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AIBU?

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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:
GrahamTribe · 30/05/2012 11:51

"the (hoaxer)guy on the phone with the jingles in the backgrounds. It does not add up. One of the company's theories is that this was an ex colleague who has targetted the manager."

It's a pretty elaborate hoax on the part of an ex-employee! I don't believe them.

AngelWreakinHavoc · 30/05/2012 11:52

Just a thought but have you tried Youtube to see if there is anything on there, I have seen phone wind ups posted on there before. I would check just type something like 'phone prank name of company' or something similar. If it is on there then you will be able to find out who it was doing the pranking.

HeartsJandJ · 30/05/2012 11:53

A radio station would know competition rules (and yes they are extremely strict - you don't even have to buy a packet of crisps to win a prize for eg!).

I guess either a paper to expose but then your RL identity will be displayed everywhere. Or as someone else said send an email to the MD with a link to this thread and state you will expose the company if reparation is not made.

LoopyLoopsCorgiPoops · 30/05/2012 11:56

I think this could well be a national story, but there's an awful lot going on up and down the country in the next few days.

I hope you get somewhere with it though, it really is shocking.

waltermittymissus · 30/05/2012 11:57

Hearts that's what I was thinking. Which is why I thought maybe it had been someone's mad scheme and a manager or something stepped in and stopped it?

GrahamTribe · 30/05/2012 11:58

consumers.ofcom.org.uk/tell-us/telecoms/other-issues/scams/

The bottom of this page tells you to contact Action Fraud, UK?s national fraud reporting centre, and Consumer Direct.

I really would recommend sending the MD and chairman of the company a link to this thread now.

keepthechangeyoufilthyanimal · 30/05/2012 11:58

I just don't understand any of this, the more I read the thread the less I understand what has happened! Confused

ScrambledSmegs · 30/05/2012 11:59

This is bizarre. I just don't understand what the point of this hoax was?

Sorry, not meaning to sound disbelieving. Just very Confused, as I'm sure you are too OP.

trikken · 30/05/2012 11:59

Oh no, what awful behaviour from the company, surely they should have checked to make sure it was completely real and legit before going ahead with it?

sounds awful for you too, as you were doing something you thought would genuinely go to charity and help others.

FartBlossom · 30/05/2012 12:00

Im confused. So you were in a shop and were asked to go on the phone to win stuff, but then you went back and was told that it wasn't real? Is that the gist of it? So it was just a waste of your time then? And the cost to go back for nothing of course?

UnRoyalCharter · 30/05/2012 12:04

i also don't understand why the biggest 'joke' part was on the shop manager - what did she stand to gain from this?

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

Graham Tribe- will definitely be doing that. I have been told "one of the directors will call" I have not been given a name. That said I've looked at linkedin and there appear to be two names (same surname) that are down as directors.

Oh and any disbelievers. I am not offended so feel free to add your "what a load of bolleux" posts. I will not be insulted in the least or be baited. I've done my fair share in the past.

OP posts:
FartBlossom · 30/05/2012 12:06

Im not a non-believer I just dont understand what happened

BupcakesandCunting · 30/05/2012 12:07

Oh please tell us the store name!

UnRoyalCharter · 30/05/2012 12:10

i've got a warped-enough sense of humour to have even planned a similar hoax myself, i still don't get the joke though

maybe i'm just thick

Nancy66 · 30/05/2012 12:11

the store must be a real tin-pot operation.

is it a 99p shop?

waltermittymissus · 30/05/2012 12:12

Nope UnRoyal I don't get it either! What was the point of the whole thing?!

AngelWreakinHavoc · 30/05/2012 12:12

redrugroffle What kind of things did they have You doing on the phone? What did You refuse to do? Not that it matters but I'm just trying to get a picture of what they would acheive by this.

BillyBollyBandy · 30/05/2012 12:14

But what sort of competition would have some of the prizes going to the shop?

Very Confused

Oh and I believe you OP. It is too mental a situation to be made up Grin

AmazingBouncingFerret · 30/05/2012 12:15

I cannot understand how a manager of a retail store would fall for this??

crazygracieuk · 30/05/2012 12:15

Does the radio station publish podcasts?

It's easy to get a set of jingles. There are lots of soundboards available on the Internet.

The director owes you lots of information and I would expect him to have some answers for you as well as an action plan. The fact that the manager is able to dismiss it so easily to your face suggests that she knows a lot more than she is letting on.

AmazingBouncingFerret · 30/05/2012 12:15

It's almost like one of those facejacker things isnt it?

Are you sure you werent filmed>?

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

Angel. I'd rather not say. it's not relevant right now but of course the press would like it and if it goes that far I'll tell them all. It was very humiliating(knowing now it was not legitimate- I'm game though and it wouldn't have mattered if it were genuine) and i did some but I refused stuff /tasks too and wasnt worried as understood any forfeits would mean money to a charity.

OP posts:
ComradeJing · 30/05/2012 12:16

I don't get the joke either. Confused

OP, can't wait to see who rings!

Original poster
redrugroffle · 30/05/2012 12:17

nancy66, no it is not. you'd be shocked.

OP posts: