I had been getting several calls from an 800 number for a couple days. So my mom answered the phone today and tells me that it's for me.

Apparently, I had signed up to win a new Mercedez Benz at the mall with my friend a couple weeks ago all in good jest. I had completely forgotten about it because it isn't one of those things that really stays on my mind afterwards; It's not typically something you win.

Well, they told me I got in the top 4 winners for the drawing (the drawing was for the new car, $1500 shopping spree, an all expense paid vacation for two, or $500 cash) I signed up for at the mall which they knew by name.

Thing is, I heard others in the background (an obvious give away perhaps?) and that I have to drive an hour and a half to this town by Joliet to take an advertising tour of some resort and afterwards there's a supposed all expense paid trip to my choice of the list of cities they gave me just for going on the tour.

Does the mall just dump off these numbers or what? I'm afraid this could be a huge waste of my time (aka, bitch got scammed) because when I read the fine print, I saw nothing about this. I'm supposed to receive information in the mail about it in a couple weeks though.

Does this seem legit at all? What should I do?

If it's not in the fine print for when you signed up... then it doesn't sound legit to me. Maybe that was all part of the contest though; who was giving away the car?

I know that toll free people call all the time, regardless of anyone actually ENTERING any contest, and are all "YOU WON A FREE TRIP CONGRATULATIONS," but there's always some bullshit to go along with it that makes no one want to do it. :P I've gotten those calls before, but they talk for so long that I always end up hanging up on them.

It kind of sounds like they'll just give you that tour thing and then say, "Oh sorry someone else won the car."

Do you remember who sponsored the contest? Maybe call up the mall and ask?

You and 1,000 other people are probably in the 'top 4'.

This is a marketing pitch, nothing more. They'll take you on the tour, and do one hell of a hard sell to get you to buy shit.

My parents went through a similar thing. It's not a scam, per se, they just want you to spend money on whatever it is they're selling (probably a time share at the resort).

You're not obligated to buy anything, but would it be worth driving an hour and a half just to tell them no?

Edit: Whenever you fill out an entry form for any sort of contest, your name may or may not end up on a marketing list. You'll find that the more contests you enter, the more unrelated phone calls you get. It probably tells you in the fine print that your name and phone number may be distributed to other companies, and that by entering, you give them permission to release that info. I never enter contests anymore for that reason. I fucking hate sales calls.

I'm not quite sure. The conversation for the sign up was "Hey look! That's pretty nice freaking car!" Then we filled out the slip, read the fine print, and threw them on the box and ran off to a store that the box was next to.

I'm definitely considering calling the mall tomorrow to find out since it's around closing time about now. From what I understand, there were four prizes, there were four winners. I wish I would've asked how the prizes are determined from then on. But the guy gave me his number (which happens to be an 800 number, lawl) and his name so if I need to ask him about that, I could see, although I'm guessing that asking the advertiser isn't the greatest plan. :(

Never knew that. :O I'm just baffled because the first thing he told me was that it regarded winning my prize from the mall that I signed up for at (I'll just call the mall West Shire Mall on here so I'm not releasing too much personal info).

I'm too young to be getting these kind of calls! D:

Lol, how old ARE you? Are you even old enough to legally win the contest? XD And yeah, basically every contest you ever enter will give your phone number away. Make sure it's a damn good contest before you enter. :P

Maybe also try searching the contest on Google and see if you can find the sponsors that way?

Between the ages of 10 and 20, and it ain't the first 5 beyond the first two digits. :) It didn't say on the thing any age requirement, but I spose my parents were able to take it for me since the guy on the phone said 21+. I'm probably going to give the mall a call tomorrow since I can't find shit on the mall website.

It may not be the mall who's holding the contest. Some organizations simply pay the mall a fee, and they then have the right to set up a booth for X days, and sell tickets.

Do you still have your ticket stub (or did you get one)? If you still have it, check to see which name is on there - is it the mall, or some other company?

The guy may have used the name of the mall just so you'd remember where you bought the ticket. They do that.

it's probably a good idea to get your parents involved.......

Or just not return their calls and hope they go away :P

Seriously though this reeks of fishiness to me.

Get your parents involved like shatzy advised or tell the company no go.

Hm, Id tell them you were on the national do not call list, as a test.
(Assuming you live in the US) "If this is a joke, I am on the national do not call list. Unless I am an actually finalist of the contest I signed up for, hang up, or I will report you." :3 Usually works. They don't tend to like those lists. >>

Ask your parents, they might know what to do. Otherwise just give the mall a call :) Goodluck, and if it's real, hope you won.

You ever see that one episode of family guy where they had to sit through some stupid movie advertising condos on a remote island where people in the pictures get eaten by monsters? and if they sit through it they get a boat!

It's kinda like that, cept without the boat.

Hmm, sounds fishy to me. I wouldn't go through with it, especially if you're too young to be "winning contests" like that. Just ignore the rest of the calls you get, and put your number on the National Do Not Call Registry so you can avoid most, if not all, future unwanted calls. If these people won't let up, let them know you're on that list and you'd appreciate it if they stopped contacting you. Companies can get in trouble for calling people on that list if action is taken... that registry has worked wonders for us. We used to get phone calls from telemarketers and people like that all the time, but now we don't get a single call. You should try it, especially after signing up for that "contest"...