Regarding:
Vacation Network
Awards and Claims Center
3820 Mansell Rd.
Parkside Terrace East, Suite 180
Alpharetta, GA
1-866-999-3703 X268
Kevin Hevner/Hefner
Last night (9/6/06) I received a msg from Kevin Hevner/Hefner on my voice mail telling me to call back asap for exciting news: I have been selected to win one of 5 top prizes!!! I could win a Caddy Escalade, A TV worth $600, $30,000 in cash, something else, or a trip for two. He warned me that "today is Wednesday, tomorrow is Thursday, and we are closed tomorrow, so you better act fast and call right away."
Although skeptical, I called back anyway, just to see what this is all about, I mean, I am not trying to miss any opportunities, right? What if I'd actually won something!?!
I called back and was instructed to leave my name and number, and he would call me back. Ten minutes later I get a phone call from him saying that there isn't much time left, (they were about to get off at 9pm) and he had only about 7 mins to tell me about my rewards. (He was really excited and rushed about it, too.)
I was told that I had to be 25-70 years old. He asked me if I had a household income of at least $30K/yr. When I paused to decide whether to give out this information (or confirm or deny), he told me to just say yes. (At the beginning or my return call, the voice message system said my calls are monitored for 'quality assurance purposes', so I thought it was strange for him to be goading me on.) Then he asked me if I had a major credit card (alarms went off). I said yes, to see what he would need it for.
He assured me that this was not a telemarketing call, a timeshare, or solicitation call as well.
He stated that the reason they need me to bring my credit card was to assure that I was "travel ready" and they would not obtain any information from the card, "they just want to see it. And will immediately hand it back to you after confirming that it is yours and is valid." - yeah, okay.
He proceeded to give me a claim number (ABC-123), asked me if I could get to Alpharetta, GA ("Is that going to be a problem for you?") for a 90 min presentation the next day. Next he gave me my instructions, which were to come alone—no children or pets or hanger's on, and to bring ID.
I replied, "so you are saying that I would have to come by myself?" He came back with, "Is that going to be a problem?" Then he asked me if I was married and when I told him I was thinking about coming with my brother, he said he would have to put me down as "involved", whatever that meant, because "we cannot give vacation packages away to single men."
WAIT, I thought he said I could win one of FIVE prizes?"So you're saying that I have won the vacation?" He tried to clean it up, but the damage was done and he started to stumble over his words. "At the end of the presentation, you will be given a scratch off ticket that will have one of five prizes on it, " then he proceeded to tell me again about the different prizes.
Next he asked me if I could come to the 90 presentation at one of three times: early morning, around noon and early afternoon.
WAIT, I thought he said they were closed tomorrow? How are they going to give a presentation when they are closed? I didn't say anything to him about his conflicting statements, I just proceeded to play along with him, taking notes of our conversation and responding where appropriate.
When I asked him about what the 90 min presentation was about, he said it was just an awards and information thingy, nothing to worry about, it would be over before I knew it.
He reconfirmed the information he'd given me and told me he would call the next day to register me. "CONGRATULATIONS!!!"
*Back in the early 90's, I worked for a marketing firm that sent notices to people informing them of winning a prize. When they called in, they were told that they won either money, a car, or a trip—which they could claim only if they bought $500 worth of cosmetics! I lasted one day, and not all of that, maybe two hours with training time. I actually went to sit in the car for the remainder of my shift, never made one call. They were busted two days later for fraud and scams.
This sounds alot like that to me, so I decided to do my homework on the internet and found this spot. Seems like people as far as TX and FL have been victim to the same script, same m/o. I just wanted everyone to know that it's in Atlanta/Alpharetta now.
It just seemed too good to be true. And I needed it to be true. Heck, I'm broke with no car and in need of a vacation!
When he called and left a message on my vm, he didn't ask for my name and I don't offer one on my vm, just in case. The only thing I have signed up for lately is a job—so you know I don't have money to waste. I only have a cell phone, so he didn't get my information from the white/yellow pages.
-I was instructed to call back and leave my name and number.
-He didn't ask for me by name on the initial call
-I was told someone signed me up for a givaway
-Only my family, friends and potential employers have my number
-I was told (initially) to come alone
-ALARM!!! Alarm!!! ALARM!!!
-I was told to bring a major credit card
-But I am going to claim something I've won, right?
-I was told how much money I made without confirmation from me
-"Just say yes" was what he said on a "monitored" call
-I was told I had to be over 25 under 70,
-Usually you only have to be 18 or 21 for a sweepstakes
-I was told I only had 7 mins,
-I took 15 with questions
-I was told they would be closed tomorrow
-But they were having THREE presentations that next day
Please read what others have said about Vacation Network—those who actually went to the presentations and lost money, and tell people.
With the country at war, gas prices soaring, and the economy hurting, we don't need more suffering, scams or lies.
Each one Teach one
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