I wasted no time, this time round, and started off straight by giving them a piece of my mind - in a civil manner, of course - when I realized I had been tricked.
Because of a previous bad experience (after which, I swore never again to be embroiled into such crapshit), I specifically enquired over the phone if I would be put through any product presentation and hard-selling antics (which by no means are 'obligation-free' as they proclaim) before I could collect my free gifts. And because the answer was a straight "No ma'am, we're not like those marketing companies", I said ok and, in all (stupid) honesty, really thought I had indeed been lucky enough to win some prizes. If the answer had been otherwise, I would've flatly turned down the gifts.
I'm always a believer that good things in life are never for free - the best ones are always earned, through your own hardwork and efforts. I should've known; I should've stuck to my principles. I guess two bad experiences are enough to further entrench my beliefs.
I am pissed too, because I feel somewhat violated. I am furiously wondering, where the heck these marketing companies have gotten my personal data from. Lucky draw tickets? Banks? Surveys? Credit card companies? My mom? They know my name, my age, my cell, my home and office numbers, they know my occupation, my address. Heck, they know practically everything about me that the only thing short of knowing is probably if I had sex the night before.
After my half-hour of good-natured bitching, this company was nice enough to realize I had indeed been fooled, and that there was no way they could make me sit through an hour of 'product presentation' with them. So, apologetically, they offered me my free gifts nonetheless. At the door, on my way out, I bumped into three policemen.
Haha, "Ma da lai liao," said I to the poor 'marketing consultant'.
So, after all my efforts of trying to wriggle out of another scam, this is all I got:
1) A one-night free stay in Sijori Resort, but it's a minimum three-day-two-night stay voucher, so I've been conned (yes, it's $180 off rack rates for one night, and I have to pay for second night - it's ridiculous).
2) A ladies' watch, so my Father Day's gift idea has not materialized.
3) A $50 voucher at some beauty/slimming center, which I've absolutely no use for; I could've appreciated some spa where massages are offered.
So, in three words: I've been conned. Time was indeed wasted.
Take a tip or two: you never know when these scammers are going to pounce on you. Be smart. Scram, or be scammed.
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