! But for whatever reason, (rocking boat, threats, money, or partners) they choose to do nothing?

" Also the fiddling of expense accounts by western politicians is somewhat victimless "

Oh really now, so who foots the bill? I'm afraid it's Joe Public yet again, why should I as a 50% tax`payer contribute to the ill-gotten gains (Defence Minister Quentin Davies, invoiced GPB20,000 for repairs to his bell tower at his FIVE MILLION POUND country home) of a bunch of crooks?

" There are certainly counties that make more effort to protect the interests of both its citizens and tourists and I will be taking this into account when planning future trips "

Please could you keep us informed of any recommendations?

Whatever Paddy - Have your way.

Back on topic

" Whatever Paddy - Have your way. "

XCITINGTRAVEL, its got nothing to do with having it my own way, its not about winning, its about honesty and integrity. I've had enough of people telling me, "Do as we say, not as we do". I want are leaders to find solutions, and not act like pigs at the trough...

Legal advice and others .. does anybody know if there is a cooling period for Absolute contracts?. I have found differing and conlicting information? some say there is none, others say 3 day, 10 day or 14 day applies?? If a cooling off period does apply then I understand it should be quoted in the agreement??
Also if we wish to take issue and dispute the credit card debit, on what grounds can the deposit be disputed?
Can anybody help.

We were scammed in Patong last night, didn't go to the presentation today, we knew it was a load of BS. Free prize Yeh right!!!! Reeked of"Time share"...... BEWARE!!!! we will not be so polite next time we are stopped in the street!!

Dear pissed off Aussies. We are unable to answer your question about a cooling off period at this current moment. The fact that you notified Absolute in writing should hopefully assist you in this matter.

As for the laws governing such sales, under Thailand's law system, it is my feeling that the signing of this contract wouldn't be a valid document, just as it wouldn't be in our own country.

I have based the following credit card dispute suggestions on advice given mainly by “Absolutely Screwed Over”. Why not try to dispute your charges on the following argument then let us all know the results please.

Attention (credit card provider).

We (your names/names) wish to dispute our payment made to Club Absolute (date and full company details) on the following grounds:

1) We have been falsely and repeatedly told that there are no restrictions however we have found that the club membership is low season use only.

2) We were told that this is not a timeshare company and that the rooms available were based on Absolute placing pre-bookings on a substantial amount of rooms in each resort. Not true, a lot of the so called resorts have minimal timeshare provisions in their resort.

3) “Club Absolute” provided a list of worldwide resorts. We rang numerous resort contacts on the provided list only to discover that they had never heard of Club Absolute and no they do not have any affiliation.

4) We believe that “Club Absolute” conducted business in a deceitful and unprofessional manner.

5) The “Club Absolute” persuaded us into this contract after providing numerous alcoholic drinks followed by an enduring four and a half hour presentation under the influence of alcohol using high pressure tactics and persuasive statements.

6) In conclusion it is our sincere belief that this company “Club Absolute” has used alcohol as a sales tool to sell victims a product that almost totally does not exist.

Signed :

Date:

Tell the truth & stand your ground.

DO NOT be pressured by Absolutes' stand-over tactics.

Question: Can anyone provide information in regard to the 15 day cooling off period?

We got an answer from Absolute where they admitted that there is a 10 day cooling of period. How ever they were trying to claim that we didn´t make the cancellation in time (we did, with registered letter in three business days but of course they denyed it although we have a note of sending it).

But there is (at least) 10 days cooling of period, as they informed themselves. Fitting to that they sent the first "welcoming" email after the 10 days cooling of time, the next day after that! Of course they don´t send the email before cooling of time has ended because then you would have time to cancel the deal.

When you cancel the deal make sure you have a proof of it, send an email/ fax it or send a registered letter and make sure you keep the note of sending it (and copy of the letter as well!). They will try to deny ever having it but it is enough if you can prove sending it within 10 days (and registered letter is one of the best ways to do so). At this point, I would send the cancellation with all of those ways, email/fax/letter. So it is sure that the cancellation is done no questions about it.

And I´m not sure if the 10 days time is so important in this case either because they have misleaded you to make the contract. But it´s good to send the cancellation anyway. Just keep your position! And don´t pay them another cent more, they wont stop harrassing you if you pay. It´s only harder to get rid of them then.

dear cooling off period please could you email me at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it a copy of this admission of a cooling off period existing.
I too have been a victim of these criminals. I have never ever been told of any cooling off period and they have denied my recorded letter of cancellation. If yopu could provide some sort of proof of the cooliong off period I could force my credit card company to claw back the money I have already paid - about - £2000. These con artists are causing me endless stress.

Dear tkman, don't allow these toothless tigers to cause you endless stress. Hey, you have only lost £2000. We were all extremely stressed by them at the start, but now we just work on having this scum annihilated and helping other victims like ourselves.

The main thing to do is cancel your credit card so they can't get more funds, then try my letter out to get your deposit back. God, I hope it works! Good luck!

One important thing that I forgot to say in the letter was the fact that Absolute tell and visually demonstrate to their victims that the prizes are sponsored by all the big credit card companies in order to gain credibility...you can bet your bottom dollar that this isn't true!

@Legal Advice, I'm really pleased to see people doing something unconditionally for a change, I appluade you.

Thanks Mick, my pleasure! I will do everything I can to help people in distress just as our new found friends did for us. Stopping short of annihilating these bastards won't be good enough for me.

I encourage all bloggers to blog as much as possible on numerous sites to warn others about the presence of these cheats. Lets put the fire under them folk!

"legal advice " thanks -
yes I have cancelled my credit card and had an initial threat of UK debt collection agency and damage to my credit rating. Since then I stupidly felt bullied into settling balance but God was on my side and the payments kept failing.
This blog has now given me confidence to front out these fraudsters - thanks to all !!

I have already written a long letter demanding credit card company (CCC) claw back my losses - however although they temporarily did - they eventually said I had signed the contract and there was nothing they could do.
Thinking about it now - is this not a bit strange - it was at the suggestion of the CCC that they show the card as Lost/Stolen -as in their words - this might prevent any more monies being taken. So on one hand they help me -an admission surely of suspicion of scam BUT on the other hand they refuse to claw back my losses !!

I will not let it rest and will make a fresh demand on the basis that I was never informed verbally or in writing that a cooling off period existed.
PLEASE someone on this blog can firm up the existence of this cooling off period I can't see how the CCC could then refuse my demand for claw back as the entire contract would effectively be voided.

If the CCC do not agree - I am seriously considering taking them to small claims court.

Let's all share every bit of evidence / fact and get as many victims recompensed as we can.

Thank you for all yur advice

Hi there i know that everyone is talking about absolute here so i dnt know if you can help, has anyone here heard of GVI ASIA phuket as i have purchased a product from them and (so far) i must say it is excellent is there any one else on here that has done the same thing and can i have some feed back please

It is not a timeshare company it is a holiday club with discounted accommodation.

Mr A Sidwell

Hey guys, just a precaution, never use your own name on this blog.

tkman, please stop stressing and for God's sake don't pay another cent. We are 100% confident they can't get you. You could try taking them to the small claims tri. but I feel that it would only be effective if you were in the Virgin Islands as that is the origin of the contract.

Please know that I am not a lawyer however I am conveying the advice of our lawyer here in Australia. Thankfully for us we met another couple here in Aus who had been victims also. They hand-balled advice to us, and recommended their tried and true lawyer. In turn we hired him too with great success.
Please stay confident, and don't be frightened to return to Thailand...remember the fact that this contract is not valid in Thailand. They are not able to do us any harm if we go visit again.

For your interest and that of others here is an actual copy of our lawyers correspondence. Please note names and dates have been falsified for our own protection.

CORRESPONDENCE FROM ....(SOLICITOR) TO ABSOLUTE DATED . 2007

We act for Mr and Mrs X who signed a document purporting to purchase what is described as being a “1 week holiday period” in Absolute Sea Pearl Beach Resort at Patong Beach, Phuket, Thailand.
We are instructed that our clients paid a deposit.
It is our view and we have so advised our clients that the documents signed by them are unenforceable under Australian Law and that our clients are entitled to a refund of their deposit.
We are instructed that our clients have requested that the deposit be refunded, but their request has been ignored.
At this stage, our clients have decided not to commence legal proceedings for recovery of the deposit. However, their rights in this regard are reserved.
Our clients have shown us recent emails which you have forwarded to them. Our clients have no intention of paying any further monies in relation to this matter and will not be responding to any further communications from you.
To say the least, should any legal proceedings be commenced against our clients arising from this transaction, then any such proceedings will be vigorously defended and our clients will seek an order against you for recompense of their legal costs in defending any such legal proceedings and this letter will be produced on the questions of costs.
Mr Smart Lawyer & Co.
Melbourne, Australia

It is now a year on for us and 3 for our new found friends. Absolute have given up the chase!!!
These days none of us even give them a second thought.

Best wishes to all!

I have it on good authority that some of the scratch cards are distributed by bar girls (working girls ). They have a supply - all of them winners - would you believe which they offload on their single male customers - promising that if the customer attends the Absolute presentation for 90 minutes - they get paid Baht 5,000 which they will split with the customer - another dubious tactic.

has anyone contacted the Australian Gov - the travel warnings need to be more specific.

If you pathetic morons had even 10% of the Bravado you have on this site when you were stopped in the street you would not have bought something you couldnt afford and would not have wasted so many peoples time - some of the crap on here is totally unbelievable, you are embarrassments to Australia and the english speaking World. This is my first and last statement so dont bother replying.

Takes courage to admit being scammed - hindsight is a great thing. Wasn't us that stretched the 90 minute presentation into hours ....... and hours! We can afford the fees but why waste our hard and legally earned money on something that is not what it promised to be ... would you? Sounds like you are unable to empathise - so you are probably an Absolute employee and will sleep really well tonight. For us we are still in shock and yes we were stupid - but we will do our best to stop it happening to others.

Seems Absolute's hero can't empathise either - http://www.findextrawork.co.uk/debtconsolidationloan.php

@Bulldog, why have you changed you're name to X? Have you joined the Nation of Islam or maybe even the Black Panther Party?

Dear tkman, I noted that you stated in your blog that you had written a long letter to your c.c company. Just a suggestion, I personally believe that these letters are best sent, clear, precise and straight to the point. Staff members won't read long letters and most of our grievances, although very legitimate won't concern them.

These, (extra points), would most likely be effective in a court of law if we could take Absolute to the cleaners through our law system, (Australian), however as the contract isn't valid in our legal system it is impossible for us to take action against them, just as it is for them to take action against us, their prey.

I reckon that one of the most important points is the fact that we have all been duped into buying a holiday club product that, on the most part, does not exist. For those that doubt this statement try ringing the list of resorts Absolute supplied us with. We had no success.

Sample credit card dispute letter:

(Date)

(Your Name
Street Address
City, State, Zip Code)

Credit Card Name
Street Address
City, State, Zip Code

(The actual address you need to use appears on the back of the credit card bill you are disputing in a section called "billing rights summary.")

My name is (Your name). My account number is (Your account number). I am disputing a charge on the bill you mailed on (Date of Billing Statement). That bill includes a charge in the amount of $(Amount disputed) to (Name of Merchant). This amount is in error (or other error).

(State reason for dispute)

I have contacted (Name of Merchant) by telephone, in person, and by the enclosed letter in order to try to resolve the dispute. They have not agreed to withdraw the charge.

Please investigate this dispute and provide me with a written statement of the outcome. Thank you for your time and attention to this matter.

Yours truly,

(Your name)

Have a listen to this:http:

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vjo4p_CsZR8

Sound familiar folks?

THANK YOU THANK YOU, THANK YOU
To everyone on this site, Legal Adivce keep up the good work the more people we tell the less money Absolute will every receive.
Tell everyone you can Absolute is a major SCAM!

Can't believe that with all the publicity for years now over this people are still getting suckered in every day. The touts are working illegally. They do not have work permits. It is easy to make them go away. Just reach for your pocket and say "Can I take your photo? I want to send it to the Immigration Office". They will soon disappear. It won't work if you say you are going to send it to the police as the police get paid by Absolute to leave the touts alone.

What a load of shit Absolute really are there touts are just pest's im going to thailand in june if i get agg from them they will wake up to find there gay scooters on fire ha ha ah.

I would bet we never see any of the Absolute sales persons out in the evenings as some of their "victums" would deal with them on a more personal level than sending a letter

Just found this thread. Has anyone heard of Siam Villa Vacations? It sounds very similar to Absolute.... They take your money and then the details of your vacation get changed. WE have tried to ask for a refund but keep getting emails with 4 options none of which is to refund your money.

We were successful in clawing our money back via our Visa card. If you follow our posts dated 23/7/09, 27/7/09, 22/9/09 & 27/10/09 hopefully others will also be able to get their hard-earned money back. We did not have to use a solicitor.
Absolute are thieves who try to call your bluff.
They state there is no cooling period - that is their story, in fact they HAVE to give 14 days cooling off. Just follow our posts, DO NOT give a reason & DO NOT be intimidated by their scare tactics.
By the way - enjoy your next holiday - absolutely - you've worked hard for it !!

Thank you SOOO much to the Sik family for continuing to post on here - you have given me hope and a direction in which to go - I'm within 14 days, so hopefully I'll be sucessful too - thank you!! :)

Dear Sik family, we and our friends were outside the 14 day cooling off period. Do you think we will any hope of getting our deposit refunded?

thanks again

legal advice and everyone else
- I emailed Absolute to ask them to clarify what the cooling off period is and why I was not told of it. I await a response.
In your case as in mine I think the point is not whether there is a cooling off period but rather why they hide it from you.
If you are not told it exists - ie it is purposely hidden from you - the legal position has to be that the contract is totally invalid as they have unlawfully misled US !! AND consequently they MUST refund in full everything we have paid - or more realistically our credit card companies must refund for us.

thanks Savvy - lets all upt he pressure

Dear Sik family, we are still within the 14 day cooling off period.
Our contract/agreement did mention that it's not cancelable.
Did yours mention anything like that?
I wonder if we can still default in this case. I am not as worried about the deposit.
Has anyone paid and tried to book hotels in US / Canada through them? Is it easy? How's their service like?
Will be very interested to listen to any comment.
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Hi MM from Perth - check out post number 5 on the following forum - would suggest however that you proceed very carefully - good luck - http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g293920-i5037-k3294351- Siam_Villa_Vacations_Clearly_a_scam_in_more_ways_than_o ne-Phuket.html

1.Cash Making Opportunities - The Beginning The working life is already tough enough, but the worries of being out of work was even tougher. The unsecured working environment have prompted me to search the internet for an alternative source of extra income so that I could learn how to Make Money Work for me and be Financially Independent. I listed down a number of Free Internet Business Opportunity Ideas while researching ways how people earn money online while working-from-home.......
www.onlineuniversalwork.com

Similar to other stories I have heard, I was promised half price fares from Jetstar as part of the package - just got off the phone from Jetstar and they have no affiliation at all with Club Absolute - total fabrication consistent with the rest of the information given. I will continue to post my stories here as I fight to claim my money back, but I have also made a hotmail account incase anyone would like to share any information more privately (still no real names though).... This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it cheers.... Lisa

Sik family - please help us all further and tell us how you know they have to give a 14 day cooling off period.
They have just told me there is none and claimed they are reputeble company !!!
Anyone with any evidence of a cooling off period please also post information.

Dear Sik Family,
Just like J. Mitchi, I was scammed--but in Hong Kong. My contract says that there is no cooling off period and that I can not cancel. I am normally quite saavy and can not believe I fell for this. It made me sick when I began to think about it. I have e-mailed several times but they do not respond. I sent an e-mail today saying I want to cancel and expect a refund and will post it and fax it tomorrow. I am not Australian. I'm American and was wondering if anyone knows about contract laws and protections in the U.S and how they might be similar to the ones in Australia? Thanks a lot for the help.

I have just discovered a Law firm https://www.frasolutions.co.uk/holidayclubs.aspx that are doing class actions against Holiday clubs aka timeshare scams. This is the London branch of the law firm but they have branches across the world including Eorope and USA. I think Absolute may be a new one to them but if everybody completes their online complaint - who knows how far we can push this.

Brilliant! - Thanks savvy :)

btw... following up with Slater and Gordon (class action specialists) in Australia to see what they advise.

The only reference on the Australian Dept of Foreign Affairs & Trade site (Smart Traveller) is limited to "Travellers have also lost large sums of money through bogus investment, property rental and time share schemes, card game scams and other fraudulent activity" http://www.smartraveller.gov.au/zw-cgi/view/Advice/Thailand

When considering the number of Australian who visit Phuket and the number of Austrians who have fallen victim to this company this is simply not good enough.

Several weeks ago I completed this on line form and advised them of the activities of Absolute and voiced the opinion that the warnings given by the Dept. should be more prominent, listed on other smart traveller documents and not just simply hidden amongst all the other small print.

Call me naive but I simply did not realise before my visit how corrupt Thailand was. Unfortunately I found this site on my return.

Please make the Dept more aware of the situation and inform them of your situation and demand that they do more to protect the interests of Australian travelling overseas.

Go here to access the online form.

http://www.smartraveller.gov.au/feedback.html

To date I have not received a response but I will be following the Dept up in the near future. The more contact made by us the better chance of there is for change.

Lisa S
Please keep us posted re Slater and Gordon
Thanks

For anyone who was scammed in Hong Kong, is there any way to report this activity as a consumer complaint? Absolute have told me there is no cooling off period and that I need to pay more, as I only paid the deposit. They said they were functioning under Hong Kong Law, but when I look at the Hong Kong Consumer Council web site, there are several promising areas in which to make a complaint. By the way, I have no intention of paying Absolute anything else. Scammed once is bad enough.

For heavens sake you weak willed mealy mouthed people Get a life. Tell them politely to leave me alone. If they dont tell them to F*** Off

Interesting point, Mark... now F*** Off

Well said Lisa

Below copied from email to another victim


Emailed Absolute in Samui a week ago and was waiting for their reply before I replied to you.
I asked them to clarify the cooling off period and stated that I had evidence of there being some cooling off period.
Needless to say they deny it . They admit some products in Thailand do have cooling off period but theirs is not one of them - conveniently.!!!

What stage are you at - have you paid all your money to them or just deposit - what have they done so far to get the rest of the money off you and what have you done .
So far I paid a deposit of €2350 which I will try again to get back via credit card company - so far they have refused - but I will try again with a little more evidence.
I have avoided the o/s balance by cancelling my credit card (interestingly this was at the suggestion of the same credit card company who have refused to get my deposit back ).
I have had one threat from Absolute re debt collection agency and harm to my credit rating.
Most people seem to agree that thay cannot recover from us in our home countries under our own laws as they would have to get a Court Order under our laws.

We need to share as much as possible and try and get those who have evidence of anything useful esp cooling off period to enlighten us.

Good Luck keep in contact and keep looking at the Bangkok scams site - I have posted under tkman and savvy.

PLEASE anybody that has recieved a refund either from Absolute or their Credit Card company provide details of the credit card company and the grounds they accepted to get the refund

Thanks all !

Some of you seem to be in for a lot of money to these people. If it were me I'd be straight back on a plane and go up and confront them. They are easy enough to find. Every afternoon they sit outside the Absolute Sea Pearl. They are just about to open a new resort at Nakalay Beach making it more than 10 properties they own so they must be doing something right to have such a successful business!

i joined the holiday club in spain and have just traded it in to buy real estate with the same people. My solicitor has checked the papers and is under the impression its all OK. I went to the grand opening on Bangla and it was 100%. im thinking this might be the case of a few bad apples spoiling it for others?

Strangely enough, I agree! The concept is great, hence our signature on the dotted line, however the lies told to my husband and I to get us to sign are inexcusable. The big question is did our salesman and his manager lie to us because they have no conscience and just wanted the sale, or is this "Absolute" policy? There is no doubt in the world that we been scammed, but was it by the company or by individuals... and even if was by individuals, they are still paid representatives of the company, so a refund should be forthcoming... along with two new job vacancies in Phuket :) ps: Hi Jimmy

" My solicitor has checked the papers and is under the impression its all OK. "

@written by soon to be patongexpat, " impression " please could you give us an update when things are confirmed?

@johnnyfartpants(nicename!...:)

what I should have said was he TOLD me it was OK - so if it isnt theres gonna be one very unemployed solicitor(with a few injuries!)

even sooner 2b patongexpat, glad to hear its a kosher transfer. By the way, be careful before you commit any large sums of money in Thailand, because you might just end up losing it! Don't trust know one, (sad, hey). Just take a look at bahtsolds website to see how many bargains (I wonder why) you can find? Also, take a look at Stickmans Bangkok site if you don't know it already?

Note that these contracts are fine with 2 main exceptions
- it attempts removes to remove your right to a cooling off period
- one of the clauses may state that the contract only covers the written word in the agreement... A scam holiday club may then take this further to say that any information provided in the 3.5 hour hard sell does not have to be honoured - the verbal information is not covered - you may think you're signing up to something that sounded so good and so financially beneficial, but you are not. They can lie as much as they want to get you to sign the contract and then you supposedly are signing away your right to claim any of what was promised.

@ Lisa S, thanks for the info! I think from now on, if I'm ever in a position where someone is promising this and that, I'll ask for some written confirmation.

Another way of looking at this contract and cancellation.

Note I have no legal training but the law is basically based upon common sense and fairness.

By signing the contract and thus signing the no right to cancel clause you are only agreeing to no cancellation of what you were told and were pressurised to believe was true - when this is patently a gross misrepresentation of the actuality - you 're not actually cancelling the contract but stating you are refusing to pay for something you are not actually going to get.
It is a civil dispute where should there be a court judgement the outcome would be decided on the balance of probabilities. How is a dodgy timeshare outfit going to win that.

Compare - someone sells you a car on the basis it has air con , 6 CD, leather seats ABS superb fuel economy etc - you sign order and pay a non refundable deposit - you then find out the car you are to actually receive is a basic non air con, am/fm stereo,cloth uphostery and is expensive to run -n what do you do?
Well you seek to cancel the contract / order and get your deposit back . What you don't do is pay the balance and take delivery of a substandard product which was not what was promised AND- you take THEM to court to get your losses back.
SO ABSOLUTE stop threatening legal action.

Well said Savvy.... more people are getting in touch and the amount of lies and scam practices of Absolute are astounding! Please get in touch at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it if you would like to share your story and hear others... and help collate enough info to put these scammers into some pretty hot water. Please also include a phone number if possible - I prefer to ring people to ensure that the people are genuine. Club Absolute employees read these pages, and it seems they 'may' reply under false names to be the sole voice with something positive to say about the company.... Note that in April 2008 on this blog there was a self confessed Club Absolute employee posting quite aggressive comments... not sure if the name is real or not ;)

also.... you may like to get in touch with www.theownersadvocate.com whose company is "HELPING VICTIMS OF TIMESHARE FRAUD & MISREPRESENTATION" :)

There is nothing wrong with Absolute, if you all have paid for your memberships and used the holidays, im sure you will enjoy it. The problem is website just like this one, that scares people from completing there membership, Hence they feel cheated.How many people here have used paid there membership and used Absolute?

Well Mike if Absolute's Holiday Club is not a conn why do your scratchcard touts use a dishonest method of getting tourists into the clutches of you are your buddies at Absolutes Sea Pearl. This method has been widely condemned across the internet - how can we trust you when you have already conned us. Bottom line is you do not deliver what your presentation promises.

@Mike, why do the scratch card scam, just be honest from the start and tell people what it is you want? Why all the ducking, diving, bobbing and weaving? Why can't you just be honest and truthful, whats the big deal?

Sorry Mike I forgot to include some sites that will fill you in - but no doubt will not have any impact on your conscience :- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vjo4p_CsZR8 ----
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i36A0jfTzOs ---- if you think we would want to have any further dealings with Club Absolute who use these condemned practices then you must be absolutely crazy. Tell me, why did you take the scratchcards away from us before the presentation and return it to us at the end --- is that being honest?

Yeah Mike, why did you take the scratch cards away, be honest now?

if they didnt take the cards off you then you would spend the entire 90 mins (minimum!!) staring at them and clutching them like a friggin security blanket -if you were that bothered you could have written your name on it (alot of winners do!)

ABSOLUTE = NO WINNERS (apart from the scam artists)

Just a simple reply to Mike from me - you say there is nothing wrong with Absolute, yet my husband and I were blatantly lied to in the lead up to signing the contract, then after signing the contract Absolute told us that anything promised prior to the signing does not have to be honoured - the signing of the contract only covers the written information and the promises made to us which made the package attractive have now just disappeared. Also I suspect that mike is Jimmy... any comment on either of my points?

I am not jimmy, I do not know who he is. I cannot answer any questions on the company as i do not work for them. I Have a membership with Absolute and I dont have any problems. I will however ask again.. How many of you have fully paid for the membership and used it?

I have a fully paid membership and i tried to use it for accommodation in Sydney but found that the promised multitudes of Sydney accommodation do not exist.... this was when i first realised i had been scammed......so i did try!!! and I suppose i was wondering if you were still of the opinion that "there is nothing wrong with Club Absolute" and that "the problem is website just like this one, that scares people from completing there membership"..... hopefully you now see that its websites like this one that gives the little people an opportunity to compare stories and find out they they are not alone in the world of Club Absolute victims... and enable us to work together to expose the lies. If you do not work for Absolute and you are a happy member, then you are a lucky person and have no need to trawl through the problems encountered by those who are not so lucky!!

I was just wondering how many people has fallen to this crap for example last year, I think the amount is very high, must be hundreds or thousands of people. So if everyone would demand their share of what have been promised , they would really be in trouble. I think they could not provide it. So, I think the idea is not to provide people the services they promise but just to get them to pay something to them. I´m guessing that there is BIG money moving straight to their pockets only as deposit money and some of scammed people will pay even more because of their threats. How convenient. All they have to do is talk some sh-t and send some threat letters and the money just keep on coming in...

That´s the whole idea, rip people off and try to get as much money from them as possible. And because so many will have second thoughts already after paying the deposit it usually leads to a situation where they don´t want to have anything to do with Absolute again (Absolute will of course try to pump a little more money from you after that too). But again how convenient to them, they will have your money and don´t have to even try to provide you anything what have been promised. And if someone tries to get something they´ll soon realise there is nothing but bunch of lies. That´s how it goes and show must go on. Sadly it will, just wondering how long.

you are talking complete crap - 25,000 members -if there are 25 complaints on here (count them as you obviously have nothing better to do) then that would represent 1 in 1,000 customers not happy -THEN count how many of those have PAID for and USED the club. Now throw your accusations!

snigger.... so everybody who has ever been scammed by Club Absolute has posted on this one little website? Love your logic - great stats - love the Club Absolute employee posts... keep 'em coming :)

Club Absolute scam. Friend of ours just back from Phuket - we warned them about the touts and Club Absolute - they took great pleasure in ignoring them and reported them to their hotel. Trouble is the touts will find someone else. "how convenient' makes a valid point - when we were at Club Absolute there were two other couples signing up - so even if Absolute just conned three deposits that day and the people who were scammed realise that and pay no more Absolute has added considerably to their bank balance by just sitting around and scamming people. Hope others reply to Lisa, she is legitimate - please don't just take my word though - do your own checks.

Club Absolute debit card????????? through mastercard???? - wow what an opportunity for the guys at Sea Pearl!

If you have a valid legal point-how come you are not telling all this bullshit to your Lawyers instead of wasting time on here....easy... you DO NOT HAVE a VALID LEGAL POINT. You simply bought something and then changed your mind...hence wasting peoples time so now you cannot get your money back you are trying to blame everyting from drug induced drinks....working girls on the streets....beingpressurised into buying....scam debit cards......lying sales people...shit it just gets worse! Go see a lawyer and if you can back up any of the accusations then you will have a case....if not go and spend time doing something that will be beneficial to the NEEDY instead of something that is of no use to the GREEDY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJzSqGKLdLo&feature=PlayList&p=764EBFF402C8A6EA&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=1

interesting eh

:) thank you "you need counselling", "@how convenient", "mike", "Mark", "Jimmy" etc.... keep up the Club Absolute employee posts for us to chuckle at...
If you had read the posts you are addressing, you would see that the Lawyers are being informed, but its a slow process collating a class action and discussion on this website is key - I also need to take time to confirm who is genuine and who is a scammer like you. To address your "you do not have a valid legal point".... please do some research - look up "actionable misrepresentation"..."An actionable misrepresentation comprises a false statement of fact made by one party to the other which induces the other party to enter into the contract." - there is precedence for prosecution which in my mind classifies this as a valid legal point. This is not the case of "buying something and changing your mind"