Scam or Legit?

[albertGQ]

So I was over at my dad's last night and there was a phone call for my brother who has moved back to Toronto for the school year. I take care of all his mail and everything else when he's out of Calgary. So I sometimes pretend I'm him just to make things easier (change his cell plan, reply to his mail, etc)

Anyway, apparently he signed up for some cruise contest. The phone call was to tell him that he won an eight day cruise for two valued at $3500 per person. She went on and on about what was included in the cruise. It sounded fantastic until she said all I needed to do to claim my prize was to give her my credit card number so she can charge me $299 per person ($598 total) as an administration/registration fee. I told her I wasn't going to give her my credit card number until she mailed me the package. She said the package contains pre-paid tickets, therefore she needed my credit card number. I asked her for her phone number, which she declined to give me.

She said she was calling to tell me of a great vacation where I'm only paying 10% of the cost. Normally I wouldnt' post this here and get your guys' feedback cause I'm positive it is a scam, but there is a tiny part of me that feels guilty for potentially ruining my brother's chances of going on a fantastic cruise for a fraction of the cost.

Should I feel guilty for maybe (most likely not) ruining a potentially phenomenal trip for him, or should he thank me for taking that call for him so he dind't have to waste 15 minutes of his life?

Thoughts?

[ken0042]

One of the oldest scams in the book. I'd go so far as to contact the police.

[photon]

It's not usually a scam, it's a promotional thing, Sample00 maybe could share more detail, but I remember having access to doing these when I had a travel agency.

Though when we did it the flights weren't included and they had to be purchased through the same vendor.

But yeah if she won't give out a phone # or anything, then it's either a scam or a promotion, not a real prize.

[albertGQ]

Originally Posted by photon

It's not usually a scam, it's a promotional thing, Sample00 maybe could share more detail, but I remember having access to doing these when I had a travel agency.

Though when we did it the flights weren't included and they had to be purchased through the same vendor.

But yeah if she won't give out a phone # or anything, then it's either a scam or a promotion, not a real prize.

Promotion like the cost was really only $600 or promotion like the $600 was really only a deposit and I'd have to pay for the rest?

[burn_baby_burn]

I woudn't feel bad. It isn't like you told her F O and hung up the phone. You saved your brother from getting screwed. Anytime it sounds too good to be true. It usually is.

[OILFAN #81]

Scam, no question. Same thing happened to my friend where he had to call a number back and was charged a ridiculous rate like $75 per minute.
I get calls about winning a cruise literally every week on my cell (which is wierd). I never answer them and then two days later it's the same call and again a month later. Total bs. SCAM!

[ken0042]

Found this link:
http://www.cruisemates.com/articles/...ravelscams.cfm

[greyshep]

Yeah my wife called me at work a couple years ago with one of these guys on the line.

Collossal waste of time and as far as I am concerned, a total scam. Took me a while to get him off the phone.

The "rewards" may be legit, but not exactly easy to use. Its funny I received a call from an autodialer just the other day leading off with the "you've won a trip to Florida...." click.

[photon]

Promotion as in the cost was only $600, but you'd have to buy the flights through the promotion company (at a normal flight price). Where they made the money was your spending when you got to the destination.

Mind you we always had to charge the taxes and stuff, and if she didn't mention taxes maybe it was just a normal scammer like ken0042 said.

Heh, one year I remember going to a show at the roundup centre and putting my business card into every one of the "enter for a free trip" things.. I won about 4 trips to vegas and 6 cruises within a few weeks.

[lifer]

Sounds similar to a phone call my girlfriend got a couple years ago. Her call wasn't just about a cruise though, it was a few nights accomodations in Florida, tickets to some attractions, and a cruise. They wanted us to pay for the flights, as well as about 300 bucks per person, but everything else was included. We didn't end up doing it, but looking in to it, it seemed like a decent deal. It was for a time share presentation as well though. That was the catch.
This is the group that was offering it to us: http://www.bluegreenonline.com/

The other similarity with your story is that we entered a draw for the trip, and they presented it to us as if we had won something. It turns out the raffle slip was just a way for them to get information to qualify us for the trip, because they called me a week later and told me that I "won" as well.

[Teh_Bandwagoner]

It's not a scam in the fact that the cruise does exist. However it's a scam in the fact that flight is not included and that it's not 10% of the actual value. It's more like... 95-100%. The cruise is probably worth the $400 "registration fee".

It's also a scam in the fact that your brother didn't "win" it. Basically they call every number out of those who entered the "contest" and tell them they've won. It's all really just a really crappy way of getting you to watch a 2-hour presentation on time shares.

Here's a link below regarding the scam:
http://boakes.org/ameri-scam/comment-page-66/

[burn_baby_burn]

At trade shows they allways have a booth somewhere with a free draw to some fancy resort. I woudn't enter one if you paid me. A total scam to get your contact information and harrass you for the rest of your life. Or at least untill you change your phone number.

[TheyCallMeBruce]

If I receive a call from anyone telling me I won something, but I have to pay X amount of dollars to get it, I just tell them, "Well, Ok" and not say anything. Then, if they ask for my credit card again, I'll say "Ok" and not do anything again. I'll probably keep doing this until they hang up.

[Dion]

Sounds like a scam to me.

There's no way i'd give someone my credit card # over the phone.

My respone would have been.......

Me: "Do you take me for some kind of a fool?"

She: "Well, ummm, no sir I don't"

Me: "Can I have your phone # please?"

She: "Sorry, I can't do that"

Me: "But you expect me to give you my card # ?"

Click!

[albertGQ]

Originally Posted by lifer

Sounds similar to a phone call my girlfriend got a couple years ago. Her call wasn't just about a cruise though, it was a few nights accomodations in Florida, tickets to some attractions, and a cruise. They wanted us to pay for the flights, as well as about 300 bucks per person, but everything else was included. We didn't end up doing it, but looking in to it, it seemed like a decent deal. It was for a time share presentation as well though. That was the catch.
This is the group that was offering it to us: http://www.bluegreenonline.com/

The other similarity with your story is that we entered a draw for the trip, and they presented it to us as if we had won something. It turns out the raffle slip was just a way for them to get information to qualify us for the trip, because they called me a week later and told me that I "won" as well.

I think I got the exact same thing last night. They also mentioned about Florida and some other attractions along with the cruise. $299 was what they charged per person too. And they said my brother entered last week and "won". I'm sure we're talking about the same company

[Ford Prefect]

No guilt necessary ... total scam. I get that call two or three times a month.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by Ford Prefect

No guilt necessary ... total scam. I get that call two or three times a month.

I get them twice a week. Always those stupid recorded messages.

I'm waiting for that live call to come along. Then the fun starts!