NPR - I won a contest and got a free cruise...scam?

i entered a contest a few weeks ago at a liquidation store here in chicago and just got a call saying i won a 2 day cruise in the bahamas.

besides the obvious, asking for too much personal information, what else should i look out for? i told the person i would have to decide w DH and she said she'd call back later. i didn't give her any other info.

TIA

Re: NPR - I won a contest and got a free cruise...scam?

We "won" a free trip to Disney a couple of years ago. It was def a scam. We had to pay upfront for airfare, there were only certain dates to go, we had to pay the taxes for the trip upfront, we had to tell them immediately if we wanted the trip. When my DH said he had to talk to me about it, the salesperson got nasty and said he had to give them an answer immediately or they were moving on to the next person.

Re: NPR - I won a contest and got a free cruise...scam?

Look out for them telling you that you have to attend "meetings" where they imprison you until you agree to buy a time share.

Re: NPR - I won a contest and got a free cruise...scam?

I wouldn't do anything over the phone. If it's true, they will send you something in the mail with certification. I had friends who used to enter sweepstakes as a hobby (they seriously would rack up on prizes!) and they always told me never to give anything out over the phone.
Oh it also sounds fishy that they won't give you a number to call back. They should be ready to give you their info so that you can verify it.

Message edited 2/1/2010 1:36:10 PM.

Re: NPR - I won a contest and got a free cruise...scam?

If you have to pay for it, it is a scam. I have won a car and a cruise and the only things I had to pay for was the taxes (which is normal).