Fooled to send SMS at special numbers which have higher tariff rates for CONTESTS

Sep 9, 2013

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Location/place: Delhi

Name of company/service: Chevrolet Spark Contest on Vodafone postpaid connection

I received an sms on my vodafone postpaid mobile about a “Chevrolet Spark Contest” & that by participating in this contest I will win prizes.

I was innocently moving ahead in hope of receiving prizes. I had achieved almost 5lac+ points which in itself is very rare.

I kept giving correct answers to 153 questions for which I have been charged Rs. 459 in the current bill summary. I always got the sms- “Keep playing it will bring you closer to getting a Chevrolet Spark”

I never ever received any intimation from VODAFONE about any rules and regulations. Or any limit of answering questions.

While calling the customer care twice, they were not even aware of any such contest being run on VODAFONE nor did they have a correct advice of moving forward.

Consumers in such cases fail to understand whom to trust. We are fooled to send SMS at special numbers which have higher tariff rates without any stop. I am not demanding any prizes but I want to understand why correct information about contests is not passed on to the participants.

Is this a way to generate more revenues? Being a consumer I need an answer to my questions.

Comments

7 responses to “Fooled to send SMS at special numbers which have higher tariff rates for CONTESTS”

Vodafone India

September 10, 2013

Hello Priyanka,

Please share your contact number with us at http://bit.ly/15MvutT and we will have someone get back to you with assistance.

Regards,
Vodafone Customer Care.
Chevrolet Support

September 12, 2013

Hi Priyanka, thank you for raising this. Chevrolet is running no such promotions. Please ignore this and any such unofficial promotions.
Ashish raut

September 20, 2013

I am playing this contest my points are 55laks plz sugget is dat really fake?
Priyanka

September 30, 2013

Hi Vodafone Team, sure I will leave my contact number on the url mentioned. But trust me I did speak to Vodafone customer care twice for inquiry purpose and I have supporting emails and reply from corporate help desk ([email protected]), in which they had no idea about the contest.

Hi Chevrolet Team- This is very strange to know how we “consumers” receive contest sms even when no such contest is being actually run.

Ashish- just a genuine advice, please do not trust any such messages or play such contests, that is what I have concluded. Customers are fooled most of times.
Priyanka

October 7, 2013

Dear Vodafone Customer Care Team,

Hope you have received my cell phone number. I have not heard back from your team yet.

Regards,
Priyanka
Phil

March 28, 2014

Oh no, are they fake contest that we find their website and sometimes the messages we receive?
Even I do suspect about the winners mentioned in the website.Only few contests are genuine and the other contests is just to fool the Customers ….
Somebody plz reply if you know more about it………
Phil

March 28, 2014

Since they’re third parties involved in organizing these contests, I think everyone should be very cautious and not to loose your hard earn money…