I wrote some time ago about attending the Toronto Bridal Show with my fiance. It was fun and funny to see what some people will spend on their ‘day’, and like most couples we picked up brochures, got some ideas and left the day with sore feet. Along with most of them we also filled out some of the “free prize draw” slips throughout the day. Well, we received a call from “Table Charm” letting us know that we had won a free trip! It sure does sound exciting, but this had happened to me before.

Let me explain:

I had won a free cruise with some contest they told me I entered at a Subway. I didn’t remember entering but I may have forgotten about that. The thing that got me immediately suspicious was how most of my questions weren’t answered on the phone. That I had to show up to a sales meeting (where they wouldn’t try to sell me anything, just lay out their product line they said) and then afterwards if I chose not to purchase their time shares I would still get my prize. They used this line to try and bait me even more: “If we even sell 1 time share that night, then we have made money. This is why we will not use pressure tactics, etc.” They said then I would receive a free cruise around the Caribbean on their luxury liner. A few places to stop, food on board with a good chef, and the romance of being on the ocean. The papers they sent me even had the names of reputable companies on them. (Like Radisson Inns, etc) When I “googled” their company however I learned something entirely different.

The liner is horrible, the food is horrible and the entire time spend on the ship you are hounded by sales people or you can go play in their casino. They barely stop in any port for more than a few hours to keep you on the ship for as long as possible. The whole point of this is to get you to buy something, and you have to pay for the airfare yourself plus a small fee for taxes for your trip. (Nice prize!)

This “Table Charm” place seems the same from what I have read from others online. The problem is also that no one ever has any pictures they post of the places they go to if they say they loved it. It almost seems as if these positive net trolls are simply mouth pieces for the company itself.

Anyone else wish to share their experience or views on these offers?

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