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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:
chocolatebuttin22 · 30/05/2012 12:18

OMG this happened to my old assistant manager. Scary!
It's all one big sham. TBH the managers that believe them are naive. All messages from head office or any schemes they are setting up are delievered through there own computer network or news letters that u print of from there.
This company seem to be taking it lightly. The police where involved and the assistant manager was fired for numerous reasons. It was a big thing at the company I used to work for. My assistant manager was on the phone to them all day with a girl in the office. They where charging the call at a premium rate.

Nancy66 · 30/05/2012 12:18

Weird that NOT doing something would mean money for a charity.....

Original poster
redrugroffle · 30/05/2012 12:19

chocolate- are you kidding me?

OP posts:
UnnamedFemaleProtagonist · 30/05/2012 12:21

Marking my place.

LaurieFairyCake · 30/05/2012 12:21

I definitely believe a disgruntled ex employee thought this up.

All they would have to do is call the store, say they were from head office, get the manager to rope in a customer then get the customer on the phone and ask embarrassing questions.

It would be very easy to do. And I wouldn't be surprised if the store already know it's an ex employee.

Possibly one of the poor saps taken in by 'workfare' Hmm

Pinner35 · 30/05/2012 12:23

Marking my place too. What a bizarre story. Can't wait for the outcome.

MardyBra · 30/05/2012 12:24

Shameless place marking. Desperate to hear what the Director has to say.

Clytaemnestra · 30/05/2012 12:25

"Possibly one of the poor saps taken in by 'workfare' "

That is the most excellent shoehorning in of a political point into an utterly irrelavant topic that I've seen in ages :)

VivaLeBeaver · 30/05/2012 12:25

Is it TopShop?

FartBlossom · 30/05/2012 12:25

chocolate- are you kidding me?

Why would they be? Lots of scams happen to more than one person so its likely if it happened to you it has also happened elsewhere.

Dont think its the store that needs to answer you though just the hoaxer, the store probably doesnt know who it is, hence the reluctance to talk to you.

JaxTellerIsMyFriend · 30/05/2012 12:25

I would have thought doing tasks would have meant money for charity, not doing a task doesnt make sense. Actually lots of this thread dont make sense.

OP you have nothing to be humiliated about, you were taken in. If anything the manager of the store isnt very good at their job. Sad To be taken in by someone or something is ridiculous. A hoax/scam, whatever you call it - anything like this (competition for charity) would have to be sanctioned via head office.

I am sorry you feel so upset. I would name the company. They sound too blase about this incident.

FartBlossom · 30/05/2012 12:26

Im thinking M&S or BHS or something.

LaurieFairyCake · 30/05/2012 12:27

That's why I put the sceptical Hmm on as it would be a great scam to make that point and then have it reported in the papers.

Nancy66 · 30/05/2012 12:28

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by Mumsnet for breaking our Talk Guidelines. Replies may also be deleted.

stoatie · 30/05/2012 12:28

penny drops -so it is a scammer who is using premium rate phone line - so longer they keep someone on line more money they make from phone line - will say anything to keep them there as they will be long gone when store realises

RillaBlythe · 30/05/2012 12:30

I'm so confused.

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

Jax, another clarification. My OP would have been as long as an arm if I had written every detail.

Every task I did I was rewarded with prizes if I forfeited the task the money/prize would go to the chairity. Does that make sense?

Pfft. I don't know what to think.

OP posts:
AmazingBouncingFerret · 30/05/2012 12:31

"penny drops -so it is a scammer who is using premium rate phone line - so longer they keep someone on line more money they make from phone line - will say anything to keep them there as they will be long gone when store realises"

I think you are exactly right with that one.

Original poster
redrugroffle · 30/05/2012 12:32

Stoatie, how is that possible? The person called the store, I was there when the call was answered by the store manager.

Years ago I did enter a radio comp and that's what happened to me- I was called back. I did win a Spice Girls CD mind you.

OP posts:
dixiechick1975 · 30/05/2012 12:32

What a bizarre thing to happen.

Maybe try speaking to trading standards at your local council - see if they have tried it on anyone else recently or if it is a scam doing the rounds.

Would you be on cctv - ask that it is retained not destoyed and a copy given to you.

Struggling to see what they have gained? Not being paranoid but was your purse with you at all times (i.e were they trying to distract you to rob you?)

wigglesrock · 30/05/2012 12:35

Yup, think its a premium rate phone scam. I get the task bit, re prizes for yourself or charity. Have been to an event where they used the same sort of idea.

I wouldn't worry about naming the store, I understand your hesitation but there are loads of threads complaining about service etc that name the store.

Guessing maybe a clothes store (part of a bigger chain ie Arcadia etc)

Original poster
redrugroffle · 30/05/2012 12:39

I have phoned my charity also- they've not honoured the donation of £50.

Grrrr.

OP posts:
confusedpixie · 30/05/2012 12:41

Bloody hell, I do hope you get to the bottom of this!

NotMostPeople · 30/05/2012 12:41

What kind of tasks did you have to do?

RighteousDude · 30/05/2012 12:45

No it doesn't make sense because who would pit s person against a charity. You'd look a right shit if you didn't forfeit wouldn't you? You'd surely just keep forfeiting particularly as you said you'd donate your prizes to the chairity anyway. Not much of a show if the participant just forfeits all of the tasks Confused

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