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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to push for more from this high street company that lied and humiliated me?

555 replies

redrugroffle · 30/05/2012 10:20

Sorry, name changing old timer to protect my RL identity on here (yawn, yes I know- please feel free to quiz me on MN howlers past and present)

I was shopping on a busy saturday in a chain. A lady approached me she was the manager.

She introduced herself and said she wondering if I would help her as she'd had no luck for the last hour and needed a candidate to take part in a radio phone in show- prizes/money going to charity and their staff and the chance to win an electrical appliance for myself???

I asked how long it would take and agreed as long as it would be swift as I felt a bit sorry for her Blush- I also asked what charity it would be for and whether it would be filmed? She was vague and said she wasn't fully briefed on the details. She then laughed and said that this was very much the "style" of their company. That they were very up on motivation for the staff, crazy competitions, incentives etc. I took this on trust and they are a very big company.

We went to her office and the phone rang on speaker phone- radio guy with jingles in background etc- asks me where I'm from, age, name etc.

It was then put on handset and I had to answer a few qs and agree whether or not to perform some silly tasks (think Chris Evans old style larking) some I did some I refused (every refusal got money for the charity)

Anyway- fast forward 20 mins and I cut ot off (as I wanted to go and was stretched for time. I'd won ££ for charity, 2 prizes for the staff and a prize for myself to be collected from the store on the following Tuesday and £3000 worth of stuff.

I was really pleased and as I fundraise for a local charity I asked if my prize could be donated to my chosen charity as well as thiers (I've got no need for another toaster of cake mixer Grin) I was told we will see on Tuesday.

I arrive on Tuesday (this place is a 55 mile round trip for me)

The manager looks solemn. She takes me to the office and tells me she's been stupid, it was a hoax, nobody was coming in.

She gave me a £20 voucher for my girl (it was her birthday) and asked me to leave. Sad

I've since called their customer services to demand an inquiry into her behaviour and to get some token for being humiliated, out of pocket and time.

They've not called me back.

They've said they're sorry but these things happen????

I've nobody except my close friend to asked and he advised me that he'd be going for the complete amount of things I was promised and to not compromise.

So your feedback would be greatly appreciated.

OP posts:
ForexTrader · 30/05/2012 16:04

I'm still convinced it was Ann Summers as they have two directors with the same name.

But maybe it was much much worse and OP was humiliated by having to eat a Greggs pasty while doing her "tasks"!!

Original poster
redrugroffle · 30/05/2012 16:04

fartBlossom fair enough but I won't be pushed into answering anything until I feel I want to. and no amount of "wow what a bullshit thread" posts will change that.

And thanks for your input.

I am more than happy to answer to MNHQ.

Also I haven't discussed every little detail and changed some basic info so as to not be identifiable on here to people I know.

OP posts:
crunchbag · 30/05/2012 16:09

Re-reading the OP, the £3000 that the poster won doing humiliating challenges was never going to the charity was it? So how much did she actually win for charity? ££ could be anything from 1 pound to thousands.

Therefore I am starting to wonder if OP is just pissed off with not actually winning £3000 to spent in store and is hiding behind he charity front?

OracleInACoracleocus · 30/05/2012 16:10

Ofgs, leave off the op! She is not a troll ffs and I'm usually one of the first to sound the bugle

Op, that's horrible! I agree with your friend, you should push for more in way of comnpensation.

Toaster24 · 30/05/2012 16:10

Did one of the tasks go like this?

(NSFW)
Nancy66 · 30/05/2012 16:10

If it's the old Ann Summers 'nipple tassle dance while eating a chocolate willy' con ......well, who hasn't fallen for that?

Original poster
redrugroffle · 30/05/2012 16:12

Hmm no crunch bag. I was asked what I wanted and I asked for it ALL to go to charity. All of it. I named the charity. I named the fundraising manager also.

OP posts:
crunchbag · 30/05/2012 16:18

I missed out a smiley which made it sound more serious than the light-hearted tone I intended,sorry.

OK so everything was to go the charity, still doesn't make the situation less bizarre.

So how much did you supposedly win for charity? It's a shame they don't get it but at least £50 is better than nothing.

nancy75 · 30/05/2012 16:23

I still don't understand why you think the shop should pay out, yes the manager was tricked, but then so were you. I don't get why you think the shop should stump up the money because somebody completely unrelated o them played a trick. As for them not responding quickly enough, if this only happened yesterday I don't think getting back to you today is that bad, after all they would have to speak to the manager and other staff invoved

jaquelinehyde · 30/05/2012 16:28

Come on OP do tell us what unspeakable things you had to do with that Gregg's sausage roll?

Shriekable · 30/05/2012 16:34

I don't think it's unreasonable to want to know why and how you were humiliated and set up in a particular store. Stick with it and let us know what happens x

StrawberryMojito · 30/05/2012 16:37

I suspect OP doesn't want to give any more details about the store or the tasks because she is going to go after compensation for her 'humiliation' and doesn't want anything to compromise it.

The thing is, if it wasn't the radio station, it was just an unfortunate but well executed prank probably aimed more at the store manager than the OP, no big deal.

bleedingheart · 30/05/2012 16:50

Only the manager, 'fraud DJ' and OP would've known about it as it wasn't broadcast by the radio station who weren't involved. Now everyone on here is speculating and the OP wants to go the Daily Mail?! If it is that humiliating, accept the £70 and let it go surely?

FartBlossom · 30/05/2012 16:52

fartBlossom fair enough but I won't be pushed into answering anything until I feel I want to. and no amount of "wow what a bullshit thread" posts will change that.
Thats fair enough if you dont want to divulge what exactly happened, but without it there is only half a story there.

And thanks for your input.
Its ok, but Im still struggling to understand what the big deal is here hence why Ive asked what I have

I am more than happy to answer to MNHQ
Grin Although as other people have said they dont believe you (ive always wanted to give the benefit of the doubt) I dont think I would have been the only one to report it.

Also I haven't discussed every little detail and changed some basic info so as to not be identifiable on here to people I know.
I dont see how I went into x store and did A, B and C would 'out' you.

In answer to your thread title YABU as it was a joke that someone pulled on someone else. Yes you got caught in the middle, but there was no real harm done. Just move on and chalk it down to experience. Sorry.

spongebrainfatpants · 30/05/2012 16:59

I just want to know what shop. shallow

DogEared · 30/05/2012 17:00

Troll hunting is against MN rules. If anyone suspects troll, report it, don't fill up a thread with your guesses whether OP is genuine or not. Hmm
I can understand OP not disclosing, as it may lead to her charity getting more money if she keeps it quiet.
And though I feel for the manager of the shop for being duped, OP would probably not have trusted a person off the street doing the same- she took part because she was in a big established shop and this woman was the manager, and she felt safe that everything was above board.

limitedperiodonly · 30/05/2012 17:20

DH and I once pulled off an elaborate hoax involving a Daily Mail charity auction of sports memorabilia, a golfing glove allegedly worn by Greg Norman and a toilet bowl.

All that was needed was a letter from a fake PR company and a particularly dim and greedy colleague against whom I held a mighty grudge.

It worked but I had a heart-stopping moment when our blameless secretary asked to try on the glove.

Just saying it's easily done with a bit of invention and a plausible manner.

limitedperiodonly · 30/05/2012 17:22

The toilet bowl was a bit grimy. The glove needed the correct patina to make it look like it had gone round 18 holes.

Lougle · 30/05/2012 17:23

" My gut tells me it's something that I am not being told!"

You think????? Grin

May I be the first to score? 1.5/10...I'm being generous....do I win a prize?

AngelWreakinHavoc · 30/05/2012 17:28

Lougle You win an electrical item AND £3000 to the charity of your choice! However can you please do some silly things then come back Tuesday for your reward?

Lougle · 30/05/2012 17:42

Hmmmmm Angel, do you have any credentials available for me to scrutinize? It all sounds somewhat suspicious

mothmagnet · 30/05/2012 17:46

Lakeland?

wereofftoseethewizard · 30/05/2012 17:58

Please will you tell us the reason why you won't name the shop cos I am getting really annoyed and bored now.

Nancy66 · 30/05/2012 18:00

...because then it would be checkable.

OracleInACoracleocus · 30/05/2012 18:03

I understand why she wont tell the name of the shop, if she is waiting for them to sort it out, it could jeopardise that. and if it is a phone scam and 8not* the shop, she might get into trouble.

I repeat, I know the OP, she is not trolling.

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