False promises by sales executives of Country Vacations I was informed by telephone on 31.1.2013 that we have been selected for some gift and we (myself and my wife) were to come to Salt Lake City Centre on 1.2.2013 at about 10.00 AM. “The gift will be presented after a brief presentation. The whole program will not take more than one hour.” We were told to come husband – wife together. As the venue was not far from our residence, we decided to visit. After reaching City centre we came to know, the presentation would be given by Country vacations club executives. We were photographed. Country vacations club executives requested us for taking the membership after giving certain information about the club. I am 75 years old and my wife is 70. Both are not in good health. For these reasons we declined. But they went on pursuing us with many benefits (which now we come to know as not true). They told that even if we are not able to visit holiday destinations there were various advantages which will be sufficient to recover our money. The process went on for about 3 hours and we were almost coerced to agree to make some advance payment for the membership. We were told that in additions to various advantages mentioned in the agreement, we can avail 30% discount on domestic air tickets and 15% on international air tickets. These discounts are on and above the lowest fare applicable for that flight on that day.

If we want to sell the membership, they will make all the arrangements and we will get back the money. They were showing many holiday destinations from a book. We were told that one packet (large envelope) will come to our house within 15 days giving the full details of various facilities available including the book (containing holiday destinations) they were showing. Finally we agreed to make partial payment (Rs. 20,000 out of Rs.100,000) as refundable advance and after studying the full details we would decide whether to take membership or to cancel it. Money will be returned if we decide to cancel the membership agreement. After payment of Rs. 20,000 they told us to wait as the gift was being ready. In the mean time sales persons went on narrating the various additional advantages of taking the membership and told us if we pay Rs. 40,000 as advance, total membership amount will be reduced to Rs.75,000 (in stead of 100,000). In the mean time 3 hours had passed (instead of one hour promised) and we were totally exhausted. Finally we paid another Rs.20,000/- from ATM card, signed an agreement and left the office. We were so exhausted that we could not read the agreement properly except page No.3 where the amount (paid by us) mentioned was refundable advance. They also make the principal member my wife (SRILEKHA ROY) instead of me as they narrated that it will be more advantageous to us. After coming home we realized that we had been duped but waited for few days to study the facilities in detail. We received the money receipt and a membership No. was allotted (CVKK1CLUB5LB137318) Unfortunately no package/envelope came to us. Then I wrote to Country Vacation club (Director, Head office at Hyderabad and Chief, Kolkata Local office) to cancel the agreement and return the advance money paid. No reply received from head office. Kolkata office replied that membership money is not refundable. We pleaded that it was not membership fee but a refundable advance. If we don’t want to take the membership, as per the sales executives, the money will be returned to us. Kolkata office also told that there is no provision of discount on air ticket and If we want to sell the membership we have to locate ourselves somebody who is ready to purchase. Country vacations executives have no responsibility in that matter. To our surprise when we went through the agreement we found that page no.3 was replaced by another page where i was written as” Iniial payment” in place of “Refundable advance” This amounts to be total fraud and other prospective members may be careful from our sad experience. We have not availed any facilities of the club and we want to get our money back.

Prasanta KumarRoy CA-155, ector-1, Salt Lake. Kolkata- 700064 Phone-9190030591XX

Regards
pkroy68@gmail