Holiday Plus

I received a message via the land line saying that I had a voucher code. I accepted the call and was re-directed to Elizabeth ** who informed me that I had received vouchers from my card provider which were to be exchanged for a holiday through the company Holiday Plus. I thought that something may be wrong with this, and during the call, I started to google and search the company for reviews.

I was asked for details of my location for verification purposes and the feel of the call was made to sound like a working office with all the usual background noise you would expect. Again, details of the package I would be receiving was laid out to me, and during this, details were required of my banking card. I knew the alarm bells were going at this point but proceeded to give details of the card knowing that i would not give out any security numbers from the back if asked and sure enough they did ask, and at this point, I refused.

I was told that they needed this number again for verification, in case it was a teenager who had gotten hold of the parent's card! I refused and was told that they understood my concerns on security and that I would be passed to the verification department to show that who I was speaking to was indeed official. I was also told that with the small amount of details that I had given them already, they could have taken a payment anyway.

At this point the line went quite as she was supposedly transferring me to the verification department! It seemed like a long 30 seconds and at this point, I was about to phone my bank to stop my card just in case it could be used by them. Then a man came onto the phone and introduced himself as the company director and proceeded to go through the reason why they needed the security digits from the rear of the card. I had, at this point, found this site and read briefly what this company was doing, and when I told him what I was looking at and the information that I had on the company, he hung up and the line went dead.

I immediately cancelled my card just in case. I felt that I needed to go through this procedure even though it meant me having to cancel my card as this company could have rang back when I was not around and tried the same scam with another family member in my property. Thankfully, I was quick enough to stop any money from being taken, but it seems that they are still out there, trying different approaches apart from just timeshare deals.

On April 7, 2011, I received a call from Chris **. He told me that a couple of years ago, his family had a wonderful vacation at "Vacation Village at Bonaventure" in Weston Florida and he is interested in purchasing our timeshare at that resort. He contacted the marketing company and they gave him my phone number to call.

Chris wanted to buy my timeshare for 9000 dollars. He also told me that his lawyer asked him to pay 2000 dollars in closing cost, so he decided to go with Holiday Plus marketing company because their closing cost was 860 dollars.

The next day, I received call from Tom ** and he confirmed that he had Chris ** as a prospective buyer. He also told me that I did not have to pay any money for selling my timeshare. All money would come from a buyer, who will pay a closing cost and a 10 percent down payment of the loan that they will finance through their company. Should I agree to sell this timeshare, Tom ** would send all contract papers of the sale to be signed by the buyer and after that he would e-mail me this contract for signing.

On April 9, I received another call from Chris. He asked me to cover half of the closing cost for he just had 1000 dollars to cover this transaction that included the down payment ($500) and half of the closing cost ($430). He promised me to include my share of the closing cost into the loan he was going to take. I agreed to help him by paying half of the closing cost ($430).

Next day, Tom called me to congratulate me on selling my timeshare and he told me not to use a checking account or credit card because of identity theft danger. He gave me instruction on how to make a payment with Money Pak from Wal-Mart. He also mentioned his manager, Mike **, in case I call their office in his absence.

On April 9, I received an e-mail from Tom **, HolidayPlus@usa.com with contract papers and the receipt of deposit and closing cost paid by Chris ** and his wife Patty **, signed by Robert **, vice president of Holiday Plus Company. In this email, Tom told me to sign the papers and email or fax them back to him (864)-751-5233. He also gave me instructions on how to pay closing cost with Money Pak.

On Sunday, April 10, I bought the Money Pak and when later Tom called me again, I gave him the code number so he could receive the money from Money Pak. Tom's last call to me happened on Monday, April 11. In our final conversation, he assured me that the Chicago Title Company did the title search and everything looked great. He said that in a couple of days, the title company would prepare the closing papers and he would send them to Chris to sign them. Then the papers would be sent to me for signing as well.

After that, I never heard from Tom again. I called him many times, left him messages. I sent him an e-mail asking him to contact me, but all to no avail.

A week later, I called Chris and asked him if he received any papers or calls from Tom. His answer was negative. Chris promised that he would try to contact Tom and then to call me back. That was last I had heard from him. He never answered my calls or returned my messages. Now I know he is a part of the same scam.

I did a search on the internet and found another eight complaints on Better Business Bureau Report about Holiday Plus Company. All cases had the exact scenario.

Holiday Plus is a scam company, the addresses are fake and phone numbers of Chris ** and Tom ** are unlisted cell phones. After I read a BBB report, I realized that the buyer Chris ** is a part of the same scam company.

In this economy being in dire state, thousands of people are desperate to get rid of their timeshares. I'm sure there will be more victims of this scumbags company. Please help stop this scam business, put them in jail and make them return victim's money.

Rick Gow represents Holiday Plus, a timeshare resale company. He contacted us saying he has a buyer for our Marriott Timeshare in Arizona. We talk to one of the buyers, Allan *** and agreed on 50k for 2 units plus we would split the closing costs of $960. Mr. *** could not come up with his half so we agreed to pay a additional $180, to cover his half with the agreement he would repay this amount at a later date. Our total payment to Mr. *** was $660. He faxed a contract for sale of timeshare which we signed and faxed back along with Marriot's Waiver or right of first refusal. Mr. *** contacted Frank *** on 5/6/11 and told him he would need the $660 to proceed with the sale. He directed him to use Money Pak. Since the $660 was sent and received (5/6/11)by Mr. ***, we have not heard from him. We have left several calls to both Mr. ** and the buyers. The Money Pak funds have been cashed. I have since then check the BBB and found two complaints against Holiday Plus with a warning this company may be fraudulent.