I received a phone call on my answering machine from a "Paul" who said I won "one of four prizes". I was told to call back the number 877 256-7894 to claim my prize. Once I called, I was on hold for about 15 minutes when I decided that this had to be a scam and I hung up.
But curiosity got the best of me and I called back about half an hour later and waited this time for approximately 6 minutes for a "Walter" to come to the phone.
He explained to me that I had won a prize by entering a contest within the last 12-24 months, most likely online, he wasn't sure. I wasn't too sold on his whereabouts on how I "entered" the contest but I listened to him anyway, just to see where the conversation was going next. I asked him what the catch was and he said there was no catch. I asked him how much I had to pay and he said I could leave my credit cards and wallet home for that matter, as long as I had 2 forms of ID then I would have no problem claiming.
So I asked him, "ok, so what do I have to sell?" and he said "nothing". I asked him if upon going to this location to recieve my prize, would I be attacked and would they implant microchips in me, he laughed and said no such thing was going to happen.
Well, I thought, what do I have to lose? He stated that I had to bring my "significant other or husband" and that I couldn't bring any family members or my child. When I questioned him as to why, he responded that they didn't need to have children running all around and that they wanted to get us "in and out as quickly as possible". Oh, he also said that we had to make more than 40 grand individually or combined in order to receive the car because they wanted to make sure we could pay the taxes on the vehicle.
Well, as I pondered this, he interrupted my train of thought by saying that he could fax me the information if I felt more comfortable with that.
So I gave him my work fax, he called me back after like 25 minutes to ensure that I had received it. I told him that as I was home now, I couldn't check until I got to work.
Well, I went to work at 8 this morning (March 3) and lo and behold, the fax was there waiting. I read the information eagerly, just trying to make sure that there wasn't any red tape or fine lines.
As I read, and reread, I gave it to my co-workers and discussed the possibilities of recieving this prize, which I was told could be a Lexxus (cash value 30 Grand), a Tahoe (cash value 30 Grand), a Paid Vacation for two (they included spelling errors on this one), or a 27" color television.
My co-workers and I figured that this was a scam to sell timeshares or vacations and that all I would have to do was show up, listen for 90 minutes of my life, say no, and then go get my TV because I did not think after all that talking that they would give me anything worthy of a substantial prize.
As the day progressed, I decided that I wasn't going to go. I came home, and I was talking on the phone to my husband when I received an incoming call (call waiting). It was the contest people.
I told my husband "it's the contest people" and how odd since we were just talking about the situation. I clicked over and was welcomed by a man's voice who said, and I quote: "Can I lick your *ussy". I said "EXCUSE ME!?! Who the hell is this?" and he said "A secret admirer". I said, "hold on now, what the hell is this? Please don't call here again."
At first, I thought that perhaps the caller ID was just messed up or something. That is until he called back.
I clicked over again and he repeated the same question. I asked him who he was and again he said an admirer. I said how did you get my number and he said "from a friend". So I said to him, "this is the freaking number for the contest people. You came up on my caller ID. Please don't say anything else to me or I will be forced to record this conversation" and I proceeded to hang up on him. I clicked back over to my husband and was explaining the craziness when he called yet AGAIN.
Same question, same answer. I finally said to him, please do not call here again. I am calling the police.
He hung up.
I called the police, they came over within 30 minutes. I filed a report and I am going to get that report number tomorrow so that I can call Verizon to get an authorized call report.
Who knows what would have happened to me if I went there to the location he mentioned, which by the way is:
Vacation Station
1660 Walt Whitman Road
Suite 115
Melville, NY 11747
Upon researching this company or whatever it is, I came across some interesting information.
First, on the BBB website, they have two totally different locations for the numbers that they gave me. Here it is:
Holiday Vacations
100 W. 22nd St
Lombard, IL 60148
Tel: 877 256-7879
This is the number they told me to call if I had any questions.
Prize Claim Center
7201 W. 110th ST
Suite 210
Overland Park, NS 66210
Tel: 877 256-7894
This is the number I was told to initially call back.
708 539-2373 is the number of the freak that called me. This number is from Sonnenechein Financial Services.
How did this company get mixed up in here? This is the same number, less the last three digits, that were on the return fax number from Walter.
The fax number from what Walter sent me was: 708 539-2106
So what is going on here? I hope to God that this isn't some kind of scam to get more than just my money.
It was definetly scary listening to a complete stranger humiliate me on the phone in that manner.
I am taking further action.
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