Jim WinsettQ: I received a postcard from what seems like JetBlue airlines about getting two round trip airfares anywhere in the United States, and if I call within 48 hours, I get a hotel stay as well. But something seems a bit off–it seems too good to be true. Can the BBB tell me if this postcard legitimate?
A: Last year, BBB received a number of concerns about similar postcards popping up in the area, and looks like they are making rounds again early this year. At the time, BBB did some investigating, and the information seems to still hold true. Most of the postcards being reported do not have a particular company or their contact information disclosed openly, and overall there are scant details about the promotion. The only information is a phone number with a promotion code. If you call the number, the person states you need to attend and listen to a presentation that will be held at a local hotel before you can receive your prize.
BBB had also found that similar postcards with the same story have been active with others across the United States. Many times what these presenters are looking to do is to sign you up for an expensive (or even nonexistent) timeshare or a vacation club membership. Some reports indicate that presenters ask for a commitment upfront of membership dues in the area of $9,000 in addition to extra fees in order to claim your airline prize. Even if you do commit, there are so many restrictions on the prize itself that it makes it impossible to redeem if it was even legitimate in the first place.
Companies offering promotions and giving presentations in it of itself is not a problem; many companies do so. The problem is the way certain businesses go about offering and advertising those promotions. Not being transparent or disclosing all the information required up front for a person to be an informed consumer.
If you are thinking about attending a sales presentation, BBB offers the following advice: