Top Mumbai-based surgeon Dr Bryan Sodder calls holiday club Priority International 'cheats', while ruing the day he fell for false promises he has warned future customers from falling for smooth talk
Dr Bryan Sodder and Rocelyn with their prize coupons. Pic/Sayyed Sameer Abedi
ADVERTISEMENT
Gastrointestinal surgeon with Holy Family Hospital, Bandra, Dr Bryan Sodder curses the day in 2015 when he visited an Andheri mall with wife Rocelyn and signed up for an exhausting con by a travel club. "Two smartly dressed executives from Priority International Holidays Club Pvt Ltd approached us with a card, saying we could win exciting prizes if we filled in our details," recalled the doctor. The couple went home and got a congratulatory call.
The couple filled the card and returned home to get a congratulatory call. An ecstatic voice on the other end told him he had won "exciting" prizes.
The Sodders were called for a meeting at Dhanashree building in Azad Nagar, Andheri West, cited as the company's office, over a weekend.
"We were told of free gym memberships, holidays within India for as little as R6,000 and trip abroad for R9,000 if we joined Priority International," explained Dr Sodder.
Swipe the card, right now
Even as the slightly dazed Sodders mulled over joining, "there was a sense of great urgency and a real push from the executives to join".
Succumbing to the pressure, the doctor paid R1.65 lakh with his credit card to enrol in the scheme. "The minute a card was swiped, there was resounding applause from the staff," he said.
The Sodders were handed gifts — six glass ice cream bowls and a 1-gm 'gold' coin.
Eventually, Dr Sodder started following up on the free gym membership, but numerous calls elicited little. "I was to get a free membership to a gym for 15 years according to the scheme, but I got a one-month free trial voucher from Powerhouse Gym in Juhu. I realised I received them only seven days prior to the expiry. I called Powerhouse, but the gym chain told me that these were free trial vouchers, and not valid for a 15-year membership." Since then, Dr Sodder has been chasing the gym membership offer.
No holiday, too
The Sodders said the con didn't end at the over-sold gym membership promises. "When we called a number of resorts which were promised to us in the holiday scheme, they all had a stock answer: we do not have anything available as of now," said the doctor.
Today, the couple is angry and shamefaced. Rocelyn, who works as senior nurse at the radiology department of Holy Family Hospital, said in the initial days after signing up, they told colleagues at the hospital about "the good deal".
Dr Sodder said he has called on Priority International's customer care number. "There is a woman called Zara whom we spoken to, and then there are others who mouth the same line: 'Call back later'."
The medical professionals are now going to file a complaint with the police. "We are convinced they (Priority International) are cheats. Our message to the public is never get swayed by slick packaging and do anything on an impulse. Always take your time, think things through. A red flag must go up if you feel you are being rushed into swiping your card," warned Dr Sodder.
What mid-day found
mid-day visited Priority International's office, where this reporter and her photojournalist colleague posed as potential clients. We were ushered into a small cabin, where a well-built man, looking like a bouncer, spoke to us. Later, a young woman addressed us. "If you join Priority International, you'll be entitled to several schemes. You will get benefits like holidays in India and abroad at discounted rates. You will also get a one-month free membership at Powerhouse Gym, and will be able to book banquet rooms in top hotels at discounted rates," she said, but did not specify which hotels.
Then, a man identifying himself as Deepak Verma took over to explain the "holiday schemes". He said, "By becoming a member, you can holiday in several destinations abroad and here, too, for a week or more for as little as R6,000 for two." On seeing our incredulous faces, he reeled off names of several European cities, and added, "Some charges will be added, but not much."
Verma then said, "You can also put up your guests visiting Mumbai at the Taj and Ramada for as little as R6,000 a week."
Asked to show the list of hotels they were affiliated to, Verma furnished a list that had GoldFinch Hotel (in Mumbai) on it. Asked about Taj and Ramada, he brushed the query aside and hurried on.
We were made to move to another cabin where we met a representative, Sohail Mulla, who worked out the equation of R1.3 lakh overall for the enrolment, and was ready to take payment for a five-year membership.
When told that we needed to think about the scheme since the amount was substantial, he seemed to lose interest. A Goggle search by this reporter threw up a complaint board with several grievances related to Priority International.
CHECK OUT THIS VIDEO THAT WILL TAKE YOU TO A DIFFERENT TIME
Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!
