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< Quality Vacation Club Bullies Blogger | 27 Dinner Tonight >
Donn is being bullied by QVC for their Carlswald based marketing. He is being sued for defamation. Now I'm no lawyer, but I'm sure truth is a defence to defamation, as is it being in the public interest. If someone asked me whether to buy services from QVC, I would strongly recommend against it for the below reasons based on my experiences (and reiterated by a wealth of negative complaints on hellopeter, even with them diluted through their user of different company names, and several blogs).
P.S. The exact link between QVC and the marketing front is unclear, but based on their (now removed) documentation sent to Donn, and the information from commentators below, there definitely seems to be one. Given the years of bad press, QVC certainly can't claim they didn't know/endorse this. Either way, make up your own mind, don't take my stuff as gospel.
- They misrepresent themselves. They tell you that you have won a car. When I specifically asked Anna if this had anything to do with time-shares, she said "no". I was lied to.
- It is so unlikely that you will win the car that the claim that, you have already won it, is misleading. Your chances are likely worse than the 1 in 15 Devine informed me of. Their business model could not survive if they had to give away a car to every 15 people. (According to their own calculations, they make an average of R54k per 59 people. Giving away a R68k car per 15 would put them at a loss of R213k before other prizes and operating costs are taking into account.)
- They outright lied as to how they got my details. Devine told me it was a competition I entered 'sometime'. I don't enter these sorts of competitions, and given he didn't have my surname, it is likely I didn't complete an entry. I also never give competitions in general nor QVC in particular permission to phone me.
- They keep changing their front company name (see the list below), nearly every company in the world tries to add value to their brand, identified by their name. Constantly changing your name, on the surface, makes it look as though you are avoiding the negative value attached, and it certainly helps to dilute their hellopeter scores.
- They ask you to bring a partner for what appear to be mischievous reasons. A close personal friend (who shall not be named due to fear of intimidatory litigation) who attended one of QVC's presentations said he and an older man and his wife were belittled in front of their wives for not being able to afford a break for the family. They will likely counter that they ask you to bring your partner to help drive the other car if you win. However, when I asked to bring a male friend of mine, Devine got insistent that it be my wife.
- Devine asked me how my surname was pronounced as he was unsure of how to pronounce it. The implication was that he had my surname. Given my surname is very pronounceable, it was clear he was trying to elicit this information by false pretences.
That's all I have, as I didn't go to their presentation thanks to the information provided to me by people such as Donn and numerous other sources (including the press). Their information allowed me to make an informed decision, and have QVC's untruths shown up as such. Disseminating this is in the public interest. At the very least it will save some people a potential waste of their time (as many of the hellopeter comments are thankful for), and at best it will force QVC to engage in honest and transparent marketing.
As an aside, and to help Donn's case, here are their hello peter stats per 'front' company:
- Quality Vacation Club - Complaints 99 Resolved 23
- Prestige Business Solutions - Complaints 32 Resolved 3
- Unique Connections - Complaints 12 Resolved 0
- World Connect / VIP / VIP World Connect - Complaints 12 Resolved 0
- Prime Vision - Complaints 10 Resolved 0
- Media Magic - Complaints 9 Resolved 0
- Mega Communications - Complaints 9 Resolved 0
- Ezweni Communications - Complaints 3 Resolved 0
- Dynamic Communication - Complaints 4 Resolved 0 (including one mislabelled under RCS)
- Real Communications / Real Communication - Complaints 1 Resolved 0
- Ecoworld - Complaints 1 Resolved 0
- Market Matrix - Complaints 1 Resolved 0
Total 184 Complaints and 26 Resolutions in the last 12 months! That's an average of 15 complaints a month (there's that number 15 again) for the company names I've manager to track down.
P.S. This is like tracking a botnet :)
Thursday, November 20. 2008
Posted by Dominic White in
Politics
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Last modified on 2010-10-25 13:46
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i think quality vacation club is a scam. we went to a presentation with mark keyser on 9 june 2009 in stellenbosch. we informed him we need notification from our accountant before we can proceed. he informed us that we must just sign and we can come back to him the nexts day. the nexts day a staffmember contacted us that they are trying to put a payment through. we informed her just to cancel as they never waited for confirmation from us. mark called us and we said he should cancel as he lied to us. this morning R37000 was debited from our business account. mark informed us that we have to pay. this is fraud and we want this to be sorted out. dont deal with this people liars
Well Well Well ! ! Me and my family were on our first holiday in 22 years when we were stopped by a lady, and said we must pick a number. Instantly that number was a winning number, and we had to follow her to claim our prize. Well, now we had to spin a well with hundreds of balls to see if we won ! We spin - sorry, no win, but follow me, not done yet, one more chance. We were sat down at a gentleman's desk, and we were asked a lot of questions about vacations and holidays. As this is our first holiday in 22 years, and enjoying it to the fullest, what could spoil it now!? Well, after we were told that we could go on holiday every so often, at a fraction of what we were paying then by paying a small affordable amount of R500 per month (we got to choose how much we are willing to pay each month). (Why wasen't I smelling a rat immediately !) We actually paid a deposit of R16 000 rand there and then, and we could choose when the first payment will be, so we chose a date 3 months down the line, as we had to recover from the big spending holiday. After 5 months paying our R500 plus (unexpected and uninformed) other costs, now totalling close to R700 per month, we decided on a small get-away of 3 days. Very confident we called to make the arrangements and bookings. WHAT A SHOCK WE GOT !! Now, for the very first time, we heard that we first had to pay a management fee before we could use our vacations !!!!!! This is where the trouble started. Big fights followed, but to no avail. We refused to pay another cent, and cancelled the debit order. But hey, no luck, they change the amount every month !!! There goes your money !! Eventually we had to switch banks to stop these debit orders (Yes, now it's 3 of them !!!!!) We challanged them to sue us, so we could go to court. We never heard of them again. Until we wanted to start our own business and needed to open a trust account. There we were in all our glory !! QVC blacklisted us seperately. Each of us for the full amount that we owe them (I still do not know how they got the amount, as this is a never ending vacation club!!!!!!!!) THESE PEOPLE ARE WORST FRAUDULANT PEOPLE I HAVE COME ACCROSS IN MY LIFE !! They even contacted our children telling them (each one on different occasion) that they have won this car, and must bring a partner to drive the car home. I warned them that this is QVC, but wouldn't believe me, because they used different names each time. So, I went with each one (each on seperate occasions), and what do you know !! The very same people that scammed us when we were on holiday, were there !! I walked towards the gentleman to confront him. I never knew an adult could disappear so quickly right in front of your eyes. Within 10 minutes the room was empty - every table and every consultant !!!!!
PLEASE PEOPLE, WARN EVERY SOUL AGAINST THESE FRAUDS!!!!! SOMEHOW, WE MUST STOP THEM!! ANY SUGGESTIONS WITHOUT COSTING ME AN ARM AND A LEG???
We very recently went to a presentation at Carlswald. I had a call to say I had entered a comp on my phone, highly unlikely, in about March this year. They were now ready to do the draw. Draw for what I asked? Big prize is the Chev Spark I was told but noone will go home empty handed. I was invited to bring a partner but not for any specific reason. I called the next day to get the address and asked what timeshare they were promoting. I won't mention names but was told that it wasn't timeshare. I asked what the presentation was to be on and again was told there was no presentation, merely the draw and to stay for a bite to eat if we wished to do so. We went along because we are vaguely interested in getting into a timshare setup but in all honesty you have to be an idiot if you don't realise it is a timeshare presentation when you get those kind of calls. Why go if you just wish to cause C*@p. There are a lot of people out there who have a lot of success with timeshare. I have no idea why they cannot just attempt honest marketing and attract those who are interested. We will decide after we have attempted to make a booking for the week holiday that we drew on the evening. Am expecting to not be able to get a booking when we would like it and to be asked for some sort of booking fee which they neglected to tell us about. Will advise later how it goes.
QVC after reading this i can relate, the same thing happend to me and my husband while on holiday PICK A NUMBER... in anycase when we had gooten home my husband imidiately canceled and we were reimbursed, now 7 years down the line we get a letter stating that we would be list...we don't even know our so called membership number, what do i do ??
I have been a "member" for 10 years and still only have 40 UNITS!
I have tried to speak to someone responsible, apart from the "parrot fashion" switchboard operator, no avail.
I have emailed the chairman, no avail.
How can i get someone to respond??????????????
PLEASE HELP!
Thanks to everyone for writing about this scam. I was getting excited, as I was hoping this time it wasnt a scam, as it is in Fourways - it appears it's all the same scam - I had the same calls from a guy call Ben. Now I wont be wasting my time - thanks to you guys
Since signing up 15 years ago, I had broken my legs and ankles six times and am now in a wheel chair. We have used it only once (always "no space available")cannot go on holiday any more, but qvc is relentless and not a week goes by without the collection agency calling.
Help us! How are we going to get rid of them?
All the above are true these guys are the worst in the industry ..what a bunch of blood sucking crooks !
You will never win the car at a competition you never entered for.You will never find a propper destination always "fully booked" even the following year !
I was promissed that this will not be the case by a Mr H Jackie Raad."you will always get a place even better than Holiday Club" he said.That's not the case i can assure you all ...Holiday Club is a lot better ,very good and very professional i can recommend them any time !
These promises maid by Qvc - Jackie Raad is misrepresentation and maybe we all should stand together and take them to court on that !
You will never get to a stage where your account is paid up Not in 20 years !
DO yourself a favour..Go on the internet ,deside where you want to go and you will find hundreds of very good guesthouses cheaper than QVC even breakfast included or self catering if you want too ! I will proof that to any QVC employee !
QVC was my biggest mistake in life.
I dare them to proof me wrong.Do not get involved with them at all !!!!!!!
me and my husband were lied 2 by QVC about winning a car. We got there, no car, instead we were told about timeshares. We signed for 40 points. They started debiting R690 after 3 months the was a further R380 for management fees and R43 for something. Called these people several times to cancel but they wudnt hear of it, they refuse. Its been 4 years now and they stil after me threatening to take me to their lawyers. I refuse to live my life like this, please help, anyone
So true all the story's are the same winning a car ,and they have all the rooms in the world,They so big and so big...,They own actually everthing that Holiday club rents to us etc etc.They are developing this & that but actully owns vertually nothing !
These guys are bad bad bad..and you will never get a suitable place to stay actually never a vacant space no stock available etc etc.
Do anyone have a means to cancell this or can we form a group and take them to court for misrepresentation & fraud ?
Why don'y you just call Ian Leslie Wilcocks, who is behind all this on 082 809 1900 or John Wills Meyer, who is the chairman of most of the share block companies in the Quality Vacation Club stable on 082 558 6448. They should be able to solve your problems.
Very Quickly, my story is exactly the same as many of you.
We refused to give our bank details at the time of signing, which was the 19/01/09, sent a cancellation request on the 24/01/09. Feb 2009 QVC requested bank details, we said we sent a fax, they insisted they did not receive it, we have confirmation.
Only to be notified Jan 2010, we have been Adverse listed.
The Credit manager insistes the 24th Jan is the 6th day therefore outside the cooling off period. we was told the cooling off period starts on the 20th Jan, does not include the day you sign.
Please read the Credit manager's email below:
"The 5 day cancellation clause includes the date of signature irrelevant
of the time of signature up until midnight. As the contract was cancelled on the 6th day we cannot accept this as being cancelled within the time frame allowed. The client had up until the Friday at midnight to cancel.The clients are well within their rights to seek legal counsel and any action will be defended. The contract as it stands is a legal and binding contract enforcable by a court of law. The ITC placement will stand until such time as the client is prepared to make payment in order to bring the arrears up to date. Should the clients wish to make payment we will then clear their record at ITC, but cannot do this until payment is received.I believe that the client should consider this as a cheaper option as the contract is legal and binding and lawyers are expensive for all.I trust we can resolve this matter, if we can be of any further assistance to the client we would be happy to help but according to our mandate unless the client is prepared to settle their debt with Easy
Holidays I can see no other way forward and believe that we are wasting
time debating the issue back and forth."
Tried calling Mr Wilcocks, no joy, now back to square one, he has passed me over to his colleague in Durban.
What do I do?
Can anyone please help me????
Hi Salo, they are playing scare tactics, you have the proof of fax, you can probably have the contract invalidated at a magistrates offices or small claims court (I am not a lawyer though). It would be cheap, but you'd spend at least half a day. Once you have that you use the court's determination to have ITC lift the poor rating, and officially complain about Easy Holidays.
Hi guys
for some good news. I received my cancellation letter, a letter my name will be removed from itc and an email stating my deposit will be refunded. The attorneys letter worked. I also contacted the shareholders and trustees of easyholidays. My advice to you all is just be persistant and don't give up pursuing qvc/ easyholidays.
It seems the car competition story is how they entice all of us .Unfortunately 3.5 years later what started out with a R650 holiday plan now costs close to R1250 pm .QVC themselves wont buy back the contract even though i have already paid R35K towards the R50K investment
All sounds familiar! We paid for 100 points about 10 years ago for R80 including interest and what have we got for our money - a week away a year, but we have still had to pay increasing levies every year. Our week away still costs us R6000 in levies - what a rip off. We have tried to sell out points, but they are worth so little it is not worth it!
My wife and I attended a presentation of QVC on 07 September 2006 ( the invitation indicates that Pen-Pro conducted the presentation) . Based on the explanation provided to us after the presentation by a representative, I purchased the units. We were the last to leave the venue after making sure that in the event I did not want to continue, I could sell at any time. I was assured that I could sell at any time and at current interest rates.
During November 2007 I enquired about selling and was informed by the Waterkloof office that I have to sell through an agent and would definitely not get back what has been paid in. At that stage I had paid R24000.
When I joined QVC, it was never my intention to make use of the units because I can only take leave between Christmas and New Year and I go to Clanwilliam dam. I asked at least three times during the presentation about selling at any time at current interest rate, to make sure of the facts and I believed this was an investment opportunity.
I contacted three selling agents for somebody just to take over the contract. I am willing to forfeit the R24000,00 plus I have already paid in, but even that cant sell. I then cancelled the debit order. I have received countless telephone calls from lawyers and debt collectors and have been threatened with legal action.
If the representative was honest and presented the facts correctly , I would have not bought the units. Every month that goes by there is interest accruing, including the instalment.
I have now for the second time been offered an alternative option and payment plan, reversing interest and management fees. The first time I bought into the scheme I was incorrectly informed due to misrepresentation. Now that I have confirmed what I knew way back in 2006, there is no way I will take up the alternative option. As with the original presentation, you are not awarded time to researh, study or seek advice as the document must be signed and deposit paid (approx. R10000,00)
About a year ago there was an advert in an afrikaans newspaper requesting persons like ourselves to contact a legal firm that were preparing a class action against a holiday club company. Anybody out there aware of this.
How can I cease to be a member
Hi, i have a similar issue, and have just received a red letter saying that they will take me to court if i don't pay within the 14 days. No my husband and i was fooled with the admin fees also, when i queried why they are deducting 2 payments they told us 1 for the bond and 1 for the management fees. we haven't used this holiday points and don't want it anymore, they promiced us if we don't want this we can cancel in a years time, or they take it back, but we have paid a deposit of 2k, and have paid R500 monthly for a while until we realised that this was getting us no-where, no we deal with Green Flash as a collecting agency and shame they are sweet, but they cannot help at all as they were only appointed and has a collection agency. We now struggling financially and can really do without this. The final outstanding ammount is R28k and we are not prepared to continue. we cannot call them directly, because we do need to cancel this holiday point system.
Do we state our case in court aswell, do we need a lawyer for this?
Dudes!!!!!
These sleazeballs called me too and all comes to the same thing.
I learned one lesson a long time ago,if it is too good to be true, you probably right.
So now they will call me on monday to setup a time for the prize giving.
I wuz thinkings to take some home made smoke bombs and shit to have some funz with these scallywags.
Who is up for gatecrashing their party on Tuesday night?
Its supposed to be in Pretoria somewhere in Zambezi / Montana?
you can reach me at ( louwrensn at the mail of g ) dot com
Has anyone tried using Section 45 (1) b of the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act. It basically states that they have to disclose where they got your information from. The reason I say this is that I know I didn't enter any competition. So they definitely didn't get from information from me filling in a form. It has to be from some other source, like a retailer etc...
I am with QVC, also attended one of those presentations and agree that they are a rip off. However, qvc advised me that they sell out on a commission basis to those presenters, not that it excuses them, after all, they are still the ones that pursue you for the amount remaining.
My advice, if anyone wants you to sign for something immediately, don't. There must be something wrong if you aren't allowed to study the contract at your own pace. Same thing applies to Dial Direct, auto general and those insurance companines that expect you to take a insurance policy without letting you see the policy document.
In all cases, make sure that you write down the agreements and representation made and have them sign that as being part of the agreement, i was new when I signed my agreement and did not write down everything, like that 40 points were enough for any holiday, which it is not.
I am still with qvc, but I have gotten smart, i only buy secondhand points, and i can get them at R200 a point whereas qvc sells them for R1400 or more a point.
I now own 120 points and am paying R6000 a year for the levys. I can get to go on a holiday, in peak season at bayswater villiage or the strand or similiarly posh joints that i would not be able to normally afford, as they charge 1500 a night per room or R300 -500 per person per night, and with my family that is too much. But we can get away for two week, more if we use the non-peak times, on our 120 points. For R6000 a year. The product is not bad, the marketing and the way they fool you into buying these expensive things are.
Thank you all guys you have help the enter people who do reseach before making or taking any decisions I nealy got into a trap as they sounded very professional when I visited Durban with my family yes I must say they approach was not proper as they will promise you that you have won a price and disturb you from your planned destination. Thank you a million times really I nearlly put myself into trouble.
The QVC is really making my life a nightmare with their constant calls and treats of legal action.
They lured us into going to a presenation with the line"you have won a car". No one won a car or anything else for that matter. They make sure that they write you up before they let you "draw" price. The first payment we made was returned by the bank and I just cannot afford them. I have cancelled but they refuse to accept my cancellation. I cannot take the harrassment anymore. Can anyone tell me if there is a law out there against misleading advertising and unethical business practices?
I'm also one that didn't win the car at all. Nobody there won NOTHING!. Myself and my wife was cheated into purchasing 40 points back in 2007. We've never used this at all and never will either. I've been paying my but off. We've tried everything to get out of this but NO joy at all. We were both working for the same company which was liquidated in April this year. We did not get paid for March and had no income at all. I once again tried to cancel with no luck. We went over 90 days with no income at all. We were living from donations from friends and the church. We did not dare to have any money paid into our bank account because QVC were sitting there like crows grabbing every little cent paid into our account. I phoned them, mailed them, nothing. My wife did find work again and I got a contract. I've never been a contractor in my life which is making it very difficult. Still QVC does not want to help at all. I spoke to one of the representatives which told me that I will pay for the rest of my life and there is no way to get out of this. I ask her what will happen if I die. She said that then my children will pay until they die. I spoke to one of the directors today who offered to help me...... The offer is that they would not let my points for this year expire yet. They will postpone the expiration until the end of first quarter next year. All I have to do is pay the outstanding levies of about R2000 and keep up the monthly installments. I DON'T WANT THIS CRAP, I WANT OUT, I WANT TO STOP PAYING, I DON'T WANT TO USE THIS. I DON'T WANT ANY MONEY BACK. I WANT TO CANCEL, GIVE IT AWAY. HELP, ANYBODY PLEASE HELP!!!!!
Your stories sound very familiar, I was tricked into signing the contract in November 2010. I was told about a discount on the day. In december I paid a deposit of R5000 I was informed that I could make a reservation immediately after that. It turned out that it was a liar. In addition to the agreed premium I now have to pay a management fee, this unaffordable. I spoke to the consultant who invited me to the presentation he said there is nothing that I can do I had already signed the contract. There must be a lawyer who can help us here.
Dear Everyone,
This company appears to be very dodgy. I have also had bad experiences with you. I have a legal background and will help you to get your money back from them without it costing much. We can either do it on contingency where you don't pay anything up front but just a percentage of what you get back (usually 25%) - so you have nothing to lose, or you pay something up front and less of a percentage. The important thing is that lots of people participate so that its worthwhile for us to put a lot of time into making sure we win.
Douglas J Shaw
BSc(Hons) BA(Hum) BA (Open) LLB MLIA(dip) MCP NLP(Mast)
Hi Douglas,
My girlfriend was conned into this easy holiday scheme last year, I looked at her contract just recently and the salary they stated was R11500, she was doing her accounting articles and earned R5000 only. Can she get out of this?
Regards,
Andrew
Hi Douglas
Sadly. I have to admit I too, have been caught by QVC.
I signed but have paid the deposit. I receive at least 4 threatening phone calls a day. They keep pressuring me into making new payment plans and keep moving the goal posts as to when it needs to be paid. I am a single mother of 3 kids and am very tired of being bullied by these people!
Today I have found out that the attorneys thay use to do all their threatening is owned by an attorney who is also the owner of MELCAR, another name they scam under. This same atorney is also on the board of directors of African Club Innovations, yet another name they scam under!
Help!!!! We need to know how to get hold of you so that something can be done by these Scam artists.
Hi Douglas, I just signed up a month ago and paid R5400 deposit. Now that I actually tried to book a holiday I realised how many lies was told in the presentation. I just want to get rid of QVC. Should I pay my monthly installment or cancel debit order and risk getting listed. If any legal action can be taken count me in. I do not even want any money back I just want out of contract.
Hi Douglas. I too was conned by these scammers and practically signed my life away to them 8years ago. I have been trying to get out of the contract for years now but with no success. I am definitely interested if you are planning any sort of legal action against QVC, it's about time someone puts a stop to this madness!
I have been with QVC for approximately 15 years. Could you please advise how I can cancell as the fees are becoming too much.
I am going on pension shortly and would like to cut down on my expenses.
At the present moment I have 45 units with them, which in real life means 4,500 points.
Hi guys,
Approximately 10 years ago my boyfriend joined the QVC, and as one of you mentioned he too decided to cancell by means of a fax. 8 years later they contacted him informing him that he had been handed over to ITC for an amount of R30 000 and R3000 per annum admin fee!!! When he questioned them about the cancellation...obviously they knew nothing about it!!! They also said that he could not pay the amount and cancell the membership and that he would have to sell the points to someone else if he wished to end this! Last year we decided to use some of the points for a 5 night stay at a resort in Sedgefeild. Hello, no one informed us that is was self catering, no breakfast included, the pool was "out of order". This five night stay cost a total of 11 of our 30 points totalling to approximately R11000. What a rip off. No shampoo, soap, washing up liquid etc. the least we could expect!! He is still paying for this BullSh$%^#!! Can anyone please advise us on how to get out of this???
They are the biggest scamsters available. they talk much and when you actualy try and book a holiday nothing is ever available and the fees are so high you can pay for a holiday for the same price and now that we cant afford it anymore there is aparently no way of cancelling this contract. they need to be stopped!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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