just won a cruise from one of those sign up things at a basketball game.. scam?

[Kevin1211]

So i went to a basketball game a couple months ago and was approached by one of those people with a stand inside the arena - it was to win a free cruise to the bahamas. Since all I needed to fill up was my name and number, I figured why not. They just called me and told me I was one of those picked for the cruise, but theres a catch: I have to attend 60min presentation about some product/service. After, I'll receive the voucher for the cruise. They said I have no obligation to buy anything. Question to you guys is: is this a scam? Will they somehow force me to buy something (I'd assume)?

 

[Beev]

Sounds like something similar to sitting through a timeshare pitch for a free toaster. I'd be cautious for sure.

 

[momeNt]

So i went to a basketball game a couple months ago and was approached by one of those people with a stand inside the arena - it was to win a free cruise to the bahamas. Since all I needed to fill up was my name and number, I figured why not. They just called me and told me I was one of those picked for the cruise, but theres a catch: I have to attend 60min presentation about some product/service. After, I'll receive the voucher for the cruise. They said I have no obligation to buy anything. Question to you guys is: is this a scam? Will they somehow force me to buy something (I'd assume)?

Pretty sure those are 60 minutes of them doing extremely high pressure sales. So if you can sit through that, not buy anything, and then also maybe not get the voucher, then you're golden

 

[brainhulk]

Is the cruise to mexico? If so, better bring your bulletproof vest and pocket money to pay off dirty federales

 

[purbeast0]

Is the cruise to mexico? If so, better bring your bulletproof vest and pocket money to pay off dirty federales

why don't you use your hulk brain and fucking read.

 

[spidey07]

Yep, timeshare scam.

 

[rh71]

you'll get it in the end, but you sit through a hard sell first.

 

[OutHouse]

why don't you use your hulk brain and fucking read.

hahahahahah

owned.

 

[kami333]

I've done the timeshare pitch a couple times, "oh, I didn't realize you don't allow pets" works really well as an excuse

The free cruise vouchers can be a waste of money depending on where they are going, the last one I got I ended up not using since after fees/taxes it just wasn't worth it to pay $~250/person and take 5 days off of work for a 3day/2night cruise.

 

[OutHouse]

I have to attend 60min presentation

get ready they will call you every 6 month for the next 5 years to sit in one of those time share scams.

I got suckered once a number of years ago. talk about high pressure, you watch a stupid video blasting you on how much of a asshat you are because you don't take your family on yearly vacations. after the video the high pressure is really poured on when you sit down with your adviser... 1000X worse than a car salesman.

every-time you say no they have a new angle to hit you with. at first its amusing and a game but it quickly turns into seething rage.

 

[OutHouse]

I've done the timeshare pitch a couple times, "oh, I didn't realize you don't allow pets" works really well as an excuse

The free cruise vouchers can be a waste of money depending on where they are going, the last one I got I ended up not using since after fees/taxes it just wasn't worth it to pay $~250/person and take 5 days off of work for a 3day/2night cruise.

AND airfare will add another 600 bucks to your bill. depending of course where you are flying from to flordia. i was looking at a cruise 2 months ago to take my wife on for her birthday which is on monday. I found one on sale which was like 250 a person but the damn airfare was 299.00-320.00 each for me and my wife.... no thanks.

 

[spidey07]

Hell, the cruise industry is hurting so bad after the accident they're practically giving away cruises.

 

[kranky]

If you are not 100% certain you can withstand the most intense high-pressure sales tactics, do not go. Those people are masters at countering any and all excuses you can throw out, and eventually you will run out of reasons not to sign. That's when they can often bully people into buying the thing since they feel like they have no more reasons not to.

Your best defense is to not offer excuses at all. Just say no, you don't want <the thing> they are selling. Don't explain why because that is their opening to refute your position. Don't say you don't have the money, the time, your grandmother is sick, nothing. Your answer is "No, I don't want that. I just don't want it."

"But why? Isn't it obvious this is a great opportunity? Help me understand why you don't want to take advantage of this one-day offer where you can save thousands!"

"I just don't want it."

"Is it the cost? Let me talk to my manager, maybe I can get you an even better deal since you seem to be the type of person we want for our resort. I think I could get another 10% off the price."

"I just don't want it."

Repeat as required.

 

[Cal166]

Hell, the cruise industry is hurting so bad after the accident they're practically giving away cruises.

THAT and the recent power outage on a cruise ship that left everyone sleeping outside their rooms for a night.

 

[SearchMaster]

Also understand that a lot of those "Caribbean cruises" are junkets on substandard ships, not major cruise lines.

 

[NoCreativity]

Sat through something like this before. Ended up getting a phone number to call at the end of the thing so I could claim my voucher. Figured it was just more run-around so chalked one up to lesson learned.

 

[Aharami]

If you are not 100% certain you can withstand the most intense high-pressure sales tactics, do not go. Those people are masters at countering any and all excuses you can throw out, and eventually you will run out of reasons not to sign. That's when they can often bully people into buying the thing since they feel like they have no more reasons not to.

Your best defense is to not offer excuses at all. Just say no, you don't want <the thing> they are selling. Don't explain why because that is their opening to refute your position. Don't say you don't have the money, the time, your grandmother is sick, nothing. Your answer is "No, I don't want that. I just don't want it."

"But why? Isn't it obvious this is a great opportunity? Help me understand why you don't want to take advantage of this one-day offer where you can save thousands!"

"I just don't want it."

"Is it the cost? Let me talk to my manager, maybe I can get you an even better deal since you seem to be the type of person we want for our resort. I think I could get another 10% off the price."

"I just don't want it."

Repeat as required.

yep. that's exactly what I did back in 2007. Stayed for free at hotels in Orlando, Daytona, and GBI for a total of 12 days just by attending timeshare shows (one in each city) and saying no. It wasnt so bad because the bahamas portion was only 2 days, and I just extended it by 3 more days by paying out of pocket. I dont think I'd do a free cruise deal because you cant extend the vacation with free cruise.

I wouldnt do it again though. Too much hassle with sales calls after the trip. I still get calls now

 

[SlitheryDee]

I knew a guy who got a call from someone claiming that he had won a brand new Lincoln. He drove out to collect his prize, and they handed him a keychain with a tiny plastic lincoln towncar hanging off of it and tried to sell him a condo.

 

[Schfifty Five]

They tell everyone who signed that they won a cruise as long as they come to that 60 min presentation.

 

[Miramonti]

I agree with Kranky. They got friends of mine to buy a $40k condo timeshare in Las Vegas, where they spend one week each year. Costs them something like $400/mo too. Strange thing is that he is the weak one for sales tactics, she is the strong one, and she said "let's do it."

We were blown away. And yes, they regret it but do enjoy their annual pilgrimages to sin city.

(Their 'freebie' was a set of flights to sin city with the only requirement being to attend this pitch.)

 

[oynaz]

These scam meetings can be great fun. I have a couple of friends who had a hobby which consisted of seeing how absurd they possibly behave at such a meeting.

I joined them for a Scientology recruiting meeting once. I kept asking for Portuguese books about cows. Amazing what you can get away with when people are trying to sell you something. We friends were truly absurd, but I cannot remember what they did. Something about squid, I think.

What jerks we were we were younger.

 

[Aharami]

you mean $400/year, right?

 

[rudder]

Also understand that a lot of those "Caribbean cruises" are junkets on substandard ships, not major cruise lines.

And you may be asked to board another ship at sea and shake down those passengers.

 

[Feneant2]

I wouldn't go... they are heavy on the pressure and it is NEVER as little as 60 minutes.

We did the session in Vegas and my wife decided she wanted to buy one after they kept going lower and lower in price until you may own a week every few years . we paid it off in a year and actually have stayed at a couple of other timeshares now. The places are really not that bad, some are even extremely nice, it's like renting an apartment instead of staying at a hotel. But if you ever want to break even you need to use it for every week you bought and it would still take probably 10-20 years to repay the purchase.

It's simple really, if you want a timeshare (maybe your parents dropped you on the head as a child?), check Ebay or a timeshare forum- people will give you theirs for the cost of the closing to transfer. For some that may even be worth it- if one is 400$ a year in maintenance and you get a free week it's technically 57$ a night in addition to whatever you paid to own it. So for the sucker who bought at full price, the first 10 years it's more like 250$ a night and when you're caught up then it goes down in price. And then you need to buy a membership if you want to trade it, etc etc etc.

Worst.Decision.Ever

 

[kami333]

AND airfare will add another 600 bucks to your bill. depending of course where you are flying from to flordia. i was looking at a cruise 2 months ago to take my wife on for her birthday which is on monday. I found one on sale which was like 250 a person but the damn airfare was 299.00-320.00 each for me and my wife.... no thanks.

Flights were included, but really inconvenient since they left my city at 9am the on day1 and I would have to have a hotel in Miami for that night, then day2-4 were on the boat, then have to have another hotel when I got back to Miami and finally flying home on the afternoon of day5. It would have been one thing had I had a bunch of vacation days to spend but it just wasn't worth it to lose those 5days when I could get them paid out when I quit my job.