Weird calls about prizes/vacations, what's the catch?

Question

I'm sure everyone gets calls about prizes they've won for contests they never entered.

Where are these calls coming from?

What happens when you "press 1 to accept your prize"?

What's in it for the callers?

And if they are just scams... how are these people allowed to keep calling, nagging, and cheating people?

Has anyone actually tried getting their "prize", what happened?

Answer 1

If you are in the United States log on to

www.donotcall.gov/register/Reg.aspx

and register your landlines and cell phones on the federal do not call list.

This will reduce the number of calls you get.  The only people who are allowed to call you with sales pitches are:

  1. Charities

  2. People you have done business with

  3. Politicians seeking your money

Anyone else who calls is subject to fines of up to $11,000 per call.

Hope this helps

Jerry-the-bookkeeper

Answer 2

The calls are coming from high-pressure sales people.

If you press 1 to accept your prize they know they have a good phone number to call again and again.  Sometimes if you press 1, the call will disconnect.  They just want to know if the number is good and if somebody will press 1.  It's a sign that they might have a "live one" and they'll call back in a couple of weeks with more "offers".

The callers are doing their best to separate you and your money.  They manage to make enough money to keep doing this.  Don't let the money they make include an of yours.

Until enough people complain and an investigation turns up actual wrong doing on the part of the company they can call as many times as they like.  Get on the "Do Not Call" list to help stop this.  

If you actually try to get a prize you probably would get something worthless to you.  You might get a "free" vacation but would need to use their travel company and pay for transportation costs to their resort.  They get enough money from the transportation costs to cover the "free" resort stay.  

Answer 3

Check out

http://hiddenresources.blogspot.com/sear...

Here you will get latest available offers, contests over various websites.

You can can win cool prizes like giftmate vouchers etc. or you can have a opportunity to recieve free samples.

Answer 4

Some are probably scams.  But most are sales pitches for time shares or vacation property.

I don't get those kind of calls.  My phone number is listed on the Do Not Call list.  I also don't sign up for things and use my phone number.  That way, I don't show up on those mass mailing and solictation lists.