Beware of new scam!

**Macontour** · 25th August 2009, 16:38

Hi guys and girls, not exactly bike related but there appears to be a new scam happening. I got a phone call from an Indian sounding person supposedly calling from Australia representing an organisation called Holiday Fever. They are offering accommodation vouchers, 7 nights accom for $149 aussie. They sound very professional and spent probably 50 minutes doing the hard sell on me and could answer all sorts of questions without hesitation. They gave me their office address in Sydney, their Govt business licence number and all sorts of other detail but all stuff that I couldn't immediately check.

They also have a website listing the deals on offer but that of course does not make them legit.

They obviously have a computer list of hotels because I asked them what Hotels would accept the vouchers in Rotorua(I know it well cos I drive Tour Coaches) and they named 5 or 6. I have phoned 3 of those hotels and they have no knowledge of special promotions or Holiday Fever and said that as it costs approximately $40 just to service a room each day, there would be no money in it for them.

The Manager at one said that he had dealt with similar enquiries while managing in Wellington where 12 days accommodation was offered for $200.

My recommendation is that if you are contacted by anyone representing Holiday Fever a) do not hand over credit card details and b) string them along for as long as you can play the game before saying no as the call is costing them money.

**Harvd** · 25th August 2009, 17:24

+1

had this a few weeks ago, for trips to aussie, strung them along for a while and then once we had rung a hotel about it and they had no idea we got them to call back and gave them shit. cant remember the name of the company now though, was a few weeks ago...

**RantyDave** · 25th August 2009, 17:35

Ditto. I emailed the commerce commission - sounds like they did nothing.

**slofox** · 25th August 2009, 17:51

Originally Posted by RantyDave

Ditto. I emailed the commerce commission - sounds like they did nothing.

Some years ago I got tangled up in a multi invoicing scam - which cost me several hundred dollars. I decided to sic the Commerce Commission onto the dude responsible after doing a lot of research myself and pretty much finding out who was involved. They eventually took the guy to court (for the ten gazillionth time as it turned out) and he was duly convicted and whackled over the arse by the beak.

So the Commerce Commisison is not always useless...

**Mully** · 25th August 2009, 17:59

Snot new.

May I recommend http://www.nzma.simplicitycrm.com/ed...=NRR_DoNotCall

Seems to work for us.

**Boob Johnson** · 25th August 2009, 18:02

That's the spirit, tie the bastards up the phone for ages, string em along as possible. I do it with some of the scam emails that come through, great fun

**mossy1200** · 25th August 2009, 18:03

Originally Posted by Macontour

Hi guys and girls, not exactly bike related but there appears to be a new scam happening. I got a phone call from an Indian sounding person supposedly calling from Australia representing an organisation called Holiday Fever. They are offering accommodation vouchers, 7 nights accom for $149 aussie. They sound very professional and spent probably 50 minutes doing the hard sell on me and could answer all sorts of questions without hesitation. They gave me their office address in Sydney, their Govt business licence number and all sorts of other detail but all stuff that I couldn't immediately check.

They also have a website listing the deals on offer but that of course does not make them legit.

They obviously have a computer list of hotels because I asked them what Hotels would accept the vouchers in Rotorua(I know it well cos I drive Tour Coaches) and they named 5 or 6. I have phoned 3 of those hotels and they have no knowledge of special promotions or Holiday Fever and said that as it costs approximately $40 just to service a room each day, there would be no money in it for them.

The Manager at one said that he had dealt with similar enquiries while managing in Wellington where 12 days accommodation was offered for $200.

My recommendation is that if you are contacted by anyone representing Holiday Fever a) do not hand over credit card details and b) string them along for as long as you can play the game before saying no as the call is costing them money.

You spent 50mins on the phone?

**MSTRS:Me** · 25th August 2009, 18:14

Originally Posted by mossy1200

You spent 50mins on the phone?

I find that "Fuck off!" - *click* works for me....

**MIXONE** · 25th August 2009, 18:20

Originally Posted by MSTRS

I find that "Fuck off!" - *click* works for me....

Yes even with their strong indian accents they still understood this from me too.
This scam has been going on for months.

**mossy1200** · 25th August 2009, 18:24

Originally Posted by MIXONE

Yes even with their strong indian accents they still understood this from me too.
This scam has been going on for months.

I tried"Im not interested"once.
Then I got asked"Not interested in what"
Reply "Shit" then hung up.

Acting spasticated works really well.They hang up instead.

**R6_kid:Me** · 25th August 2009, 18:24

I got a call from them last week but I couldn't get the offer because I didn't have a 'partner'. That's the first time I've been glad I was single in ages!

**nothingflash** · 25th August 2009, 18:30

I worked in a bank a while back and I had a guy come in to check the balance of his account. He was suprised that his $36 million hadn't gone through overnight from his mine in Africa that was wound up. He even had proof of the transaction being an email from 'minesofafrica@hotmail.com'. He never did tell me how much he gave them first