tags: Scams
Ameri-who?
March 7th, 2005, by Rich.
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I just got a wonderful telemarketing call …
| Me: | Hello. |
| Me: | Hello?. |
| Me: | Helllllo? |
| Me: | [pauses] |
| Me: | Hello?. |
| Me: | Sorry I’m not receiving any audio from your end, so if you can hear me, hang up, or if you’re an automated dialler I’m just going to keep on so you pay for the call. |
| After just enough time for a generic answer phone message to have completed, a recording began to playback at me: | |
| Recording: | Congratulations! You have just won the jackpot! Hi my name is Michael Smith from the Corporate Reward Centre in Las Vegas. You have just won the jackpot! Please call ring free 0800 091 0084 to claim your prize and matching your claim code: Jackpot. Again that number is ring free 0800 091 0084. Congratulations, and we look forward to speaking to you. |
So, noting that my star sign is Inquisitive (with Curious rising) and knowing that 0800 numbers are freephone; I called them:
| Kitty: | Amerisuites Vacations this is Kitty, how may I help? |
| Me: | Who? |
| Kitty: | Amerisuites Vacations this is Kitty. |
| Me: | Sorry, What Vacations? |
| Kitty: | Amerisuites, like America but without the ca and add Suites. |
| Me: | Oh, OK, I’d like to collect my jackp… |
| Kitty: | *click* *beeeeeeeeep* [Kitty ends the call] |
My telephone number is registered with the Telephone Preference Service a UK body that regulates commercial phone spam, so legally they’re not allowed to call me, but they’re trying to force a loophole where commercial calls are banned but, they theorize, by calling it a competition, they can avoid prosecution.
So, not only has this company cold-called my TPS registered number, but they’ve also hung up on me, that’s just plain rude, I wanted to know who and what they are:
So, I called them, again:
| Carla: | Welcome to Amerivacations this is Carla. |
Carla proceeded to take my first name and asked for the number from which I’d called to check what prize I’d won. I gave her a false number. Surprisingly this had no ill effect because Carla came back and told me that I’d won £1301 towards a holiday in Florida, and that it was part of a prize fund allocated to 100 people and there were only 10 claims left on the fund - [irony alert] what luck!
Being a happy soul about this I mentioned that I’m in the UK, and that Carla didn’t sound local; she told me she was in Orlando Florida, and reiterated that this was a free call for me (just to make me really feel like I was special).
She then went on to explain that to claim my prize I’d need to pay the balance on a holiday in Florida at a Ramada resort near near Disneyworld - the package balance £598 for 16 days holiday for 4 - effectively an 80% discount.
The is is not a competition or a lottery, this company is selling holidays; there is no way to claim a “prize” without actually purchasing something, at which point they’ll discount the value of that prize from the purchase cost.
From the TPS website: “Under Government legislation introduced on 1st May 1999 and replaced on 11th December 2003 by the Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) Regulations 2003, it is unlawful to make unsolicited direct marketing calls to individuals who have indicated that they do not want to receive such calls.”
Carla also explained that they are trying to rekindle interest in America as a vacation venue. She also explained that they are able to make these amazing offers because they keep their costs low, which they do in two ways:
- Direct Dialing.
- Word of Mouth.
Well, by direct-dialling me, unlawfully, they’ve certainly got a little word-of-mouth advertising.
The comments below add a lot of detail and you might also be interested in this followup article.
August 28th, 2005 at 5:05 pm
dear DAVID
i have readed your story and i’m so glad for you that you have got your money refund from this so callt company.I am the one who brought the DOACS to the attention of the site. It pleases me that the first results are coming now. I’m also glad that Rich took over the advice to advice the people with problems make a contact with DOACS to make an end of all this illegal bussines.
I have followed this site every day from the moment I had the troubles myself to see if there was any progress
in tackling them on ther own territory. It took a while to see, but I think now its the time that the results are going to start.
Again DAVID I’m glad it worked in your case, and I hope that lots of people do the same that you did so that we can make an end of this sort of practice.
I wish all the people good luck and I’m keep following this site for more positive results.
September 6th, 2005 at 5:25 pm
Hi there! A swede named Martin signing in.
Great site - internet at its best, letting people learn from each other and cooperate. :) A good remedy to my temper after getting pissed of by getting automated spam from the above mentioned company in my ear just a few hours ago. I put down the phone off the hook before even pressing the button (eight in my case), to let them pay as much as possible with minimal effort from me. Hope the automated system doesn’t kill the call too soon, I kept it off for at least an hour.
Then I used google to find this site.
Great work with hunting these bastards in all possible ways, and a good luck to you!
September 27th, 2005 at 10:30 am
Hi we are from Australia and had the same thing via a popup which we stupidly went through with. Anyway on the 24th August 2005 we agreed to pay but on the 29th after no email confirmation from them we rang and spoke to Justin and he got pissed when I insisted that we wanted to cancel but agreed not to charge our card.
19th Sept we received a package and not realising what it was at the time signed for it and found later it was from Amerisuites. After getting the package checked with credit card and found that they went ahead and charged our card without our consent and have since contacted mastercard to have them investigate what is happening with whoever authorises this scam.
When I rang back and spoke to Justin on 26th Sept he denied that he said that there would be no charge to our card but agreed that we had cancelled on the 29th, 5 days later, but it would take 15 to 30 days to arrange a refund. When I informed him that these transactions happen in real time he seemed to think and stated that banks still take their time. I told him I would like him to send a email right away while I was on the phone but he said he could not as he had an assistant that did that for him and it would appear at the end of the day. I told him then I very much doubted it and have since been proved correct as this is the 27th Sept and I am getting ready to ring and find out why.
There is a website http://www.calypsocay.com/ that has a live chat link that is not working but when you click on it, it has a way of sending emails to other departments including owners (hopefully) anyway I sent one to each and have received a reply stating that someone was going to investigate.
Heres hoping! Wish we had of found this earlier, keep on keeping on.
October 10th, 2005 at 9:04 pm
I had a call at my workplace from Amerisuite, telling me we had won a super holiday in Floriday with a free Bahamas cruise etc. etc.
I was told that my wife was on hold on another line at my my home and that l can secure the deal by paying only £598 for 4 adults. I stupidly agreed after much persuation and gave my credit card number. It was only after spending some time
checking flight costs from the UK that l realised it was a bum deal.
I have since tried to contact them on 0800-066-4935 to cancel but l keep getting told that someone will contact me.
Not accepting this delay, l have since sent a letter to the Calypso Cay Resort to cancel the deal but so far, nothing has happened. I have looked into this company (Amerisuiteresort, AmeriVacations, Discount Hoildays etc. etc) and was confused as l did not know which company l dealt with.
My credit card company told me it was Amerisuites Vacations that has taken the money. I am annoyed and want to know how to recover my loss. Has anyone obtained a refund? If so, please let me know how? I will now pursue my Credit Card company!
I am learning the hard way - just put the phone down when the person calling says you have won something!
October 10th, 2005 at 9:50 pm
Mr. Raja, this should help with your refund quest. Please keep in touch and let us know if/when you have any success.
December 1st, 2005 at 2:34 pm
I replied to the :prize: scam on the internet and agreed to participate in the holiday, gave permission to have the money deducted from my visa card. When I recieved my monthly statement these dishonest bastards had deducted 2 amounts for the package. I immediately attempted to contact them to get the overcharged amount returned. Twenty phone calls and countless emails later, plus rude and arrogancy from their so called customer service officers, I finally had my Visa card chase up the overcharged amount. Three months later I finally got the overcharge back. The day I recieved the package, I mailed it back along with a letter to say that because of their complete lack of customer service, I wished to cancel the package and apply for a refund, which I was told at the time of purchase,that I could do. Surprise surprise, no response. Many more phone calls followed, and I was given another number to contact. I was informed that these people had not recieved the returned package and could I fax them another letter requesting a refund and also my postal receipt as proof that I had posted it, the cheek of the mongrels. 2 weeks later and ever time I call their number I am asked to leave my number and someone will get back to me. What a joke! These people should face criminal charges for ripping people off!
December 1st, 2005 at 3:26 pm
Two points then: 1 - you’ve not mentioned the name of the company, which is important in establishing a pattern of misrepresentation. 2 - contact the DOACS (details on the how to cancel page, under Action 3).
February 2nd, 2006 at 6:41 pm
I actually received a Congratulation Message on 31 January 2006 (Malaysia Date) telling that I won a tip for 7 Days 6 Night Bahamas Cruise Vacation in my http://www.friendster.com URL-Samuel Chong. Then I called the phone number appeared with 0014077561259 is toll free number, but actually it charge me RM50 in Malaysia Dollars (a prepaid phone card number-0163612083). The caller-Amerivacation(Ms Ashlei) n (the Promotion Director-Mr John) told me that I had won a trip to Orlando Florida and a cruise to Bahamas. This sounds really great because I live in Malaysia and I only have to pay them 798 euros after conducted the others expenses which I actually won 1210++ in euros for others traveling to 7 days in Orlando,3 days Daytona Beach, 3 days Fort lordadaile and a 3 day cruise to the Bahamas for 4 people and they said that can bring others friends and said that it had 12 months period to planned my time after I pay the 798 euros first which mean I can travel it when I free during 12 months. I checked out their homepage-www.caylpsocay.com., it seems ok. I gave my address and my card number to them but I have not yet received the package with brochures after 3 days now. They would send me the mail with the details within 24 hours but I didn’t receive it yet. And that I call to Calypso Cay Sales Center (00140079971732) with its address 4951 Calypso Cay Way Kissimmee, FL 34746 that they give me with my active customer service number 01310611. I request to cancel my package that I have bought with my credit card, they said I need me fax why I want cancel my packaged. I really fax my cancellation letter to the number with 0014079971729 but since don’t have any request.
I’m actually know that is a cheated but since if anyone would not know it if he/she didn’t try it and this especially from outside country likes East Asean Country! I already try to hang up the phone when conversation with the Amerivacation but they told is one chance direct call only, and that I feel really miss the chance for a wonderful trip but how I know it is really a big cheated!!! I check from website http://boakes.org/ameri-who/all-comments so that i know to do a complaining from Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services-Division of Consumer Services. Moreover, the Caller Company already done voice recorder between some agreement asked question, I just since forced to be to that because our line conversation is actually hang up for first time, but they actually do called me back!! How I can avoid this call since I just the first time to be cheated!!!
After I give my credit card number to the Americavation, I did terminate my credit card after the caller but it seems late, I known. And my credit card company said the calypsocay had already charge me the balances with RM1596 (which 798 in euros), it really can’t do anything that this my credit balances! I hope this case can be settle without I need paid any charges to credit card company, how I need to responsible for this unenjoyable any advantages with big amount charges on credit card balance!! It hurt me until I work with unpleasant feeling, u know this our pity earning money.
I do send a complaint letter to Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services, Hope them can help me!!! Or any 1 can suggest me any good idea? How do deal with charged on credit card balance?
February 8th, 2006 at 6:30 am
I’m in Melbourne Australia, and I got a phone call from these scammers today. It was an automated american voice telling me “congratulations, you have been randomly selected to receive a bahamas holiday with all expenses paid, press 9 for more details”. I thought it might be someone playing a prank, so I stayed silent and let the message play through again 2 more times. Then I pressed 9 and it transferred me through to the call centre, but I thought “f**k this, I don’t have time to deal with telemarketers” and hung up before anyone answered. I kind of wish I hadnt, though. It’s fun to toy with those people.
I don’t have a credit card and I hate all telemarketers by default, so I wouldn’t have been taken in by this for a second.
I’ve read all 25 comment pages and it makes me really sad and angry at how many people have said “I’m disabled” and/or “I can’t afford this”. I don’t know how those call-centre monkeys can sleep at night, knowing full well that they are ripping people off and ruining lives.
February 10th, 2006 at 4:17 pm
Has anyone been on one of these vacations? I find that their instructions don,t make sense. The girl at yourvipvaction told me I had to book my airfares with sidestep.com. How can the holiday be worked out when I can,t talk to anyone at sidestep. Yourvip said there would be 60% reduction on the air-fare, but they are vague as to which flights or when. I am told to book the flights before confirming with yourvip. It seems to me that to take my kids I will have had to lay out around £1,500, before I know anything.