Money: you can't give it away these days

[muriel_volestrangler]

At the start of October the directory enquiries service 118 118 ran a promotion where it gave away £118 to randomly picked callers. But it was flummoxed when a large proportion of winners simply didn't want the money.

Every person who called the service was entered into the "draw" to win £118. The promotion was advertised on a number of commercial radio stations, but because of licensing laws the company was not allowed to tell callers they were being entered to win.

Instead, lucky winners were promptly called back by 118 118. They were told they had won the money, and if they wanted it they were asked to give their name and address for a cheque to be sent in the post.

Of the 288 selected winners, 89 refused the money - mostly, it seems, because they were worried they were in danger of becoming a victim of a scam.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/blog/2008/oct/22/scams-118-competition

I'm not surprised, in some respects - you do get dodgy companies that phone you up and claim you've won a prize (which typically, they claim 'someone in your family' was entered into a draw for, is some non-specific way, at a vague time several months ago, when they presume you won't be able to remember for sure), and when you follow it up, it becomes obvious there's some catch they'll use to deny you the prize (after you've say through a high pressure sales pitch or similar).

But this was a firm the winners had used themselves (or someone from their phone, anyway), and one that is fairly well known (most British DUers will be familiar with their incredibly annoying adverts, I think). I wonder if the winners of the draw were able to phone the company back in some way to confirm the offer was real - or if it was a case of "give us your name and address now, or we won't send you anything"?

[dhpgetsit]

1. I recently had someone calling me

With a heavy accent, trying to tell me I had won this big lottery, and that all I needed to do was wire some funds so they could deliver the check.


... RIGHT!

[demmiblue]

2. I can't say that I blame them!

I would have been on vacation for the last eight years if I believed every free vacation offer I have received over the phone!

:rofl:

[napi21]

3. I can understand their suspicion too. I received a check in the mail

about a month ago. It was only for $37.18, but it came from a Company I didn't recognize. I read every word on the front & back very carefully and couldn't find the typical micro print that says "by cashing this check you agree to..." phrase, but I called them to find out what it was for. It turned out to be a refund of a cash payment to rent a wheelchair almost 2 years ago, and our ins. co. paid it too. I did cash it, but only after I was convinced that it was ligit!