I just got a message on my phone from some kind of "rewards claim" place... Saying they're giving away an Explorere, and had some GREAT news for me. I needed to call them asap att 877... and gave me a claim number...

Is this some kind of new scam now? If I call the number do I get a bunch of long distance charges or what?

 

If you call them, your number will be placed on a 'suckers' list and will be sold to hundreds more solicitors. Delete it (and block the number if possible).

 

Well, it's not new. As for a "scam", it could certainly be that, but more likely it's a sales trap. If you were to call them you'd end up being hit with a high pressure sales pitch . . . you get the vehicle if you come to some stupid time sharing thing or other.

Maybe. The only way to find out would be to call and see if a $589.47 chage show up on your long distance bill.

Look . . . nobody gives away cars or trucks for free . . . and they certainly are not going to set up an "800" number just for you, to only give away one vehicle. Erase the message. Forget about it.

 

I'm sure I haven't won anything... Never have, never will... Just wondering what the purpose was...

 

Remember, you get nothing in this world for free.

 

The purpose is always the same, regardless of the pitch. The purpose is to separate you from your money.

 

. . . even when it's free.

 

I don't, but some people do... That's okay though...

 

Someone did a story on this a few months ago. It was somthing like if you call it then they put you on hold and it cost you 4.99 per minute. You are on hold until you get tired and hang up. No one will ever comes to answer the phone, you are just on hold racking up a bill.

 

Yes, even when its free you pay for it. Maybe not monetarily though,
Example:
After work i want out for some beer with work collages,They bought most of the beer. I paid for it later, three times. Once when i walked in the front door. The GF wanted to know where i had been. Second time was later that night, no nokie. Third was in the morning with a bad hang over.

 

Kobi is right. If you call the number you will be told that in order to receive your prize you must travel to some far away place and sit and listen to a 3-4 day high pressure sales pitch. Plus, if you call, your number goes into the database and will be distributed to other phone solicitation companies and you will receive many more such calls. This is most definitely not a new scam, it was around long before home computers.

 

There was a scam sim. to this one where you would had a message left on your answering machine to call this number #### ##### ####. as an example. For an emergency message regarding a traveling relative. You would not be calling a toll free number but an international one. As i sort of rember it would be to the Neatherland iIntellies (spell). The per min charges were outragous. The story goes that that some bills were in the thousands.
A memo went around the wifes Head office bank admin. as so no employee would make this sort of gall on their long distance lines.

Russell