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Travel Companies Discussions related to experiences with specific travel companies.

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  #31  
Old 25-05-2010, 10:18
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emm this all sounds very odd!

I wonder if these people have re-dress via credit card company. As has been said before, this is a safeguard when dealing with a rental company. I feels sure that any reputable company would have credit card facilities. Perhaps that is something to look at when booking via a company. How did these people lose their money if the bank account details were ficticious???? Again if this is the case their bank may cover them?
Very strange!
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  #32  
Old 25-05-2010, 10:20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Belladonna View Post
Usually by hacking into an online banking account - then transferring funds to criminals account. Various transfers get "lost" in this system, hence criminal hard to trace.

Ahh - money laundering??
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  #33  
Old 25-05-2010, 12:18
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My friends paid by Bankers Draft which actually only safeguards the person who is being paid and not the person sending the money.
Another lesson there - only send a Bankers Draft to someone you actually know and/or trust!
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  #34  
Old 25-05-2010, 15:56
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gina39uk View Post

Luckily I was able to find them another apartment on the Pine Walk at a very reduced rate so all was not lost.
I arrived in PP yesterday with just about an hour to spare before they arrived and picked up the keys.

We all enjoyed a celebratory drink together in the early evening sun, gazing across the bay at that stunning view.
We spared a sad thought for all those other people taken in by this company who were less fortunate and unable to afford alternative accomodation.

Lesson to be learned - if it looks too good to be true - it usually is!
Well done Gina for sorting them out
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  #35  
Old 25-05-2010, 19:58
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It just gets worse as it appears that there is yet another site santaponsa4all. I've just read some sad cases on the tripadvisor site.

Scam alert - Sunny Holidays, www.santaponsa4all.com - Santa Ponsa Message Board - TripAdvisor

When this is all unravelled I wonder how many unfortunate people have had their holiday plans ruined.

Although they have been reported and I note the comments from the editorial staff on this site. What does it take for the authorities to act and close down their website.
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  #36  
Old 26-05-2010, 10:59
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We were really late in booking for PP this year and I contacted this website as we were struggling to find an apartment/villa that suited us and didn't cost a fortune (I don't get some of the prices that people charge but that's another topic). I had missed this thread but when I went back and read it I really panicked as I wondered how far this scam went. When you fill in the enquiry form you have to give all your home address details, the date you propose to travel, etc... I had effectively just told a scam website when our house would be empty for two weeks!
I may be being paranoid here but thankfully we are no longer going in the weeks that I originally enquired about and our next door neighbour is a policeman, so I have told him and he is going to keep an eye on our house whilst we are away.
Interestingly, the website owner came back to me with two apartments that were available but the prices had gone up substantially since the original enquiry was made.
I don't understand how they can still be allowed to trade when it is blindingly obvious that they are up to no good.
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  #37  
Old 26-05-2010, 15:52
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Cocoa07 View Post
I don't understand how they can still be allowed to trade when it is blindingly obvious that they are up to no good.
Neither do I! I think someone on the forum reported them to the Consumer protection who were going to forward to Trading Standards, but that was months ago and it looks like they are still scamming people - or trying to. Looks like a job for Watchdog! I'll stick to booking direct with owners or from PP.com site.
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  #38  
Old 26-05-2010, 15:59
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I have just spoken to my local Trading Standards office as my initial complaint (1st April) was passed on to them. Apparently the issue was then passed on to Coventry where the company is registered - but in name only as it's pretty obvious that they've probably been nowhere near the UK. They are contacting them again to find out what happened but said that it can take a few weeks for complaints to be investigated & meanwhile people lose money.

I can only suggest that if anyone has had concerns, seen the website, made an enquiry etc. that you do call Consumer Direct

on 08454 040506


as maybe the more calls the better and we can get this site taken down.
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  #39  
Old 26-05-2010, 16:32
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I went into Easyspace to check on this sites information. It is a little strange that they only purchased the .com and not .co.uk as well. Most web companies like to safeguard their business by purchasing the names which are similar to their own so as not to lose traffic to a competitor. They have not done that. This is the information - very interesting!

Whois Server Version 2.0

Domain names in the .com and .net domains can now be registered
with many different competing registrars. Go to InterNIC | The Internet's Network Information Center
for detailed information.

Domain Name: PUERTOPOLLENSA4ALL.COM
Registrar: CRONON AG BERLIN, NIEDERLASSUNG REGENSBURG
Whois Server: whois.tmagnic.net
Referral URL: www.tmagnic.net
Name Server: DOCKS02.RZONE.DE
Name Server: SHADES15.RZONE.DE
Status: ok
Updated Date: 26-feb-2010
Creation Date: 26-feb-2010
Expiration Date: 26-feb-2011

>>> Last update of whois database: Wed, 26 May 2010 15:26:32 UTC <<<
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  #40  
Old 30-05-2010, 12:35
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Has no one simply phoned up Jeanette Helchman?! And ask her what is going on? But anyway I noticed under the section on "Transfers" they have copied another companies photo and exact prices So I have alerted this other company and with the force of the Spanish I'm sure they will get something sorted.
And yes like you all said before...
Jeanette Helmchen


phone: +49 1636278034

But probably a false name!


And yes indeed maybe something for watchdog!
BBC - Watchdog - - Got a story

Last edited by Sea Captain; 30-05-2010 at 15:56.
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  #41  
Old 01-06-2010, 14:54
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After doing some research, I emailed Simple Formations, the company located in the same block as Sunny Holidays Ltd. And heres what they had to say...

Dear Matthew,



Thank you for your email.



I can confirm that the company SUNNY HOLIDAYS LIMITED applied to use our Coventry registered office service but the order was never completed. They are not an existing client of ours and the Companies House registered office records are currently out of date.



We have no further information to supply on this company.



Kind regards
Andy Barley
Client Services
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  #42  
Old 02-06-2010, 07:43
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As i said when i went to the offices no one knows of them its a shame that some have been robbed of their hard earned cash.

Gordon
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  #43  
Old 04-06-2010, 12:09
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I've just been contacted my local Trading Standards office who told me that the Coventry office - who have to deal with it as the 'registered address' is Coventry are fully aware of the situation & have passed it on to the appropriate international dept. Hopefully they will get a move one & take the site down as people are still losing money. Even better if they can arrest the people involved.

I did email BBC Watchdog as well today...
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  #44  
Old 09-06-2010, 16:32
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I drew up outside our apartment last week to find a young couple in animated conversation outside, with a Spanish lady who lives in our block. They had booked a week's holiday with 'Sunny Holidays'. The apartment block, address and flat number they had been given were all correct - the only problem being the owner of the apartment (the Spanish lady) knew absolutely nothing about it - and wouldn't be in a position to rent the apartment out anyway, as she lives there!

Unsurprisingly, when they rang the number given to them 'in case of any problem', it was unobtainable. They had paid in full for their booking by bank transfer.

I contacted our caretakers, Ideal Services, who luckily were able to sort them out with another apartment to stay in for their week in the port - but the poor couple were out of pocket to the tune of whatever they'd paid Sunny Holidays for the non - existant rental... On top of the trauma of travelling all that way, only to find they had nowhere to stay.

Just goes to show the worth of visiting this site prior to visiting Puerto Pollensa!
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  #45  
Old 09-06-2010, 19:13
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This is disgusting! What an introduction to a holiday, PP and Mallorca in general. Thankfully you were able to help them but I wonder how many others will not be so lucky.
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