Scam??_Garraway enterprise, capital Gateway, GMC, Glitterati

last SG · 2009-11-13T08:51:06+00:00

HiAnyone of you got cheated by LastMinute Marketing, Did you report to the Police, CASE or STC? Is yes, Please drop me a email at [email protected]. Or Someo...

mindeye SG

Bahterasy, you paid $2000 and cannot even start to use their "services" ? which company is this ? GMC or Smith ? you might want to check your contract - did you know about this requirement before you signed up ?

mindeye SG

Hi KenaScam, chances are, they don't care ... if they dont even bother to reply. You might want to think what you want to do next, for me, I wont wait too long, CASE have sent the first letter - will see how it goes. Good luck to all of us!

surfer1041 SG

Hi to all, the salespeople in GMC are very good in enticing you to sign-up, but once you have tried booking, you'll end up frustrated as the services are not as promised. This has been my experience and from what I gathered as experiences of others in several forums. For those who have recently signed, I believe there's something in the contract that says you can cancel it during the cooling off period of 5 days. I guess this wasn't explained by them during their sales pitch. I only got to know it after some time too.

If you want to cancel the membership, go to the Small Claims Tribunal if they ignore your CASE letter. Pls bring all supporting documents when you try to put up a claim at SCT.

I hope the Singapore government will stop these kinds of companies to proliferate. It is quite appalling that these companies dare to operate in this country.

Kena Scam SG

Hi,

Got Reply from Smiths & Baron's Director. He said that I was vague in saying that the discounts were insignificant and deny breaching CPFTA. They promised me 55% discount and then give me 10%. So CASE ask me to send them the details and I did. Waiting again. Most likely will try Small Claims and see what my choices are.

For Bahterasy,

if you are in their in-house installement scheme then you will only be able to use their services after you have paid all. Then when you try and use their services then you will notice that it is a waste as the discounts offered can get from any tour agency.

If yours is through the banks installment scheme, like visa. Then the full amount has been paid to them. U can use it instantly.

I am sure there are others like us. And I think we need to stop them. Now they are hiding under the CPFTA. It should be made as a criminal crime. That way they will not just change company name or disguise their "crime" and start all over again.

mindeye SG

Hi KenaScam

Sorry to hear your update - good luck to you!

I dont understand what you mean when you say they are "hiding under the CPFTA.". Shouldn't the CPFTA protect us ? or at least be fair ?

*****

Hi Summonli, Surfer1401, IIChong, GYC

- do you have any updates / successes ? Please share with all. For me, I am waiting for their reply to my CASE letter. If there's a pattern to how they treat us individually, we should think if there's anything we can do collectively for ourselves legally too.

*****

HI Surfer 1401,

"For those who have recently signed, I believe there's something in the contract that says you can cancel it during the cooling off period of 5 days. I guess this wasn't explained by them during their sales pitch. I only got to know it after some time too." - I checked my contract but there isn't this line - but under clause #9, there is a line that say no cancellation whatsoever - which maybe a unfair clause even if it is in the contract.

"If you want to cancel the membership, go to the Small Claims Tribunal if they ignore your CASE letter. Pls bring all supporting documents when you try to put up a claim at SCT." >>> have u done that ? please share the outcome - there would be my next step too. Thanks

Good luck to all of us!

Victim of S&B SG

Hi KenaScam,

I've went to CASE. They told me they will send a letter to Smiths and wait for their reply.

So did you paid the full amt, or just the deposit only? For your case, they only replied upon receiving your 2nd letter. So they could do the same thing to me.

If the waiting ends up in nothing, then i might consider going straight to STC as i dun want to pay the installments for nothing as well.

Kena Scam SG

Hi mindeye,

What I mean is that is that this is to me a case of cheating. They use a selling method to sell us a product that is not able to deliver. In my opition, if they have the intention to cheat and method to cheat then it is cheating, not CPFTA. If you see their mode of operation you will understand. Under CPFTA their offence is taken lightly, hence they can just go and set up another company and start their business again. If this were to be a crime, then it would be a different story. Because CPFTA does not charge the person abusing it. That is why I say that they are hiding under CPFTA.

If you can recall, there was this scam some time ago where people tried to trick old people into parting with their money buying items that was useless. Some worthless items that they said would make them money fast. They were charged with cheating. However, if they had drawn up a contract with the victims then it would be CPFTA instead of cheating . Is this a crime or abuse of CPFTA.

Do you get where I am coming from?

Most importantly, if anyone is going to SCT, could we do it together? I think there is strength in numbers.

Letmevoice SG

Hi KennaScam,

I just signed up with S&B and do not use their service yet. In T&C of their contract saying that "The purchaser confirms irrevocable with this signature, that he agrees to the terms and condition of this legal and binding contract" Can I join you to go to SCT in order to get refund of my deposit? I paid my deposit of SGD 1,500 but has not piad them for 1st installment yet. You may reply to me at my address "[email protected]"

Kena Scam SG

Hi Letmevoice.

Case has just sent the third letter to S&B. I am waiting to see what they reply. I think I wil let Case see this through before I go to SCT. It is my next option if Case fails.

On your situation, you need to have a reason to ask for your refund. I my case it is false claims. They may not return your deposite if there is no reason.

Are you within the 5 working days? Maybe you can cancel. Or you can say that their sales tactics presured you into buying. Did they give you a copy of CPFTA? Maybe you can look into it and see if they had violated any of it.

My suggestion is that you hold on to paying the first installment. This way you don't lose more money.

Another suggestion is that you can ask them to refund you as there has been a lot of negative feedback with regards to their company and show them this web-site.

But if you need a person to go with you to SCT or Case as anothe victim of S&B then I can be there for you.

Like I said before, I think this should be stopped.

Victim of S&B SG

Hi Letmevoice,

I think i am in the same situation as you. Paid for the deposit and has not use their service yet. My first installment deduction is on 1st Dec. Oh no...

Did the staff there tell you that they can book for you using their account as you have not paid for the full membership?

Kena Scam SG

I already paid in full. That is only when I found out that they misclaim their discounts. The amount given is more or less the same at any travel agency. They promise about 50%, you will not even get 25%. Their web site is still not up and if you ask for their name card they will say finish, send for printing. If you had not paid up and already had a look at what they can offer against what they promised then you are lucky. You can use this to say that they had not given what they had promised. Again, I suggest that you dont pay the first instalment first.

So go and get a quote from their official travel agency, Concept Travel Services and compare it with others. Then with this quotation, get hard copy, maybe you can cancel your contract.

It would be better if you check with Case. The above is my opition only. Case knows better.

Victim of S&B SG

I have sent my cancellation letter within the 5 working days. However, S&B replied that they are not a time-share company, thus the CPFTA does not applied to them!! You can see where they are hidding.

I approached CASE. They are helping me to draft another letter to them indicating that CPFTA applies to companies that operates in a time-share like manner. I'm waiting for their reply.

Guess this will not be easy as they are clearly making use of the loop hole in our law.

Carolroz SG

Victim of S&B, Kena Scam and Letmevoice,

Another victim of S&B today (just a few hours ago) - Me and my hubby! I've was offered the 7k package for 10 years and I've just placed a 2k deposit. I should have listened to my instincts in the first place. I'm gonna terminate the installments but will also like to join you guys and raise a case. What is enough grounds to be able to raise a case? I've not asked them for any quotation yet? Please advise. 2k is a lot of money to us but I was thinking that it might have been a worthy investment and apparently after reading all this, it isn't! HELP! Thanks. By the way, my contract doesnt say anything about cancelling within 5 working days.

Kena Scam SG

Hi Carolroz,

If your contract is same as mine, then it is stated in point 6. By right they should give you a consumer protection (fair trading) Act 2003 (Act 27 of 2003) printout. This is a few pages long. The notice to cancel is in the third page from the back. Please see it, if not, then send me your e-mail and I wll scan and e-mail you back the above. They should have told you about the cancellation option. But then there is a lot that they should have told us.

Also to all, do take not of all you communication with them and document it. It seems that the process of refund or so on will take a lot of time and as the facts are still clear in our mind, it is best to do it now.

Carolroz SG

hi,

I was reading the FAQ and came across this question:

What happen if HITs - Concepts Travel Services quutes me a higher price?

Ans: You need to produce a genuine quotation from the Travel Agency where you managed to obtain a cheaper quote. Once this information is verified and found to be true, we will then beat the price. In short, we have a price guarantee.

I'm wondering if this doesn't happen, whether we can take this to CASE but this is not stated in the contract, only in the FAQ sheets.

And also, even if they can beat the price, it may not be within the discount range they initially promised.

Carolroz SG

Hi Kena Scam,

Thanks for the information. I didn't see anything about cancellation in Point 6 or in any part of my contract.

Is this the part in the consumer protection act you are referring to?

Right to cancel certain contracts within cancellation period
11. —(1) The Minister may make regulations prescribing that a consumer who, in relation to a consumer transaction, has entered into a contract falling within any class of contracts specified in the regulations may cancel the contract within a cancellation period specified in the regulations.

If I'm wrong, please email to [email protected]

By the way, what is your package?

Thanks!

Victim of S&B SG

Hi Caroloz,

I guess we are in the same situation. I just signed up with them about 2 weeks ago too. Mine was $9K for 15 yrs. Paid deposit of $2K. I only have the contract (3 pages), FAQ, Booking Form, and a Brochure.

No consumer protection (fair trading) Act 2003 was given to me and never mention anything about cancellation. And b4 we signed the contract, i still asked them whether i can cancel after signing, the contract executive said NO.

I send them Notice of Cancellation within the 5 day period. They reply me saying that they are not a timeshare co. Therefore the Notice of Cancellation is not applicable.

So i went to CASE. CASE will send a letter to them pointing out the fact that we have already send the the Notice of Cancellation withing the time period. So waiting for S&B reply.

So i think you better send them the Notice of Cancellation form by registered post so that you can back up as an evidence.

Victim of S&B SG

Hi Kenascam,

Can you send me a copy of the consumer protection (fair trading) Act 2003? Thanks! My email is [email protected]

Kena Scam SG

Hi Caroloz, I have sent you a copy of the contract with the point 6. Also I have a piece of paper with S&B letter head giving me a price guarantee that they will offer a cheaper price. But you are right, cheaper does not mean that the price will be what discount they offered.

If I am not wrong, this company is part of Garraway enterprise. If so they were issued an injunction a couple of months back. Please go to the Case website for more info on this Garraway enterprise. http://www.case.org.sg/

Tomorrownevercomes2009 SG

Hi all - in 2005, the Public Prosecutor took one Tan Miah Soong to task and successfully prosecuted him for cheating under the Penal Code for timeshare scam because his victims filed compliants to the Commercial Affairs Department. (Reported case [2005] SGDC 97)

Most of the timeshare companies are all related one way or another - it is a shell game - you start off with one, then say that the first co is in trouble and persuade people who signed up with the first to sign up with a second co, collect more money, then say that the second co is in trouble or offer some super attractive money back cash reward scheme which no one seems to understand (how does $5,000 become $50,000 in 2 years?! Come on! If it were so easy, there would be no poor people!) to get people to sign up for the third saying things like no one is authorised to cancel your agreement with the second co but the third etc and collect more money for their "service"..... it is never ending.

Have not heard of them daring to sue in the Courts if their "members" dont pay the instalments or so called balance on the agreements, although they always threaten to - cos it is unlikely they'd be able to present a case since they are scamming people anyway, and would not want to expose themselves in the legal arena that way. They do however harass and threaten and go to the extent of scaring people with legal terms or say that your children will have to bear the financial burden - and most people for some reason or other cant think straight at that point and end up paying more and more.

Maybe pp can join and find a lawyer to file a class case? Can spread cost and see outcome to put a stop to it all.

Before you buy - THINK - will you really spend that much if you were to pay as you go? Do you really save? Does it really cost that much if you were to go to a proper travel agent? How much did you spend on your holidays so far? Just remember, there is no free lunch so any incentive such as promises to sign u up for cash rewards and all are just mere promises. Why do they need you to sign that you signed up because you were comfortable and not under duress? Why are their agreements all about payment only and how they will come after you if you dont pay? Why are the most important terms to you as a consumer - like details of what you get are so vague? THINK! Has anyone actually gone on holiday with the package?

Good Luck!

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