Got an automated call saying "If you wish to win a free cruise vacation" press 1; to be removed from this list press 2.
So I press one (dumb!) thinking he's my chance to get my parents a vacation.
Then some marketing dude says he's calling on behalf of Dream Resorts, which is a new travel agency that's offering a free Royal Carribean/Carnaval cruise. All I have to do is go to the "Dream Resorts store" at the Stoneridge Mall in Pleasanton and go over the vacation plan; no timeshare, no obligation to purchase anything... It's just "a word of mouth" marketing thing. I asked for a website, they said they don't have one. They said they only had one for customer service. I asked for testimonials / references; none. They said that it would be on the Third floor of the mall... No specific store number. (By this point you would think... Okay, this doesn't seem right... No info on these people... Hang up the phone but I continue).
The guy, Cody, said I'd get a call to confirm my appointment with the appointment number. He got our first name and last, and my email address.
I went on the Stoneridge Mall website to confirm the location of the store; Not listed in the directory. Call the Mall operator, no store exists, and they only have 2 floors! I immediately call back and get this rep who says they are a marketing firm that works for Dream Resorts but are not affiliated. I asked the name for the marketing firm, he said "I actually don't know the name of it". I responded..."you mean to tell me you do not know the name of the company you work for"? I get transfered to the reservations person and she says, oh well the store is not open yet, it's opening tomorrow... And the operator may not know that. WHAT??!!? Okay so I'm telling the lady, remove me from the list, remove all the contact info.
So that's my Glengarry Glen Ross moment, but luckily I caught it before it was too late. Who knows what kind of stunt they would have pulled... They might have asked for credit card to hold the tickets... Who knows... But it sure was fishy. Beware folks... If it's too good to be true... It is!!!
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