Problem
I am emailed with details of a contest for a holiday. Marie-Claire, well known magazine, trip for two to Maui, plus airfare. I loved Maui, Hawaii. I love the scenery, the music, the dancing, the people.
However, I am initially suspicious. It could be somebody else trying to impersonate Marie Claire.
I click on and answer two questions. One is about my age, so they are sure I'm not a minor, I presume. The other is my location. I am immediately told the holiday is not available to anybody in Europe. Why didn't they say so in the first place? I thought Marie-Claire was French. What's wrong with Europe?
However, I try again and this time I get through. Was it a glitch that stopped me entering? Or a glitch which allowed me to enter? The latter. As the eligibility conditions reveal.
The competition was open only to Americans. Why? The sender is in America.
Out of curiosity, I keep going, so I can tell you what I learned.
Here's what went through my mind:
Is it a scam?
What do I gain?
A fun holiday? Free entertainment? Free meals? And drinks? Spending money? Airfare?
Is the prize worth my while?
Can I afford hidden extras? Does the holiday include all expenses? Will the free holiday cost me a lot in air fares, meals at an expensive hotel or destination? What about the cost of getting to the airport and back? This could be £30 each way in a hire car, split between two not so bad if you are both wage earners, a lot if not.
Even if it's a free flight, is it an awkward time so I have to pay for a taxi to the airport and back because the trains aren't running or overnight at an airprot hotel with a shuttle bus to the airport.
Does the hotel's shuttle bus run at the hours of the flight?
Can I afford the time?
Do I really want the destination?
First scams
You can contact
1 The Organisations supposedly offering the holiday
2 The resort supposedly offering the holiday
3 Go to scam and holiday for general information or scam and the name of the people offering the contest for specific information.
'All expenses'
All expenses was a fixed price allowance. Up to so many dollars.
What are the conditions/ What do you have to give if you don't win? What do you have if you don't win?
Why only America? To limit the cost of the air ticket, or because the sponsors have a deal with an airline which does not fly to Europe. Or because they want repeat business from the winners and the losers who are in the USA and likely to go to a nearby destination and respond to advertising from associated companies based in the USA.
What do they want and gain from you?
You provide your email and agree to be sent mail shots from a group of associated companies.
As the small print says, your chances of winning depends on the numbers replying to enter the competition.
Useful Websites
https://www.scamwatch.gov.au/types-of-scams/unexpected-winnings/travel-prize-scams
You will find several more helpful sites on similar themes.
https://www.mauicounty.gov
wikipedia maui
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maui
wikivoyage/Maui
Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.
PS I keep correcting the labels, with a small a for airport, and a capital M for Marie. I update. But some internal system keeps turning my corrected version back to the original.
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