A few days ago I was contacted by Club Par Excellence and they told me that I have been selected for their final draw of 6 main prizes. First of all, I do not believe in getting something for nothing, but apparently I have filled out a ballot for that draw. I could not recall where and when that happened. I was asked by the representative to confirm my information, so I told her she should have it on her ballot. She said that she does not have it with her and will call me back when se finds it. After that I have been contacted maybe 5 other times which I ignored. Finally, my boyfriend picked up my phone and talked to them. He told them that he has been to the timeshare meetings plenty of time, and that they always ask for money, he wanted to make sure that the prize is guaranteed. They told him yes yes just come.
We went to their office at 3350 American Dive, and were greeted by their representative. They immediately took us to a room with a dozen tables where other representatives were also talking to other couples. The representative talked to us for about 30min, trying to distract us from the papers we were filling out. Me being me, I was very skeptical in providing my information so I asked for the ballot in order to see what I wrote, since me and my boyfriend have two addresses. He brought the ballot and I remembered where I applied for it, at a pizza place. First of all the ballot promises a free vacation draw for a trip to Cuba for 2 people. There was no other indication on the ballot box because I read it. I filled out the ballot maybe 10months prior to that day just for fun.
They skipped the presentation part because there were not enough people and also because it was around 8pm. I guess that was too late for them.
They took us to a "computer room" were they are supposed to show us a presentation of their website and how it works. They did not do that right away, first the representative tried to become our best friend talking about his life and stuff. This took about an hour, so finally he showed us the site, I told him I am well aware of all the discount sites and theirs sounds like a good offer.
After that he went through a promotional folder which lists their promotional partners. One thing that I have noticed on each promotion, he is a fool by pointing it out, is that every promotion does not have a signature of the CEO or anyone who is in charge of that particular company. All it lists is their name and who they are, and what their company does. Usually when a company offers a promotion the person that guarantees that promotion signs it, check any other bell, rogers ect. flyer.
After 2 hours of my life that I will never get back, he brought up the contract. Seriously, I laughed. He went through it in a second saying her is $9000 something membership fee and plus taxes it comes out to over $10, 000. He said the membership fee can come in 60 payments of $159-$199. I thought that the membership is maybe a few hundred a year like $200, but $10, 000 common.
I told him NO THANK YOU. My way of thinking is: The money that you pay them for the amount of travel that you do makes up for the money you apparently save.
He was surprised to see that I was serious because throughout our conversation we were all laughing and joking, but business is business. I am a student so I haven't spent all that money on my school not to know that the most valuable thing is your signature, and I am not signing anything suspicious as that. That doesn't matter as much right now.
Right away he asked for a reason to why I did not want to purchase that. I told him that me and my boyfriend are not in a position to spend that money and also I don't travel that much that I need to spend $2500 a year on this promotion. That money I could spend on my vacation that I go to once a year, but I didn't tell him that.
Right away he asked us to talk to his manager in order to explain why this is the case. His manager came, asked us, and I told him the same thing. He asked me what he could do to change my mind. I told him nothing since I saw where he was going. This is the promotional scam because both of them attacked like sharks. I told him that I am a student and my boyfriend makes the money. I do not work and do not have any income. He said that he can provide me with a student plan that they have where payments are minimal and upon 3 years after I finish school I can extend it to full membership. I told him that since I have no income how does he expects me to make any payments.
This is the best part. When they saw that there is no way of convincing us, the guy (supposedly our buddy) just showed us the door. They let us draw the prize and gave us a piece of paper which states that we won a family vacation to over 500 locations of our choice blah blah blah... and all the other expenses that are included in that package are ours. It does not promise any hotel, flight, taxes or that anything is covered for that matter.
PEOPLE DO NOT BE FOOLED THIS IS A HUGE SCAM!!!
I read other peoples reports and noticed that they do not give the money back right away. This is a form of profit for them because the money stays in their account earning interest for a month, so it is a benefit for them not to give it back on time.
I really feel for the people that have been scammed by this company, it is a shame that the government does not regulate this as much.
Ibalog
Toronto, Ontario
Canada
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