Tuesday, June 28, 2011

AB promotions, vacations and more...

As I suspected I guess I am a magnet for scams and ads that I do not need in my life having in mind how busy I am and people around me. I got a call from 760-705-888, a guy with an Indian accent explained that I am a winner of one of four prizes - TV, $2500, a car ( I did not understand what kind) or a vacation. Of course I did not believe him, but I decided to listen to him. On my question what I played so I am a winner, he said I spend $35 or more in one of their outlet malls (good one, every woman spends money in the outlets). Then he asked me if I am married. I decided to lie and I said I am single, but he immediately said, but you are dating right, because otherwise you cannot be qualified for taking your prize. Weird...Then he asked me if I earn $50k or more a year. I just started answering everything with yes, just to see what will happen. Then he transferred me to his manager (also with Indian accent), who scheduled an appointment for me to go in their office, which is located 1425 Tri-State Parkway Unit 130. Gurnee, IL 60085 and take my prize. I had to go there and listen to some kind of presentation, then I have to go on the stage and play for one of the four prizes. I knew this was the next not worth time consuming crap and of course decided to research first. So, according to the forums, this is time sharing company that will make you listen to some ad presentation for 90 minutes, and then you will pick one of the prizes, WHICH most of the time is 3 days vacation for which you have to even pay fees. Since I am a very busy person, I decided not to go and lose my time even if I win the vacation. I would lose my time if I know that I will pick one of the other prizes, which I suspect do not exist, or at least no one pick yet among people who discuss this in the forums.

So in order for this timesharing company to get more customers they call and tell you that you won a prize. I am guessing if you are female they use the lie for the mall shopping, and if male something else like entered drawing online. Smart right, who do not spend money in the malls or draw for something online, or most of us don`t even remember if we play about something, when and what...When people attend those presentations I am sure they manage to sell whatever they want to at least 2-3 people. That is why they ask how much you earn, because they need people with money and time to use their vacation packages. On the other side people who call make you answer their questions with yes, in order to qualify and make a crowd on the presentations, but they do not realize that no one will use their vacations because of lack of money and time.

29 comments:

  1. omg I am soo glad to have come across your blog. I just now received a call from this "Anchor Bay" company, who proclaimed they were newly "Up and Coming". They did the exact same thing to me. I'm such a sucker for winning! LOL Thanks so much for sharing! Hearing your story about it, made me laugh so hard at myself because of a) how gullible I really am b) the stupidity of these dumb people who lie to try to lure in 'winners' and c) making me waste my perfect weekend Saturday just to make it there in Gurnee to hear them yap about time sharing. THANKS! :)

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  2. Hey I am very glad that this helps. I have been sick and tired of these people losing my time and lying to me. Thanks for your great comment.

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  3. Yap your right
    I just received a call now this evening
    About the same think , I could not hear the guy who spoke broken English
    The back round was very noisy , I can hardly hear what he was trying to tell me !
    3 day 2 night vacation round trip with air fair ! Then he offered me extra 30$ in dinner for red lobster ! But every time I ask him ,if it's a time share he changes the subject ! Then his manager can on line yapping about I must be their on time seats are available only for the winners !!
    I had a felling that this to good to be true !! Yap I was right all along
    Thanks for sharing you store ! Any mine also
    Go bears !!

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  4. Sorry I had a few drinks ! When writing this ! Missed spelled a few words !!
    GO BEARS !!!

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  5. I am glad I can help so people do not loose their time. Thanks for the comments.

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  6. Same exact phone number and address in Gurnee. This is a typical scam I have seen in the past where a call center based out of India or some other Asian country is given several phone numbers to call and try to entice the caller into giving up information about themselves or others. DO NOT BUY INTO THEIR SCAM. It is amazing how much information is floating out on the internet, even of those who think they are effective in protecting their identity. Be vigilant and knowledgeable of their information gathering techniques!

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  7. Good to know. I just received a call from them tonight. It was a 773 area code. her name is charmaine. I was excited for a minute. And of course too good to be true!! Thanks for sharing. I'm glad I didn't waste my time!!

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  8. I received the very same call, exact same routine, on my cell phone which really had my scam-alert signal on. I keept asking how they got my cell number and was told I had filled out an entry form at a Sony store (over a year ago). I got as far as having to assure them that I was between 30 and 67 (not) so our conversation ended.

    I have decided NOT to fill out any more "Sweepstakes" entry forms ever again.

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    Replies
    1. I just recieved a call that I won a f-150pickup,25,000,32in flat screan tv,or a cruise,but ,i,m single,and do not make 1,000 dollers a week,I got the name sam rodruiguez,he told me I won the pickup# 1 prize ,until I told him iI was dis-abled,that a pretty rotton joke ,they don,t give eny rules everone is eleigble,they use a phone servise,that will not hook you to no one so do not fill enything out at the regency mall,in racine wi. low lifes?think?

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  9. I got a similar call today. "Paul" gave me a call back number.I thought it was odd that the incoming call had a California area code, 661, and the call back number had a Washington DC area code, 202. That is when I found this sight. As Gomer Pyle would say,"Thank you, thank you, thank you".

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  10. I just got a call and it was exactly the same but when I got a manager he was a little rude so I decided to mess with him and he asked me to quit wasting his fucking time and I was but I want to spend millions on your time share or what other crap you are really offering.

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  11. I'm so happy to come across your blog, too! I got a phone call from "Jessica" a couple of days ago (from a 630 area code number) saying that my husband and I "won a raffle from the Chicago Auto Show." Now, we filled out a few raffles at the Auto Show to try to win a new car, but we are pretty sure we didn't enter for a "monster truck" or "Vegas vacation for 3d/2n." Unfortunately, I got as far as setting up an appt to speak with the travel agent (which we would have to drive to 1425 Tristate Pkwy in Gurnee, IL to claim our "prize", but now that I read your blog, I will be cancelling that appt and steering clear of their scam! (Also, reading through other people's comments, I read that the company's name is Anchor Bay Vacations?) Anyways, I knew it was too good to be true...thanks for the heads up, everybody!

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  12. They tryed to get me today. I am glad that I was sure that the indian guy was lying. Due to the fact that he said I needed to have my wife / girl friend to come with me in order to cliam my prize. and I had to come @ a certian time.

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  13. Just got the call and when I didn't want to answer his question on how much money we made, I hung up on him. He called back and asked if we got disconnected. I told him "no" I hung up on him b/c I told him I wasn't answering his question. Then, I told him I wanted to speak to someone who didn't have such a thick accent b/c I couldn't understand what he was saying. He put his "supervisor" on the phone and he was just as bad! I told him that I am at work and asked if this was going to take long. He said yes, so I told him I wasn't interested and hung up again. I am glad I found your blog. The number was different, but the set-up with the 4 prizes and the questions were exactly the same. Thanks for the info!

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  14. Thanks to all of you for the comments! I recently put my number in this National do not call registry, and I have had no cold calls since then. However, they send me nice letters of that I won those prizes and invitation to call them and discuss how to get my prizes :) I am glad you guys did not lose your time. Thanks again for the comments.

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  15. Just got the call myself. I listened to him while I searched. When I told him that this is obviously a scam from a time-share company and that I'm not drivingt to 1895 Rohling St. in Rawling Meadows, he got pissed. Should have hung up on him right away.

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  16. Yep just got the same call on my cell. Also wanted me to go to 1895 Rohling RD. They would be far more sucessfull if they found someone that could speak clear english.

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  17. I just rec'd the same call today and when I asked if I won such a prize and you have my number - then tell me what my name is... Needless to say the men both with the Idian accent couldn't do that. So I told them this is a bunch of bullshit, don't call me again! As I was searching the info on the INTERNET as he was telling me and giving me the address to 1895 Rohlwing Road, Ste. A, Rolling Meadows, IL 60008.

    PPl will try anything - wrong girl to pull this mess on!

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  18. I got a call from them Monday evening. Same thing, couldn't understand all that the Asian guy was saying. Then he put his supervisor on which was not much better. I ended up setting up an appointment for today at 5:45pm. Then I decided to do some research and found your blog. I cancelled my appointment... Thanks for the infor....

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  19. I got this call today, exact same scenario. My phone kept dropping him, but he was determined to finish the "winning offer". this was one time I was glad my calls were dropping. LOL

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  20. Then they lead you to this page:
    http://www.yourconfirmationletter.com/

    And you will get one of these !!!!!!
    - Dodge Durango SXT or $25,000.
    - $2500 to spend as you wish
    - A Fabulous getaway Vacation
    - 14" Toshiba Satellite Laptop

    Sure you will. I'll bet you $100 that everyone gets a "Fabulout getaway vacation", which is a pile of crap.

    A long time ago, when I was bored and poor I went to one of these scams. After listening to a hour of time-share sales I said I had to leave and wanted my free stuff. I "won" the "fabulous home sound system" which was the cheapest pile of junk ever manufactured.

    Don't waste your time.







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  21. Wow, I just got this call today from 661-748-0240 from the Indian guy. Even if I had won a prize, why does he sound so monotonous, like he's reading from a script? He even gets confused when asking questions. What a scam. I was directed to 1895 Rowling Rd. Suite A, Rolling Meadows, IL . Well, I ain't going, nor will I pick up that manager call. Thanks for this blog.

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  22. I had the same thing and the same site. Waste of time. If you get the call just hang up.

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  23. Hey, me too! Isn't the internet great!

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  24. Just got a call and they tried to send me to http://il.shopping-promotions.com/ They couldn't tell me what store it was allegedly related to, total scam and waste of time... they have a Lombard address now, their website header comes up with the rolling meadows address, it's a testament to what a low level set of scammers they are. They don't even have the ambition to even look legit.

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  25. Wow, these people are on fire, I guess they really make money out of this since they can afford to pay people to call and promote it...

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  26. Glad I looked up the name AB Promotions and found these blogs, saved me from a second scam I delt with thirteen years ago!!!!!! denny

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  27. Thanks for the post, this makes complete sense, and I just got this same phone call. Thanks for saving me the time!

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  28. I found this info too late. But I want to share our experience and let all know the scams with these "travel clubs" or "vacation clubs". My husband and I received an invitation letter to listen to a promotion for 90min and get a vacation for 2 package. We were told that if we confirm our our attendance ahead of time, we would also get 2 free nights of hotel stay. So we went on Sept.8 at 1425 Tri-State Pkwy, suite 130, Gurnee, IL . It was more than 90min and they pushed unpleasantly hard to sell time share. We even won another 2-free-night stay from a drawing there. Fortunately, we didn't go for the "time-share". We started the process of getting the "free" airfare and hotel for 2. We dealt with Prestige Travel under the program of "Passport to Travel". Step 1 is validate the certificate, sending in the application form and $4.95. Once they mail me back, we have to send in a Monday order or Certified Check (nothing else would work) of $50 per person to activate the package. Then they mail me back with steps to request travel destination and time online. They then email me with the surprising news: total cost of $283.00 per person for our requested airfare, though they count the $50 activation fee into this. The restrictions on the destination and dates are horrendous. I am glad we even got through. However, when we booked another ticket on Expedia for our son who will come along with my husband and I, the cost of his ticket for the exact itinerary and airline was $270. When I asked what happened to the 2-free-nights of stay, they told me that I need to contact another department and go through another lengthy process just like this! And that took $100 non-refundable activation fee right off bat. What a waste of our time and energy. We could have done it in 10 min online for a cheaper airfare than the "free" vacation!! Everyone out there, please do NOT waste any minute of your time and emotions on these greed-driven vacation package companies. The one be aware ifs AB Vacations, or Anchor Bay Vacations in Gurnee, IL. But I know there are many many of these companies out there because we have receive many more since last Sept. I wish that there is a way to let more people know. These companies don't advertise their names and it is hard to look for information on the internet.

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