Don’t be a scratchcard sucker when enjoying your spring break.

That’s what West Sussex County Council Trading Standards Service are telling people at Gatwick Airport today.

They will be warning travellers heading for well-known European holiday destinations about trickster touts who hand out scratchcards that are all so-called ‘winners’.

Graeme MacPherson, Head of Trading Standards said: “The prize turns out to be a trip to a lengthy sales presentation and a chance to pay thousands of pounds for membership to a bogus holiday club “If given a free ‘winning’ scratch card on your holiday ask yourself: “One: Do I have to sit through a lengthy sales pitch?

“Two: Are the promises too good to be true?

“Three: If I sign something, can I cancel or get a refund?

“Four: What do I know about the company?

“Some holiday clubs are reputable – but there are a lot of bogus ones out there. Don’t feel pressurised. If you are unsure, our advice is quite straightforward – simply walk away.”

Two Trading Standards officers will be at Gatwick during the morning as part of the Office of Fair Trading’s (OFT) Scam Awareness month.

They will be handing out warning scratchcards produced by the Office of Fair Trading and reminding travellers about new timeshare legislation that will harmonise the law across Europe and close a number of loopholes.

The new rules will give consumers a 14 day cooling off period that allows you to cancel without a penalty. They apply to holiday clubs, timeshare resale and timeshare-like products. This campaign provides an opportunity to increase awareness to consumers of bogus holiday clubs and the benefits of the new regulations.

Pete Bradbury, County Council Cabinet Member for Public Protection, said: “Our Trading Standards team believes it is vital consumers are able to recognise and reject scams, so avoiding large bills for near worthless holiday club memberships.”

For further advice, contact Consumer Direct on 08454 04 05 06, or visit www.consumerdirect.gov.uk/holidayclubs