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Scam it is! **Update!*

T

Tominator

Diamond Member
My wife got a call today from a person claiming to be from "Global."

He says my daughter entered a contest at the Walmart and won...

...A Dell Computer

...A 35mm camera and 100 rolls of film

...A vacation to the Bahamas

Value was supposed to be abpout $6000....

Fees were to be paid by credit card and billed in two installments of $179.

We were told that since my daughter was not 21, my wife and I could claim the prize.

I told him that if thought I was going to give out my CC or any personal info to someone via a phone call he was nuts!

He gave me a phone number 404-591-XXXX and said it was customer service. I have his employee number and a case number.

On Global's site they list a 1-800 number so unless this is a clearing house of somekind.......I smell something!

I've been busy installing a new heating and AC system so I did not research this during business hours but I will do just that tomorrow.

I know to ask about the IRS 1099 form and if the vacation could be sold to a third party or possibly any limits involving time.


Any other suggestions or questions that should be asked? Thanks in advance....


**Update!

Called the 404 number...no answer...boy was I surprised!😉

Called Global Travel...."We do not solicit via contests."
The Global Rep was not too interested in the details and did not act surprised or concerned. I had to insist the Rep tell her management the situation and my name and phone number.
I'll put them on my lst of companies that do not care about their reputations.

I plan on contacting the Illinois Attorney General and the local papers...

Thanks for the input.....🙂
 
when you "win" something,you win it, no CC payments from you required.. it's a scam steer clear
 
I would not give my credit card number to a stranger who called me out of the blue, no matter what they claimed I had "won."

Real contests do not ask for credit card info when you win. If you win more than a certain amount, they do need your social security number (so that they can report your earnings to the IRS,) but no legitimate contest should require that you pay a fee in order to claim a prize.
 
Maybe not a scam (strictly speaking, in the sense that you'll get nothing at all for your money), but I have no doubt the thing is loaded with fine print and certain obligations on your part. Look at it this way - ask enough questions so you can figure out what exactly they can be giving you such that 2x$179 will cover their costs.

I'm fairly certain that the 35mm camera will be some cheap plastic thing worth about $3, and the free film will mean one free replacement roll with every roll you pay them (whoever "they" are) to develop and print. Net value about zero.

You may be obligated to pay for either the transportation to the Bahamas, or the hotel once you are there (and they may specify the hotel, guaranteeing you'll pay enough for the hotel to make sure they cover the costs of what you thought you were getting for nothing). Who knows what the computer thing means. Maybe some 486/66 antique with a 5.25 floppy and no HDD. Perhaps they will generously allow you to upgrade to some P4 machine for the low, low price of only $800.

As baffled said, if you truly won something you would not be asked to pay anything. AT ALL. So if you are in the mood for detective work call them back and pepper them with questions until you can see what the catch is.
 
It is a scam. It is illegal to have to pay in order to collect a prize. If you have their info, report them to your state AG.
 
almost all the contests you enter by filling out a card at a store or mall are SCAMS

run away!! :Q
 
It smells of SCAM but if it's legit I'd do it if not for the "Dude your wife got a Dell" machine and the vacation.
 
Originally posted by: FoBoT
almost all the contests you enter by filling out a card at a store or mall are SCAMS

run away!! :Q
Click to expand...

Haha
Me and my gf always read the fine print on those things
There's one that's always in my mall park next to a fairly cheapie car like an Aerio or an Accord and you flip it over and it says that in order to win you must:
-Have an income of $70k or, if married, a combined income of $100k
-Agree to sit through a time share presentation
-Be 35 or older

We're reading it like WTF??!?!?! It's obviously just a schill to collect a target market...

Tominator, this thing sounds screwy, too.
 
Almost all telephone solicitations that say you have won a prize are scams. When you win a real contest with valuable prizes, they notify you by certified mail, they don't just call you up. And they for sure don't ask for your credit card number.
 
Sadly, by the time the law goes after this kind of scam, the perps have usually moved to another state to pull a similar stunt on a new batch of victims. Glad you didn't get taken, Tom.
 
There was a scam a few years back similar to this where they would claim you won a powerboat. They wanted $300.00 for shipping and the people that fell for it received a blow up raft and a battery powered motor. If I recall the total value of the junk was under $50.00.
 
If it sounds too good to be true, it always is. You'd be surprised how often people fall for this type of thing, especially the elderly. :|
 
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