Attn: Tampa and St. Pete/ Security Travel/ Internet Scam Question

[Channing]

so I got a phone call the other day saying I had won a free cruise and stay in the bahamas, courtesy of Security Travel, and that I had won via an entry made at a Red Cactus restaurant. I am always skeptical of such things, except that there is a red cactus near me, and I eat there all the time, and very well might have entered some competition there. I tried googling this to see if its a scam or not but only came back with one hit that said it was a scam, gave no details, and there was no other info I saw. Does anyone know how to go about figuring out if this is legit or a scam? I am planning on calling the Florida Chamber of commerce - but does anyone else know something or has anyone, probably in the Tampa/St Pete area, ever heard of SECURITY TRAVEL?

thanks

-steven

[Deslok]

Courtesy of the TripAdvisor forums...

Scam(really just trying to get you to overpay for a cruise that wasn't won or anything) (http://http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g147421-i661-k529338-Security_Travel_Cruise_Promotion-Lucaya_Grand_Bahama_Island_Bahamas.html)

[OZZIE4DUKE]

Does anyone know how to go about figuring out if this is legit or a scam?

1) There are no free lunches.

2) If you think you found one, read point #1 again.

It is a scam. Save your money.

[Windsor]

I'm in the Tampa/St Pete area...those scams are a dime a dozen with all of the cruises that leave from here. Run the other direction. Once you accept the 'free' offer they will hit you with 27 obscure 'charges' and you'll end up paying more than if you booked the cruise...not to mention the joys of substandard accomidations, reservations that don't exist et al

Run far, run fast....don't look back

Loni

[hurleyfor3]

Did the restaurant have a fishbowl you left a business card in, or something like that? Those purport to have random drawings every month or whatever, but in fact everyone ends up "winning" something. Usually it's someone trying to sell you insurance but "free travel" wouldn't be too much of a surprise either.

[Channing]

that is exactly what it was actually - thanks for the heads up! its nice to have my own sort of better-business-bureau willing to lend a hand when need be! thanks guys.