Update on "free cruise" scam to watch out for

[LMaxwell]

I have been receiving text messages lately that I have won a free cruise. Decided to do some research and found this article from the Sun Sentinel recently. Not particular to RCI but just a heads up for cruise critic members...ain't no free cruises going on! Beware

 

http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2014-07-18/business/fl-south-florida-text-messages-20140717-23_1_junk-car-texts-tom-landesman-cloudmark

[Aquahound]

I haven't gotten a free cruise text yet, but thank goodness the "we buy junk cars" texts have stopped. I used to get those once a week, and it was always late at night.

[foxgoodrich]

We don't accept texts on our phones, but we used to get phone calls frequently…You hear a ship horn, then the 'You've Won a Free Cruise!' message. The cruise was a 3 nighter on the "luxurious Caribbean Cruise Line." (It involved a timeshare presentation.)

 

One time DH answered and decided to have some fun. He responded by pushing numbers until a real person came on the line. Told them he was very excited to win this cruise and couldn't wait to go! They asked for a credit card for the port taxes and DH told them that since he's out awaiting sentencing for credit card fraud, he has no credit cards any more. Then he asked them if he could still go with his ankle bracelet - would monitoring be available?

 

They hung up. And miraculously…we don't get those calls anymore!:D

Judy

[OCruisers]

We often get telephone calls: "Congratulations! You have won a free cruise!"

Immediately, we hang up.

LuLu

[trev71]

I won a free cruise while booking a cruise before. I havent got one of them in a while I am sure they have taken the summer off

[BillOh]

We often get telephone calls: "Congratulations! You have won a free cruise!"

Immediately, we hang up.

LuLu

 

I have gotten those in the past , but not for a long time. Now I get the ones from India that say they are Microsoft Tech support and my computer has a virus. Ironically I own my own Computer Repair Company and when I'm bored I jerk them around a bit.

[travel_nuts]

In order to minimize those types of calls it is best not to answer any calls from numbers you don't recognize. If it is from someone you know they can leave a message. If it is from a junk call they will just hang up. If you answer it they can detect that it is a valid number and it goes right back on the list. Also don't respond to the notice that says to "press 1", etc. if you want to be removed from their call list. This, too, lets them know real person is there and they will call again. We get a lot of these type calls but they usually don't persist. You may miss a"free cruise" once in a while, but I doubt it.

 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Forums mobile app

[foxgoodrich]

I have gotten those in the past , but not for a long time. Now I get the ones from India that say they are Microsoft Tech support and my computer has a virus. Ironically I own my own Computer Repair Company and when I'm bored I jerk them around a bit.

 

We get those Microsoft calls too, and we know that's a scam since we've been Apple people for 30 years. We jerk them around when we have time too.:p Last time I got that call, I asked the guy if the virus was the reason green smoke came out of my computer and it smelled like something was burning. Sort of like burnt toast, but with a tiny bit of burnt hair mixed in. My computer still works, but now I have to wear goggles and a mask because of the smoke and the smell. He finally hung up on me because I just kept talking about the smoke and the smell. It's like a kind of sport for us now - DH and I try to outdo each other with our outrageous responses. It's part of our home campaign to use junk phone calls for our own entertainment.:D

Judy

Edited July 29, 2014 by foxgoodrich

[BillOh]

It's part of our home campaign to use junk phone calls for our own entertainment.:D

Judy

 

I like you despite you being a Mac user! ;) Every now and then I will get downright rude or pretty obnoxious with them, just for fun. Sometimes they fire back before hanging up.

[blondie from arizona]

With the election coming up, we are getting constant calls about our voting preferences and "surveys". Unfortunately they do not fall under the Do Not Call laws. Quite frustrating. Yesterday, I had 4 calls between 5-5:30. And, some of them come up on my caller id as "cell phone" and a local number. Grrr! :mad:

[Clarea]

With the election coming up, we are getting constant calls about our voting preferences and "surveys". Unfortunately they do not fall under the Do Not Call laws. Quite frustrating. Yesterday, I had 4 calls between 5-5:30. And, some of them come up on my caller id as "cell phone" and a local number. Grrr! :mad:

Hard to understand why politicians would make themselves exempt from that law.:rolleyes:

[foxgoodrich]

I like you despite you being a Mac user! ;) Every now and then I will get downright rude or pretty obnoxious with them, just for fun. Sometimes they fire back before hanging up.

 

Hey Bill, weren't we on a cruise together recently? Panama Canal on April 1? Or Navigator in late May? And I'm glad you don't hold my Mac against me;)…it's nice to know that 'mixed' or 'multi-brand' friendships are possible in our cyber world.

Judy

[Life is Good Cruising]

With the election coming up, we are getting constant calls about our voting preferences and "surveys". Unfortunately they do not fall under the Do Not Call laws. Quite frustrating. Yesterday, I had 4 calls between 5-5:30. And, some of them come up on my caller id as "cell phone" and a local number. Grrr! :mad:

 

Also noticed on the caller ID indicates a local cell phone# now for the telemarketing calls. Even Microscoft has switch to cell phone #'s when calling people.

[trev71]

I have gotten those in the past , but not for a long time. Now I get the ones from India that say they are Microsoft Tech support and my computer has a virus. Ironically I own my own Computer Repair Company and when I'm bored I jerk them around a bit.

 

 

Ive done the same thing. I answer yes to all their questions and only use the word yes. while my wife is yelling at me to hang up lol

[ryano]

I always figure the "free cruise" offer is the timeshare place that offer two night "free" cruises on that old ferry that was converted to a cruise ship aka Bahamas Celebration.

 

Ive gotten calls before but never a text.

Edited July 29, 2014 by ryano

[Daghis]

I recently tried calling Bank of America regarding my Royal Caribbean Visa card, but in the process of dialing, I inadvertently transposed two of the digits. I was connected to a center to get a free "Caribbean Cruise" (aka a cruise to the Bahamas by Celebration Cruise Line).

 

I wondered whether the phone number I called was intentionally set up to catch people who misdial Bank of America's number, or if it was merely a coincidence.

[joand452]

Funny that the topic of free cruise scams should come up today. We received a "check" in the mail with the NCL (never cruised them) logo for a free 8-day, 7-night cruise (I'm pretty sure that's just a regular 7-night cruise). If we responded within 72 hours we'd also get free airfare. Hawaii, here we come!!

 

Anyway, upon further inspection I discovered we had to sit through a 90-minute presentation to learn about the services of Promotions 2 U, an authorized agent of NCL.

 

My excitement died quickly. Oh well...

[LMaxwell]

Funny that the topic of free cruise scams should come up today. We received a "check" in the mail with the NCL (never cruised them) logo for a free 8-day, 7-night cruise (I'm pretty sure that's just a regular 7-night cruise). If we responded within 72 hours we'd also get free airfare. Hawaii, here we come!!

 

Anyway, upon further inspection I discovered we had to sit through a 90-minute presentation to learn about the services of Promotions 2 U, an authorized agent of NCL.

 

My excitement died quickly. Oh well...

 

Sitting through a 90 minute promo to get something is no big deal. We have done that before. I don't want what they are selling. I am under no obligation to buy. And 90 minutes means 90 minutes. You have to read ALL the terms and conditions and make sure you are eligible; but sometimes those can be a great deal. It is a heavy handed sales pitch, but not ALWAYS a scam. With free travel though you usually pay significant taxes on it, so you have to weigh your frustration versus value received.

 

We usually limit the sales schpiels we will sit through to items of value with $200 or less because those they usually hand you on the spot with no additional rings of fire to jump through. Usually around 75 minute mark I have an alarm go off that lets them know they've got 15 minutes to wrap it up. Hasn't failed me yet.

 

The text message scam is just a scam though designed only to rip you off.

[lovetogoaway]

I had 2 phone calls today saying I won a free cruise.

[TBone2K]

I wondered whether the phone number I called was intentionally set up to catch people who misdial Bank of America's number, or if it was merely a coincidence.

 

I would be surprised... The do it with web sites all the time. I.e. Ever notice if you misspelling RC's website with two R's and one B you end up at a travel agent's site?

[iahawkize]

With the election coming up, we are getting constant calls about our voting preferences and "surveys". Unfortunately they do not fall under the Do Not Call laws. Quite frustrating. Yesterday, I had 4 calls between 5-5:30. And, some of them come up on my caller id as "cell phone" and a local number. Grrr! :mad:

 

When I worked on a political campaign in Iowa during the caucuses prior to the 2008 elections we had a call room where we were given cell phones all with local area codes. The do this so the people you're calling don't know! Devious but it worked.

[dorisis]

It is SOOO easy to push the off button on my phone. Junk calls are are easily deleted as junk mail.

Edited August 5, 2014 by dorisis

[olemissreb]

Funny that the topic of free cruise scams should come up today. We received a "check" in the mail with the NCL (never cruised them) logo for a free 8-day, 7-night cruise (I'm pretty sure that's just a regular 7-night cruise). If we responded within 72 hours we'd also get free airfare. Hawaii, here we come!!

 

Anyway, upon further inspection I discovered we had to sit through a 90-minute presentation to learn about the services of Promotions 2 U, an authorized agent of NCL.

 

My excitement died quickly. Oh well...

 

I just received one of these today. I didn't read the fine print, but figured it was something like this. Into the shredder it went.

[BlueRiband]

I'm surprised to see how many CC members will actually defend these "free" cruises. We had one a few months back who had already "won" a "free cruise certificate" after sitting through a sales pitch. She kept coming back with a retort the she had done the math and really would get something for next to nothing. Long story short the hoops one had to jump through to actually book the cruise were more than most of us would tolerate. (Oh BTW, the sailing date is the cruise line's choice, not yours.)

 

Bahamas Celebration is a 1970s era ship with only inside and ocean view cabins. Some are so tiny there's barely enough room to stand. Which ones do you think will be allotted the "free" cruisers? Guess it's OK if one doesn't mind sleeping in an army bunk.

Edited August 6, 2014 by BlueRiband

[whogo]

I have gotten those in the past , but not for a long time. Now I get the ones from India that say they are Microsoft Tech support and my computer has a virus. Ironically I own my own Computer Repair Company and when I'm bored I jerk them around a bit.

"Microsoft Tech Support? Hey, thanks for returning my call finally. I am running Dos 3.3 on a 286 processor and my computor won't show a date past January 31, 1999. How do I get the computer to show a more recent date? I heard something about a Y2K bug..."