Do you think this is a scam?

Question

I just got a call from a lady who says she works with Georgia Bridal Showcase. She told me that out of a drawing of abou 200, 10 names were picked and i was one of them. She said she got my name from theknot.com which i visit all the time. She said all we have to do is come to the Holiday Inn and pick up our gifts which are 2 free tickets to the bridal expo, 3 days and 2 nights free to anywhere we want to go (about 26 locations) and 1/2 off on the cutlery and cookware they sell. She said that this is the only bridal expo that doesnt make you go to a timeshare, no catches etc. All we have to do is show up, they will have lunch for us and get our gifts and go home.

So...of course i am weary of all of this. Has anyone else followed through with something like this and found it legitamate?

I just dont want to waste my time because its about an hour drive. Of course the lady seemed so sincere on the phone and said it wasnt a scam..blah blah blah.

Thanks!

Answer 1

SCAM don't go I did!!!!!!! Exact same set up!!!!!!! You sit through like a 3hr presentation and eat crappy food in the end they gave us "a gift certificate" for our trip which was crap, you had to pay like $60 to activate it and airfare was not included and the hotels where not very good and it was only good for a bit over a year. The other catch was that the trip was only available at certain times there was sooo many blackout days! We couldn't even go!!! She gave me the exact story you described don't do it its a wast of time!!!!!

Answer 2

After signing up for stuff at a bridal show, I think I must have "won" every contest out there (I also was signed up on theknot.com). I figured they were just trying to sell me something and even after I would turn down a "prize", I'd get a call a few months later from the same place saying I'd won. If they are giving you lunch, I bet they will try to sell you something during the lunch. Otherwise why wouldn't they just give you your prize and let you go or mail it to you? I never actually attended any of these things so I can only go by all of the calls I got.

Answer 3

Are you wanted by the police? It could be a sting operation. Kidding!!

I would google Georgia Bridal showcase and see what you come up with.

Or go back to the website that you visited and see if there was anything on there about a drawing or e-mail the administrator of that website.

I would be ticked if I drove an hour for nothing, so yeah, I would be a little leary but it seems worth at least checking out.

Answer 4

It sounds to me like you are going to hear a sales pitch for the cutlery/cookwear that she sells. As for the 3 day 2 night vacation- in my experience those are not completely free. you usually have to pay airfare or taxes or something, so they end up costing you money. I have been offered those kinds of trips before, but have never been able to afford to take them.

I think that you are probably going to some sort of high pressure sales pitch. Go if you want to, but you and your fiance need to decide the outcome ahead of time- you won't buy anything there, you will discuss it after you leave and then call her back about it. Now matter how many seemingly great incentives you are offered to make the decision right then- discuss it. I bet you could con them out of the incentives later. Just say " We will do it, but only if you give us the incentives." Trust me if you give into the high pressure there, then you will regret it later. Don't feel bad about negotiating- they don't feel bad about pressuring you- trust me I have been to High pressure sales training.

It may not be a scam- but I bet it is a sales pitch of some sort. Go don't go, take your fiance with you for saftey.

Answer 5

Not necessarily a scam, but definitely a sales pitch. I am sure that while you are having lunch they will go through their schpeal about their products and demonstrate what tehy sell, and then before you can claim your prize you will probably have to speak with a salesperson one on one and that is where the high pressure tactics come in. They will try the "this is a one time offer this price will never be avaialbe it's not open to the public" blah blah blah.

If you don't want to go through all that for your prize, then skip it. Otherwise if you know you wont' buy anything, go, enjoy lunch, then firmly decline and claim your prize. It's up to you!

Answer 6

Contact theknot.com- did they give her your name without your permission?

I'm sure the cutlery and cookware she's selling at 1/2 off is expense at half the price and there's probably some other catch also.

But discuss it with your fiance- who knows what fun you might have if you go? So if it fits in your schedule- consider going. Before attending, agree with your fiance how long you will or will not stay if it seems like a sales gimmick and what you will do instead- like lunch at a favorite restaurant or going to the movies.

Answer 7

Scam- I got about 10 calls on all different trips I one- did you put your name in at David's bridal- YEAH- they sell it! The knot doesn't sell names unless you put your name in for something.

Lot of the trips are complete scams because you have to pay for the whole thing out of pocket- get vouchers and then hunt the company down- hoping they didn't change the name to get reinburst. Those trips also have a lot of extra FEES and extra cost that you don't know about until you get there.

NOTHING IN LIFE IS FOR FREE- THERE IS ALWAY A CAUGHT!!

Answer 8

You're going to get a high pressure sales job during lunch on the cutlery/cookware. Agree with your fiance that no matter what, you won't buy anything. And pick up your free gifts.

Answer 9

I never heard of that. Maybe you can google some of the names she dropped while talking to her-the companies or look her up on theknot.com. Did you get a phone number? Try calling it back to get info from someone else or google that and if it is a scam, people will probably have reported it and you will get ripoff reports or something to come up in your search results. if nothing else take the drive and get your free stuff without giving any personal info (bank, cc #'s, ss#). Be sure to read all fine print to make sure they won't sign you up for any services or hold you responsible for payments for anything.

if all is good...then lucky you!

Answer 10

It's a sales pitch. They are trying to sell you cutlery and pots and pans. They may give you a little gift, but that's after they have you captive and nag you to death for an hour or more on a "presentation".

Sites like The Knot and vendors such as David's Bridal etc. collect names and numebrs on their registration forms. They sell your information to third parties for marketing purposes. Must people do not unmark the option that you wish not to be contacted on registration forms, and that's how they end up "winning" those fake sweepstakes.

If is too good to be good, it probably is.

Good luck