From: Scott.Johnson@FtCollinsCO.NCR.COM ( Scott Johnson)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: Is it a Scam????
Date: 9 Nov 92 09:41:07 GMT
	<1992Nov6.200318.15484@cbnewsi.cb.att.com>
Distribution: na
Organization: NCR Microelectronics, Ft. Collins, CO
In-reply-to: calvin@cbnewsi.cb.att.com's message of 6 Nov 92 20:03:18 GMT

>>>>> On 6 Nov 92 20:03:18 GMT, calvin@cbnewsi.cb.att.com (scott.a.kaye) said:


s> 	I've been reading this group for a while, and I am hoping someone out
s> there can help me.  Yesterday in the mail I received a postcard from 21st
s> Century Travel in Lakeland Fl stating that I have won a Carribean Cruise for
s> 2.  It states that I have 72 hours to respond, or I will lose the prize.  The
s> card looks like it is hand written, but on closer examination, I have come
s> to the decision that it was done on a printer as the letters are exactly alike.
s> My question is, is this some kind of scam??  How would they know when I 
s> received the card to judge if I called within the time limit??  I figure I 
s> could call and find out, but have heard about some of these 800 numbers
s> mysteriously turning into toll calls, and don't want to be caught.  Has 
s> anyone out there actually called and gotten the prize??
s> 				Thanks in advance,
s> 					Scott
s> -- 
s>     Scott Kaye				  "Were going to need another Timmy."	
s>     AT&T			    		-Mr. Lizard               
s>     100 Southgate Pkwy			   I can't speak for myself, so how 
s>     Morristown, NJ  07960		   could I speak for AT&T?

I guess it probably depends on your definition of a scam.  Personally, I
would think that yes, it is a scam, just cause why would some company
want to give you something for nothing?  Anyway, I got a similar card
not long ago, so just for fun, I called it up. (800 number).  Well, she
goes off on this whole long spiel about the cruise, the islands we could
visit, etc. etc.  She then said, we assume that you are a major credit
card holder (i.e. somehow they get a hold of names of credit card
holders).

Tells me that for only $130 each, we can go on this 6 day cruise, as
long as we can find our way to Florida, sit through a 1/2 day
presentation on their resorts, and (here's the one I love), tell them
yes NOW on the phone and give them my credit card number.  Well, first I
ask if we can think about it and call them back.  "No, sir, we have
already entered your PIN number from your post card and if you call back
it will lock you out because you only have this phone call."  I then
explain that there are thousands of cases of fraud out there, so why in
hell would I be stupid enough to give my credit card number to someone I
don't know from Adam? "Well, sir, we understand your concern, so just to
let you know, over 200,000 (or some high number) of people have already
taken advantage of this incredible offer" Yeah, I explain, I just get
done asking you how I know this is not a scam and you tell me that a) I
am supposed to believe you at all, and b) if I do believe that 200,000
people have "taken advantage" then how do I know that they weren't all
just scammed?  Third attempt - can I just have 10 minutes to call the
Florida (or that particular city's) Better Business Bureau, then call
you right back? "Hold on, I'll ask my manager"....Now I get this picture
of her stitting there chatting with her friend.  Much like the picture I
get when the car salesman goes in the back room to talk to his manager
about my offer and is really having a smoke with a buddy doing the same
:-)

Anyway, she says "sorry, the better business bureau closed at 7:30 (it
was 7:35), and we can't bend the rules and let you call back tomorrow".
Ugh, sorry! <click>.  Now I _SUPPPOSE_ it is possible that the BBB
actually did close at 7:30, but doesn't that seem a little coincidental
and a weird time for a business to be closing?

Well, just thought I would give everyone a laugh.  Oh, BTW, I forget the
name of this place.  I thought about calling back to see if everyone
really got the same number of if they would lock me out next time, but I
threw away the post card in disgust that there were actually people that
would fall for this.  Not that they were necessarily offering a bad deal
in itself, but that they did it in such a consumer unfriendly manner.  I
figure that it is sad that if people fall for this (possibly, though
doubtfully) real offer, how easy scams can be run.  sigh.

-Scott
--
-----------------------------------------------------------
E-Mail:  Scott.Johnson@FtCollinsCO.NCR.com
	 uunet!ncrlnk!ncr-mpd!Scott.Johnson
My opinions are mine and mine alone (unless I only live in your dream, in
which case they are yours and I denounce all responisbility).
GA to SK
Newsgroups: misc.consumers