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vakkotaurI mentioned the MG2 sleazeballs before. In the followups, it was revealed that these jokers are also Tri-Star and push Tri Star Home Care Products (vacuum cleaners).
Well, another Bingo card arrived in the mail. It's from Orion Systems in Loveland CO with a postmark from Advanced Direct Marketing, Inc. also in Loveland, CO.
This time I scanned the card for folks' entertainment and perhaps enlightenment. The images are 800 pixels wide, so they're hidden behind the cut.
Here's the front:
And the back:
And in case you were wondering, BINGO!
Gee, I wonder if those numbers ever change. Probably not. They don't need to. The pattern (X here) doesn't need to change either.
Again, everyone is a winner. It says so, "You are guaranteed to win one of the prizes listed on the back of this card." But take a look and you see that:
1 gets $5,000.
51 get an XBox 360. ($399)
223 get an iPod Video. ($249)
25,925 get a nineteen piece cutlery set. ($36)
and...
473,800 get a certificate for 3 days/2 nights accommodation. (Not sold retail, so no monetary equivalent.)
One can only wonder what sort of accommodations that certificate is good for and what hoops must jumped through for it to be honored. That there is no retail value suggests that it is pretty much worthless. That's after the very likely demonstration of the vacuum cleaner. "You may be asked to view Tri Star Home Care Products." is in the fine print. And if you do actually win the $5,000 grand prize, they get to use your likeness in future promotions.
The number to (not) call is: 1-800-667-3548 or 1 800 667 3548 or 18006673548 or 8006673548. There, now search engines can find this entry by phone number.
There is no arithmetic test to serve as a lottery disclaimer with this card. Since every card is a "winner" there is no chance, and so no lottery as such. Again, it's legal though hardly ethical.
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no subject
Date: 25 Jun 2007 18:59 (UTC)I remember reading about a "free" luxury cruise which was actually a ride on a car ferry. I bet the going rate for the ferry was slightly less than the postage and handling required to redeem the prize.
no subject
Date: 25 Jun 2007 19:14 (UTC)The hoops I've seen for this type of gimmick is that you have to sit in a high pressure time share orientation.
bingo
Date: 30 Jul 2007 22:41 (UTC)Re: bingo
Date: 31 Jul 2007 17:20 (UTC)I'll just note that this person took the time to comment on this entry, and did so anonymously.
lol
Date: 8 Sep 2007 17:54 (UTC)to aggravate the sales man to death.
i love to torment dumb people lol
http://www.myspace.com/minkastar
Mg2 Bingo Scam
Date: 18 Dec 2007 05:46 (UTC)What do you think about this...
Date: 15 Feb 2008 17:50 (UTC)Re: What do you think about this...
Date: 15 Feb 2008 17:55 (UTC)What you do is entirely up to you. If you really want to deal with the sales pitch in the hope of getting something, nobody will stop you. But I wouldn't hold my breath expecting to get anything great.
Phew!
Date: 4 Apr 2008 04:46 (UTC)Re: Phew!
Date: 4 Apr 2008 12:04 (UTC)WARNING EVERYONE
Date: 22 May 2008 16:49 (UTC)P.S.
I worked for them so i know everything about them again What out for thing you buy from people
Re: WARNING EVERYONE
Date: 13 Jul 2008 22:07 (UTC)Re: WARNING EVERYONE
Date: 17 Jul 2008 07:24 (UTC)Re: WARNING EVERYONE
Date: 31 Oct 2008 19:53 (UTC)This company operates in the shade. When I buy or consider buying any product, I like the sale to be transparent and honest. I wonder if you even need to prove that you scratched the card or if it is just a gimmick to get you to call their local office.
Re: WARNING EVERYONE
Date: 14 Nov 2008 21:55 (UTC)Re: WARNING EVERYONE
Date: 24 Nov 2008 17:26 (UTC)no subject
Date: 26 Nov 2008 00:12 (UTC)Re: WARNING EVERYONE
Date: 18 Feb 2009 23:02 (UTC)And then what follows... is an argument about how "unfair" it is to judge a company without seeing it's product. Wow you lie and deceive to get us to see your product... it must really be worth seeing must it? Say we do see it, then what? Only an idiot wouldn't expect more lies and deception.
no subject
Date: 18 Feb 2009 23:11 (UTC)One thing I would recommend, for any vacuum cleaner sales demo, is that after the usual demo is done (where it's shown how much dirt the sales vacuum cleaner picks up after a bit of carpet has been vacuumed by the model one already owns) to do it in reverse. That is, vacuum a section of carpet with the promoted vacuum cleaner and then see what the old vacuum can pick up that the fancy new one left behind. That would be a very interesting comparison to make. I suspect it's one that the vacuum salesperson would very much like to avoid.
what a waste
Date: 17 Dec 2008 15:37 (UTC)Called the 1866 number at the back of the WINNING card, a lady picked up, took my name+address and phone number and said a representative of MG2 will come by on Saturday to demonstrate their product, and they will bring one of the gifts listed on the back of this card with them. Anyways, on saturday, no one shows up, I called them and the lady said someone will be comming later on that day sometime around 5:30 - 6:00 ----> no one shows up.
Yesterday, I called the 1866 number again, and the lady told me she will call me back in a bit ----> no one calls.
I just called 10 minites ago, the lady quickly said the promotion is over and hung up, i called again to yell because she didn't let me finish talking, but she's not picking up. I'll call the lady in a day or two, to yell at her.
what a waste!!
Re: what a waste
Date: 21 Feb 2009 03:57 (UTC)Re: what a waste
Date: 21 Feb 2009 04:12 (UTC)no subject
Date: 27 Mar 2009 15:10 (UTC)no subject
Date: 17 May 2009 08:01 (UTC)I got one too!
Date: 9 Jul 2009 15:59 (UTC)thanks for the info ... now I don't have to call to hear the pitch ( which I would have expected to be lame as I, like yourself, DO read and see that you would have to agree to a presentation) no thanks
but thank YOU! :)
Re: I got one too!
Date: 28 Sep 2009 17:16 (UTC)Re: I got one too!
Date: 28 Jun 2010 17:27 (UTC)Re: I got one too!
Date: 29 Jun 2010 13:06 (UTC)Not that it couldn't or doesn't happen, but... this does seem quite odd indeed.
Tristar
Date: 10 Aug 2010 22:14 (UTC)Re: Tristar
Date: 11 Aug 2010 05:37 (UTC)Nope, it isn't, because unlike your assumption, I most certainly did read it. Which, had you followed the the link to the earlier posting (http://vakkotaur.livejournal.com/282159.html) you would have known.
A "product" is very non-specific? Why the need for that? As for "full of dirt".. it's a vacuum cleaner. If it's NOT full of dirt, it isn't working. Hardly a big point.
As for the unrelated argument, "Do you get mad at the TV because it plays commercials?" How many new TVs without MUTE buttons on the remote have been sold in last 10 years? Not many, I expect. There's a reason for that. It's not that commercials are in and of themselves evil or unnecessary. It's that all too many are just plain annoying and have earned the treatment of being ruthlessly ignored ("Apply directly to.." not anyone?) whereas all too few are actually clever and amusing. Those few get talked about in positive ways, "Hey, did you see..." Or to keep in the 'Bulk Business Mail' category, there is this reply (http://vakkotaur.livejournal.com/282159.html?thread=1065007#t1065007) I made to another commenter. It simply compares two pieces of mailed advertising. One from MG2/Tristar and another from CitiCorp & American Express (with which I do no business) and Citi/AMEX come out looking better - and banks and credit and companies are not apt to be considered paragons of virtue.
You give lots of praise and supposed great points to the vacuum cleaner. Why not tell people right off? Why the gimmicks that are clearly intended to trick people into calling for the chance at some 'prize'? It screams, "We're using this to get around DO NOT CALL."