I just got a call...a long winded call from a company who represents "Bluegreen Corporation". They are on the internet and seem to be legit. They tell me I won a vacation package from filling out a raffle prize at a Home Expo hubby and I attended this past weekend. It sounds too good to be true. It is 6 days/5 nights in Universal in Orlando, 3 days/2 nights in Vegas and 4 days/3 nights in Aruba. All trips are separate and must be used in 18 months. I will pay airfare and $398 in fees total for all the trips. These trips can also be transferred to my kids should we not be able to make all of them. I hate giving my charge card to someone on the phone that called me instead of me calling them. I have to get back to them asap, no later than Sunday with our decision and charge card or they can't hold the trips for us. I didn't like that part of it. Do you think the Better Business Bureau would be able to help?

Yes, they would. I'd be very careful and investigate them.

These people are everywhere Pam. These same people are in flyers you get in the mail. Now I'm not sure if it's the same people, but a friend of mine took this and the hotel was shabby, and NOT located where they told them it would be AND once they got there, they had to shell out additional monies for security deposit (or so they told them) AND they also made them go through a "sales" pitch. She said it was disgusting and ended up costing them.

There is NO WAY I would give a company that I did not KNOW or that I did not CALL my CC number over the phone. NO WAY.

I say if it sounds to good to be true.....

JJ

This sounds very much like a scam to me. Too good to be true? Listen to that little voice in your head! IMHO, if you had actually won a bona fide trip, you should not have to pay air fare or fees. The moment someone I don't know mentions to me that I HAVE to pay anything by credit card over the phone ASAP, I hang up. Please don't get sucked into this, at least not without making a thorough check (and it sounds like they're not giving you ample time to do a thorough check.) We can't be 100% sure it's a scam, but something just doesn't sound right here.

Thanks everyone for your comments. My hubby just came home from work and was not comfortable with it either when I gave him the details. And, we don't really want to go to Orlando (been there 5 times) or Vegas (I was just there in August), so that only leaves Aruba. He refuses to give a credit card over the phone and I agree. Guess I won't even call them back. Wanna bet they call me again? Glad I just left my cell # and won't bother to answer it.

When it sounds to good to be true, it usually is. There is something not quite right about all those free trips. I wouldn't go to Aruba either after the Natalie Halloway affair.

There's no doubt in my mind that this is a scam. If you really truly won something, then the flight would have been included and you wouldn't need to pay a cent for further fees.

I can't stand those scammers. My 85 year old mother gets bombarded by them. She must be on every mailing list in the world. I'm not exaggerating when I say her mailbox is filled to the brim DAILY! Their devious slimy tricks are so clever and absolutely criminal. She's constantly getting letters with emblems and such congratulating her on winning at least $100,000.- Even I have a hard time finding that fine print; sometimes hidden inside of the envelope, stating that she's just a candidate and hasn't won anything.

Then she looks at me with her trusting old eyes, and gets disappointed over and over again.
She def. has a severe problem with this mail, where I can say it has become an obsession with her, but I guess that's another topic.

I went to a time share promotion once - took forever to talk my husband into it, but they promised us a 5 day cruise. We did the time share thing, (didn't buy), and got the certificate for the cruise.

We had to send $169 for port fees to the travel compnay, and give them the dates we wanted to go. The certificate was only good for one year. We sent dates after dates, but were never able to find availability. We finally had to push to get our money back after the year was up. Very frustrating, and you can bet my hubby will never go to a timeshare thing again!

Kathy

My son got a call from his credit card company a coup;e weeks ago because his card had so much traffic. Unfortunately, they were right. It wasn't him. Fortunately, he was able to tell him his last purchases. They then rambled off the latest ones and he knew nothing about them. Someone was charing away with is card online! They cancelled his card and he has since gotten a new one. Be careful ladies. I'm so glad the credit card company was on the ball and believed him. All this fraud is why the interest ratesa are so high. They absorbed the cost of the purchases my son didn't make.

Kathy, I'm certain you did the right thing. It would be interesting to call the BBB just to hear what they have to say.

I checked them out on the Better Business Bureau and they were in good standing, BUT...they did have several incidents that were negative. Doesn't matter anyway, we have decided we don't want to be forced to go to those places anyway. We would much prefer to pick and research our own vacations. If they call, I will simply tell them that. Thanks for all your comments.