is there a catch to this???

**Bogeyman** · May 30th, 2007 11:43 AM

Originally Posted by uls

Years ago there was this YOU-WON-FREE-TRIP thing. Yun pala u have to attend a seminar.

A variation of this was, free hotel stay in exchange for attending a three-hour seminar. Nakatanggap ako niyan dati, hindi ko kinagat.

Any so-called 'prize' that doesn't include proper and official correspondence, and requires a hitherto unspecified purchase of any sort, isn't worth claiming, IMO.

**uls** · May 30th, 2007 11:43 AM

A hotel would not contract a telemarketing company to market the hotel and give away stuff for free.

The FREE thing is used to get ur attention. Now that they got ur attention, they will explain things to u.

**spongee** · May 30th, 2007 11:46 AM

Originally Posted by Galactus

Baka at the end of your stay, you'll be asked to pay some sort of tax...which may well be the peso equivalent of your stay.

But how come they called you at night? (1015H or 8:15pm). Normally kasi, bawal tumawag ng customers after 8pm.

1015 sir..umaga..an hour ago...

after reading some of the quick replies..which i thank you guys...i'll call them ulit and ask point blank..ang hirap kasi minsan baka pag nandun na malagay sa alanganin...these people sometimes have a knack of putting you on the spot di ka na makapalag..its like robbery..

**uls** · May 30th, 2007 11:47 AM

Meron pa nga ung sa insurance...

may free policy daw ako... i-pick up ko daw sa kanila.

basta may FREE, mag duda ka.

Mahilig kasi ang tao sa FREE. So they just tell u what u wana hear... to get ur attention

**spongee** · May 30th, 2007 11:51 AM

Originally Posted by yourock

may female caller din na ang-offer sa amin nyan one year ago.astoria hotel din. free stay din... so on and so forth.. mukhang nakuha nila name sa isang database.... tapos as part of their telemarketing stategy is to offer freebies tapos, ask for referrals....

we never accommodate such calls. i politely declined the offer even if its for free...

most probably the best thing to do...but even so, i'll still call them and ask info and give me the entire big picture just so i can be aware then decline it after that.

**1D4LV** · May 30th, 2007 12:03 PM

Originally Posted by uls

u have to pay membership fee.

Dami telemarketers tumatawag dito sa office. Kung hindi credit card, hotel membership... or insurance. Lagi sinasabi chosen ka daw or prequalified..

Years ago there was this YOU-WON-FREE-TRIP thing. Yun pala u have to attend a seminar. Bebentahan ka ng shares ng resort or property sa Florida. So may free trip ka nga... pag bumili ka... para ma-inspect mo ung nabili mo.

actually, u have to pay for a membership fee as like uls said.
tinawagan ako netong mga ito last week.

the membership fee, includes the cost of the dinner for two... hehehehe.

costs 6.5k.

**BlueBimmer** · May 30th, 2007 12:04 PM

e yung 7 nights stay?

**redorange** · May 30th, 2007 12:05 PM

*Spongee you have a PM.

**mazdamazda** · May 30th, 2007 12:10 PM

Actually, I already received the same offer from them.

The free dinner/lunch is true - we were able to avail one for free.

Then they'll tour you around their facilities to offer you a membership in Astoria. You can decline or avail of their membership services (that's where the free stay comes in).

It's not really a scam per se.

**architect** · May 30th, 2007 12:13 PM

One thing you need to watch for is that a lot of these unscrupulous companies use high-pressure tactics to force you to purchase whatever it is they are pushing.

It does not help much if you actually availed of the offer (free trip, free one night stay, etc.) since at that point presumably you are in their location and are pretty much a captive audience, or rather, prey.

The fact that they require both spouses to attend is a give-away that such purchases typically are significant enough to require spousal consent. But then again, as mazdamazda pointed out, there are legit offers, too. You just have to be smart and alert enough to distinguish them.