My wife and I were in Chaweng Beach, Koh Samui, Thailand in January 2011. We were invited to lesson to the Absolute Vacation Club offer and took their tour. We were told the price of a three year membership in the vacation club would be $3, 128 and that would be the exact charge on our Visa credit card with no other fees. We stupidly signed the contract. The next day I was notified by my Visa credit card company that I had been charged $3, 309.75 with the transaction fee. I immediately went to the internet and found this website and others. I then realized that the Absolute Vacation Club was a scam. Two days later I emailed Justin Haith, contract officer for Absolute, and told him to terminate the purchase agreement and to credit back our credit card. Mr Haith emailed us the same day to state that the purchase agreement is "legal and binding and is non cancellable." We also contacted our credit card company to dispute the charge.

When we returned home we contacted our credit card company and were told by the first two customer service representatives that since we sign the contract that it was binding. After talking to the third level, and after this customer service representative did some research, we were told that Visa International allows a 14 day period during which a signed contract can be cancel without question. Our Visa account was credited the full amount.

If you have paid in cash I have learned that the Direct Sales and Direct Marketing Act (2002) Thailand allows a 7 days compulsory cooling off eriod on contracts signed in Thailand.

Don't let the Absolute Vacation Club intimmidate you. Exercise your rights.