This past summer, I discovered Charity Folks. It's an auction system. I wanted to meet Reba McEntire in Craven, Saskatchewan, Canada. She performed there on July 15 of this year.
Before I bid on this backstage pass, I emailed the company some questions.
The last one was answered by a Shannon Kane. Shannon is a woman, I know because I talked to her on the phone. She told me I could contact her personally from then on if I had any more questions.
She told me that Reba's management is in charge of backstage passes. And that she, personally tells Reba's management the names of winning bidders.
I bid on and won this backstage pass. It cost me $475 in American funds. It was $517 Canadian.
I went to Regina, stayed in a motel, and was supposed to take a shuttle bus to Craven. I phoned the Jamboree in Craven from my motel room to confirm that I was to be meeting Reba.
I told the employee my name, and mentioned this backstage pass. He asked me where I got it, he said that they weren't selling them. I mentioned Charity Folks to him, and he told me that the only backstages available were through their radio station. He also said my name should've been on their list, it wasn't, and he told me I wouldn't get near the place. I mentioned Will Call the place where people attending performances go to pick up their tickets and backstage passes. Shannon told me to go there and ask for what I'd won. This Jamboree employee talked to a Will Call employee, and he'd never heard of me either.
I told the Jamboree employee that I was told that Reba's management is in charge of her backstage passes. He said that her management has nothing to do with the passes.
There was a computer in the motel's lobby. I emailed Shannon. She told me not to worry, to just go to Craven anyway, and that I'd get a call from Reba's management sometime on July 15 the same day as her performance. Her performance started at 7pm Craven time. I gave Shannon the motel's general number and told her that the person that was to call me should phone that number, and ask for me. No call came.
I talked to another Jamboree employee the morning after I had spoken to the first worker. She told me the same thing. That backstage passes for Reba were only available through their radio station, and when I mentioned Charity Folks, she told me I could phone the police if I wanted to if I figured I had come across a fraudulent site.
I decided not to attend Reba's performance, after being given this information from the Jamboree. I just didn't feel comfortable. Since I was told over the phone that I wouldn't get near the place, I figured I'd be turned away in person.
I had sent Shannon more emails regarding this. She told me not to listen to the Jamboree. She told me that those two employees I talked to were venue workers who were only hired for the summer and didn't have all the information. She said those backstage passes come with Reba and aren't there until she herself is. Charity Folks listed Habitat For Humanity as the seller of those passes.
In the meantime, the motel's computer had come down with a virus, and couldn't be used until Monday morning, the day after Reba's show. Shannon had sent me an email the day before telling me to go to Craven and ask for Lindsay.
I sent Shannon another email, and told her that I chose not to attend, and why. She chided me and told me that she said not to listen to the Jamboree.
And that Reba's camp was there waiting for me to pick up the backstage pass and ticket. She said she couldn't believe that I didn't attend.
I explained my situation to the cab driver who drove me from the motel to the Greyhound Bus depot. He thought that there was something wrong with Charity Folks. He had a copy of a Regina newspaper, which showed a picture of Reba at her show.
A while after I got home I talked to Shannon on the phone again, and asked her why that call she told me I'd get never came. She told me that Reba's management had gotten the wrong number. I gave her the right number. I made sure that there were no typos when I sent it to her.
To sum it up, I was counting on meeting Reba, went there for nothing, and lost my money. And was extremely disappointed.
There have been more auctions for Reba backstage passes. Charity Folks sent me an email telling me about an auction alert. It was for a backstage pass for Reba's tour next year. Anyone interested could bid on a pass for a Reba performance of their choice.
I closed my account with them, and asked to be taken off their email list.
Seriousbusiness
Edmonton, Alberta
Canada
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