Hey dad...I just won a $1,000 Walmart gift-card!

[thaskalos]

That's what my son excitedly told me about a month ago...during a phone call from the college to which I pay a fortune so he could get properly "educated". It seems that during an internet-browsing session, a message popped up on my son's phone, telling him that he was "lucky enough" to have won the generous Walmart gift...and all he had to do to get it was answer a few simple marketing questions...something that he was able to do in no-time.

Now I just received a call of a different type from him, asking me if it's possible for me to call and get his cell-phone number changed...because he is being bombarded daily by all sorts of unscrupulous telemarketers, who are trying to sell him every type of worthless product or service under the sun. The calls are coming morning to night, and they all appear "local", so he is obligated to answer them...he tells me. They are becoming a major bother to him, he says...which may end up adversely affecting his grades. And the $1,000 Walmart gift card is still no-where to be seen.

And this scenario is becoming a major bother to me too...because it has shown me that, even though my son is attending a great institution of "higher learning", he still hasn't learned that no-one will knock on your door and hand you $1,000...because you are "lucky".

[davew]

that sucks

[Greyfox]

I used to work at a Medical company where Pharmaceutical Reps used to come every few weeks and offer the staff free lunch.
I refused to attend those lunches but most of the others in our department did.
I used to say "There is no such thing as a free lunch."
Others scoffed at me after enjoying their meals.
They weren't willing to look deeper and find out that:
"There is no such thing as a free lunch."
Someone pays somewhere and it isn't the company offering the supposed free lunch.

[azeri98]

In the last month when I have answered the phone I have won a cruise and a trip to the Bahamas, I just hang up. like you said you don't get something for nothing

[Tom]

You guys are too harsh.
Why just today I was able to help the Nigerian government out of a jam and I am getting paid handsomely for my trouble!

[wisconsin]

Originally Posted by Tom

You guys are too harsh.
Why just today I was able to help the Nigerian government out of a jam and I am getting paid handsomely for my trouble!

Too much work, I already won some lottery overseas, and Microsoft called me to tell me that my computer had a virus. On top of that, I going to be arrested for back taxes.

[barahona44]

One one of my personal Ten Commandments:

Never take anything that's free because you'll end up paying for it later on.

[Actor]

I recently started getting emails from what appear to be Walmart, Amazon, etc. to the effect that I have won a gift certificate for $50. The fact that they were all for the same amount and began of the same day is suspicious so I've just ignored them.

[davew]

Originally Posted by Tom

You guys are too harsh.
Why just today I was able to help the Nigerian government out of a jam and I am getting paid handsomely for my trouble!

Me too, but I do not understand why I had to wire them $5K so they could send me $3 million.

[jay68802]

Change his number then don't answer his call's a couple times, tell him you did not recognize the number. Once in a while they have to learn on their own.

[olddaddy]

A lesson learned painlessly, a lucky lad and pops.

[Dave Schwartz]

While I am in complete agreement, I will tell you of a success story that I experienced with a "free gift card" deal.

I am a subscriber to Zoom (webinar software). Early November last year, I received an email that said if I took a "10-minute" survey for them through Gartner.com they'd give me a $25 gift card.

I thought to myself, "[Self], wouldn't that be a nice gift for Beth's birthday (which is just before Christmas)."

I took the survey. Actually took me about 20 minutes. (There were a lot of questions.) They thanked me.

Two weeks later, I ask Gartner about the gift via email. They tell me that it will be forthcoming "soon."

About 4 weeks in, I'm writing back and still told it will be "soon."

By this point I am actually a little pissed over the treatment I'm getting and I write to a marketing guy I know at Zoom. He passes it down hill to someone to follow up.

I am told that I should have read the "fine print." It said that approved surveys will get the gift card. And when I say, fine print," I mean it.

I write back to my long-time acquaintance and tell him how bad this makes them look. He apologizes and promises to "look into it" personally. (He did.)

Gartner eventually writes back and tells me that they are waiting for the customer to agree to pay.


Eventually they DID send the $25 gift card and Beth did get it as one of her birthday presents, but the lesson was learned.

Of course, as Thaskalos said (and I already knew) there is no free lunch.

BTW, the link at the top will take you to Gartner if you want to EARN a $25 Amazon gift card.




Dave

[horses4courses]

Originally Posted by Tom

You guys are too harsh.
Why just today I was able to help the Nigerian government out of a jam and I am getting paid handsomely for my trouble!

Wow...I'm actually impressed.
You showed a high degree of self restraint there.

An opportunity to chastise an institute of higher learning
was absolutely put up on a tee for you, and you held back.
You're not under the weather today are you, chimp?

Your PayPal account will soon be full of Nigerian naira.
Just like mine.....they're gonna give me a 2 for 1 deal.

[Actor]

Originally Posted by davew

Me too, but I do not understand why I had to wire them $5K so they could send me $3 million.

They only wanted $250 from me.

Is the $3,000,000 taxable?

[davew]

Originally Posted by Actor

They only wanted $250 from me.

Is the $3,000,000 taxable?

I am not sure, you might want to talk to your accountant. I suspect that when the $3 million does not arrive, you could use it as a loss to offset the last couple and next couple years income in your money laundering business....