Visited the Grand Designs Exhibition in London earlier in the month.
Got a call today saying that following me completing a survey I'd won a weeks holiday in Spain.
I had to confirm age bracket and that I owned a passport and my own home.
So what's the scam?
mark
Home owner with enough to buy a timshare/shared ownership/holiday club contract?
"mark" gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying:
high-pressure sales session.
They'll probably insist you spend a day at a high pressure sales event for a timeshare ...
They know when your house will be empty....
You've one a holiday? Is it for won or two?
That'll be in the ubiquitous Terms and Conditions - look very carefully there and make sure that no extras are forced upon you to pay.
If there are none, then congratulations and enjoy the week away from this country - but watch out for the 'hidden' time share dealers when you arrive.
Cash
The second prize is two weeks in Spain...
I haven't one, or won anything...
Won did spot that error on hitting send.
mark
the scam is that you haven't won anything, you are going to be sold a holiday...the holiday is 'free', but the flight supplements are £100 per person, the hotel supplements are £100 per person and their insurance is £100 per person, so your free holiday will set you back £600 for two people - you can get a weeks holiday in Spain for half that in any high street travel agent.
It's like those scratchcards where every one is a winner....'You have definately won one of the following: A villa in Tenerife A Mercedes-Benz £10,000 cash A diamond necklace An all expenses paid trip to Disneyland A £60,000 BMW
You have to ring a premium line @ a quid a minute for 5 minutes to find that you have won the diamond necklace, which is made of tin and has a diamond about half the size of a grain of sand in it, total value = less than 1p
Once they've collected enough identitfy theft data, you might not hear any more from them.
Good article here:
It has happened to me two, wonce or 2ice.
If that's all it is, go for it - my parents got a weeks holiday free in Dubrovnic, the only strings being that they had to spend half a day at a hotel in the Lake District for a sales talk before they were handed the vouchers.
SteveW
Which include: Booking Fee is non-refundable. A refundable security deposit may be required on arrival.
Vicki is calling me back on Tuesday to see what I think.
mark
I'll admit that once when very drunk in a hotel I picked up one of this cards and phoned the number. Spent about 15 minutes on the phone listening to the garbage until I hung up.
Checked out in the morning and sheepishly paid the =A385 telephone charge!!!!! I suspect the hotel profited more than the premium rate line!!!
Ooops!!!!
Matt
Yep that was the mob who nabbed me too (which was why I knew about the Grauniad article).
I was standing in the EasyJet queue at Malaga airport when an extremely attractive young lady with a clipboard asked me whether I'd like to take part in a free prize draw for something or other. Fool that I was (well, hell, I'm only male) I said OK and ended up parting with my jealously-guarded landline number. Two weeks later... "Surprise!!!"
David
Full marks for candour!
My wife's line to these people is "Have I really won a holiday, really, really? Well you can have it, then".
HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.