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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Does this ever really happen IRL? (Poss scam)

107 replies

Stuckinthemiddle1990 · 29/09/2022 17:40

My MIL has just received a phone call from her insurance company telling her that she has won a very expensive, very exotic all expenses paid holiday for two people in their monthly prize draw. She said she does enter random things with them when she gets emails from them, but can't remember if this was one of them as she deletes them once she's done.

The girl on the end of the phone sounded extremely genuine and despite MILs protestations to the girl that it is of course a scam and a wind up the girl was insistent that it wasn't and that she had won. She didn't ask MIL for any personal details and said she would put everything in an email to her (we are still waiting).

She googled the number she was called from and it is the offices head office. I also had a look on their website and prize draws for similar destinations are something they do on the regular.

If it all checks out then quite frankly I am absolutely buzzing for her. She lost her DH last year and hasn't been coping particularly well and I really think this could be the most amazing experience for her......

....but these kind of things never happen IRL do they??!! How do we check this all out??

Has it happened to anyone in MN world and it NOT be dodgy??

OP posts:
theemmadilemma · 29/09/2022 17:42

It does happen.

When I used to use a travel agency for work I entered a competition and won free flights. 🤷‍♀️

Sago1 · 29/09/2022 17:42

I had a call from the local hospice to say I had won an annual prize draw.
I had!,

Allthegoodnamesaregoneffs · 29/09/2022 17:43

Call the company back on a number you got from online and check direct with them

PicturesOfDogs · 29/09/2022 17:43

Ah, how lovely for her!
If you have doubts, you could always call them directly to confirm

ChessieFL · 29/09/2022 17:44

She should ring the insurance company back and ask. It is possible for scammers to make their phone calls look like they come from legitimate numbers so that on its own doesn’t tell you anything. However if it was a scam I would expect them to have asked for personal details, which you say they didn’t do. Sounds like it could be genuine!

Tibtab · 29/09/2022 17:45

Remember that companies can fake the number that they ring from to make it appear legitimate.

With holidays the biggest scam is often timeshare sales.

Sorehandsandfeet · 29/09/2022 17:45

Phone the company from a different phone and ask! I hope its genuine!

Backtonormalnow · 29/09/2022 17:45

Well someone’s got to win!

TwowaystoUrmston · 29/09/2022 17:45

Ah, I really hope it's genuine! Let us know OP won't you?

Stuckinthemiddle1990 · 29/09/2022 17:46

Thanks all. I am genuinely absolutely buzzing for her! It would be incredible. I actually got a bit teary when she told me. She would be taking her (also recently widowed) best friend with her.

Aghhh! I would be gutted if it was a chancer!

OP posts:
WhileMyGuitarGentlyWeeps · 29/09/2022 17:49

Just tell her to err on the side of caution. Remember, if something sounds too good tom be true it probably is.

Just tell her not to give out any details over the phone - OR email - about herself. They should know it all and should not need to ask. As has been said, your MIL needs to contact them direct on their proper official company and ask them about it.

WhileMyGuitarGentlyWeeps · 29/09/2022 17:49

to be true, not TOM!

BusySittingDown · 29/09/2022 17:49

Aw, everything crossed for her that it's real! 😀

Stuckinthemiddle1990 · 29/09/2022 18:19

So the email has come through.....looks 100% genuine. All expenses paid. Link to do her visa takes you to CIBTvisas (anyone heard of them)??

The itinerary looks beyond amazing. I can't quite believe it!!!!!

OP posts:
PatriciaHolm · 29/09/2022 18:33

The visas link makes me wary.

Where is it to? There is no reason to use a middleman for a visa to anywhere she's likely to have won a luxury holiday to.

Mum198000 · 29/09/2022 18:34

Visa link is to get details for a scam.

Sux2buthen · 29/09/2022 18:37

Ring the company

Nadal · 29/09/2022 18:39

Still ring the company to be sure

ICanHideButICantRun · 29/09/2022 18:40

I hate to think of her getting all excited if it was scam. Can't she phone the company up?

ICanHideButICantRun · 29/09/2022 18:41

NOT using any phone number from the email!

Have you checked the actual email address? Open it on a laptop and hover the mouse over the address.

Turmerictolly · 29/09/2022 18:46

Surely they would put this in writing? I won a short break many years ago and received a letter from the company on headed paper.

AriettyHomily · 29/09/2022 18:47

Ring the company! Don't enter any details for the visa

PicturesOfDogs · 29/09/2022 18:50

I wouldn’t enter any info, and would call the company direct to confirm.
It may be genuine, and they have some sort of deal with CIBT visas.
I have just googled them, and it seems to be some sort of company that you pay to do your visas for you, which you don’t need to do. Pretty sure you can do them yourself, and cut out this ‘middle man’?

HairyMcLarie · 29/09/2022 18:53

CIBT visas are a pretty reputable business visa company. I'd be checking if the link is really to their site though (hover and check address and compare it to a CIBT one online). Also check the email address of the insurance company that the email came from. Does that stack up? Call the insurance company yourself to check too

But agree with PP that I'm struggling to think of a destination that needs a middle man to arrange a visa for a holiday!

HairyMcLarie · 29/09/2022 19:00

Just checked an Visas are required for Ghana, India and Japan (other countries too but I'm guessing she's not won a trip to Syria or Belarus). Plenty countries with evisas too.

In which case a middle man might be so the insurance company/their agent can get everything sorted for her and be sure she's can use the holiday.

But check the links as above.