Ian Leslie from Aberdeen told BBC News Online about his experience of the tricksters.

"My wife Ros got the sales call last Thursday. She was told that we had won a prize - a holiday in either Florida or Spain.

To collect the holiday, we were invited to a presentation on the Saturday at a hotel in Aberdeen. The company said they were promoting a new internet holiday club, which would give us access to discount deals via the internet.

They seemed efficient - we received an invitation the next day. But it was so badly made we became suspicious.

The typing was atrocious, and the layout amateurish. In fact, it was so badly done that my six-year-old son could have done better.

We typed in the name of the company on the internet, and found lots of references to how people have lost money through this company, as well as lots warnings about this type of scam.

The company's own website was very flashy, which we found surprising because the invitation was so amateurish.

We did a bit more investigation work on the internet and found that while they company purported to be members of a travel agent's association, they were not.

If it had not been for the suspicious invitation, we would probably have gone along to the presentation.

But my background is sales and I know the ploys. We would never have signed anything on the day.

My worry, however, is for the people who are taken in by the scam or who are so worn down by the sales techniques at the presentation that they just get cheesed off and end up signing for anything.

The vast majority of people who are contacted by these people will not see the warnings, either because they do not watch the news or have access to the internet.

I am angry that these companies are still operating so easily, because they can get around rules and the government can do very little about it. "

Further information

Concerns over holiday club scams have increased in recent years, because tricksters have been rebranding timeshare products as holiday clubs to try to tempt holiday makers aware of timeshare cons.

Holiday clubs also get around timeshare laws because holiday club membership is not linked to any rights in any particular property, so consumers are not protected.

Melanie Johnson, consumer minister, urges people to be careful.

"Holiday club rogues trick people into shelling out thousands of pounds on what turn out to be empty promises," she says.

"Unscrupulous holiday club operators promise a lifetime of cheap holidays in exotic locations but deliver nothing.

"Victims not only lose their holiday but also their hard-earned savings.

"If you are approached about a holiday club, don't be rushed into signing anything, and check whether the company concerned is a member of a reputable trade association with a code of practice such as the Organisation for Timeshare Europe, or the Timeshare Consumers Association."

Have you been tricked?

The Office of Fair Trading is investigating holiday club scams, and is inviting all those who feel they have been misled or denied their rights to contact the European Enforcement Team.

The OFT cannot gain redress for consumers but may be able to act to prevent recurrence of infringements.

Further information can be sent to the Office of Fair Trading, European Enforcement Team (1/W), Fleetbank House, 2-6 Salisbury Square, London EC4Y 8JX. Alternatively you can email the OFT's enforcement team at [email protected]

The Department of Trade and Industry publishes The Timeshare Guide, which is available from its website (see link on right).