Recently I received a call inviting my wife and I to attend a soft launch of Worldex Asia. The caller claimed that because we were handpicked we will be given a 4-day/3-night luxury accommodation including 2 return flight tickets to any of these destinations - Hong Kong, Bangkok, Koh Samui, Phuket and Pattaya completely free. This was despite the fact that I candidly revealed that I categorically do not intend to purchase anything whatsoever they may be promoting. The caller claimed that the company is simply happy to give it to us with no obligations so long as we agree to attend a 90-minute presentation at Tong “Rolex” Building. I know my greed for the too-good-to-true free gift has dulled my intelligence :(
To cut to the chase, I did turn up at the soft launch and not surprisingly, my niggling suspicions that the entire exercise is dubious began to unravel. My initial conversation with a young personnel revealed that we needed to pay a $50 booking fee per pax not including airport/airline taxes. Despite our decision to discontinue the session, they generously decided to offer the free gift in the form of a “voucher” and booking form which exacerbated by suspicions. The terms and conditions printed on the vouchers, the booking form and another terms and conditions document (attached in their email to me) included many “hidden”, “non-refundable” costs/fees and contain contradicting terms. The redemption of the free gift is via another party called Dynamikz Netwerkz who is not a travel agent. Only their address and email are given without any telephone number. The Hong Kong option is “out-of-stock” and appeared to be part of the original print production. Upon further reading, the terms and conditions revealed “compulsory” commitment to additional presentations by the hotel. My request to speak to their manager-in-charge further fuelled my doubts. A well-dressed articulate British personnel claiming to be the “Chief Executive Shareholder”* tried to smooth-talk me but contradicted himself in many occasions. At this point, I was certain I was being duped by an experience and confident trickster. I ended my enquiries and left. The results of further attempts to find out more about “Global Securities”, “Worldex Asia”, “Dynamikz Netwerkz” and the name of the “Chief Executive Shareholder” via the internet became obvious. I have not made any attempt to secure any travel bookings. I did not make any purchase of any kind.
Please beware! Caveat emptor!
