Free Cruise Voucher for 2 in exchange for $1 AND a post-trip review??

[AlyCat023]

Hello everyone! I am pretty certain this thing is a scam but I wanted your input on it as well. Has anyone else seen an AD on Facebook about receiving cruise vouchers for 2 adults for a 5-night Royal Caribbean cruise going out of either Miami, Alaska, and I believe there was one more, don't remember at the moment, on the Icon of the seas. The ad states all you have to pay is $1 and promise to give a post-trip review and you will be rewarded w/ 2 vouchers for adults. I know sometimes Facebook shows ads that are scams so I'm thinking this one is as well. I did click on it to get more info and to see if it was legit. It took me to a webpage that showed "comments" from other people saying that they were able to use the vouchers and there was only like 2 comments that were second guessing it. The webpage did seem sketchy because it had the Royal Caribbean symbol on the top in the middle of the page like the actual Royal website. But then it also had the 3 horizontal lines in the left hand corner of the page but if you click on it, it doesn't do anything. I did put my name, email, and zip code in as it requested but after that it took me to a page to pay the $1 and that's where I stopped because I am not about to put my card info in there and next thing I know my account is zeroed out or overdrawn. Anyway, I'm just wondering if anyone else has experience this and if it's legit. Obviously it seems WAY too good to be true because cruises are pretty pricey and even if you get a "Free" cruise voucher, I know you are still liable for the taxes, port fees, and gratuities as well. Just want to know if anyone has seen this or actually filled it out and got something out of it. TIA!

Edited November 16, 2023 by AlyCat023

[CruiserBruce]

I think you are very correct to be suspicious.

 

Call RCI and see what they say.

[ColeThornton]

Mistake #1:  Clicking on a suspicious internet ad. 

[SPacificbound]

Definitely sounds like clickbait. 

[crystalspin]

1 hour ago, AlyCat023 said:

Hello everyone! I am pretty certain this thing is a scam but I wanted your input on it as well. Has anyone else seen an AD on Facebook about receiving cruise vouchers for 2 adults for a 5-night Royal Caribbean cruise going out of either Miami, Alaska, and I believe there was one more, don't remember at the moment, on the Icon of the seas.

Welcome to Cruise Critic! If I thing sounds too good to be true...

 

I have bought shoes TWICE (fool me twice SHAME ON ME) off FB ads. Once for my DSM who has bunions -- they were useless for her. Just recently an ad showed "Clarks from England" logo et al, but the shoes I got were cheap and NOT Clarks.

 

I think you did well not to put your credit card or bank info into the scammy site.

[Kristelle]

2 hours ago, CruiserBruce said:

I think you are very correct to be suspicious.

 

Call RCI and see what they say.

 

 

I think this is the correct thing to do if anything seems suspicious - directly ring the original company whose logo is featured and see what they say.

Obviously getting their contact number independently, not from the ad.

 

I guess they are counting on people thinking oh well, $1, nothing to lose and paying anyway

 

I admit I have sometimes bought very cheap things (nothing to do with cruises) from FB ads - some have been fine, others have been oh well, only lost $5 was worth a try.

 

But I always pay through PayPal, not directly with my credit card - so  I can only lose the amount I know I paid, the company does not have access to my details

[leaveitallbehind]

I can assure you this is not an RCCL sponsored thing.  I would not pursue it at all - especially if it requires a credit card to do so.

[GeezerCouple]

4 hours ago, AlyCat023 said:

I did click on it to get more info and to see if it was legit. It took me to a webpage that showed "comments" from other people saying that they were able to use the vouchers and there was only like 2 comments that were second guessing it. The webpage did seem sketchy because it had the Royal Caribbean symbol on the top in the middle of the page like the actual Royal website. But then it also had the 3 horizontal lines in the left hand corner of the page but if you click on it, it doesn't do anything.

[emphasis added]

 

Hopefully this can be an easy "learning experience" for you, and apparently one without unpleasant consequences.

-->> The simple "clicking a link in an email" could by itself cause some really bad things to happen, such as downloading malware.  (Obviously, it might not, but it could have happened...!)

 

It may not have been possible to call a proper number from the emailed information (that itself could be a warning), but if either of us ever gets an unexpected email "offer" of some sort, we *might* call the vendor using a phone number we ALREADY KNOW, or getting it from their official website... but *not* calling a number included in the possibly sketchy email.

 

GC

 

[AlyCat023]

7 minutes ago, GeezerCouple said:

[emphasis added]

 

Hopefully this can be an easy "learning experience" for you, and apparently one without unpleasant consequences.

-->> The simple "clicking a link in an email" could by itself cause some really bad things to happen, such as downloading malware.  (Obviously, it might not, but it could have happened...!)

 

It may not have been possible to call a proper number from the emailed information (that itself could be a warning), but if either of us ever gets an unexpected email "offer" of some sort, we *might* call the vendor using a phone number we ALREADY KNOW, or getting it from their official website... but *not* calling a number included in the possibly sketchy email.

 

GC

 

It wasn’t an email.. But yes, I understand your point about the dangers of clicking on a too good to be true ad. Thanks

[GeezerCouple]

1 hour ago, AlyCat023 said:

It wasn’t an email.. But yes, I understand your point about the dangers of clicking on a too good to be true ad. Thanks

Ooops!

 

Sorry to have put "email" when it was, as you wrote, any online ad in this case.

 

GC

[jsn55]

Never read an ad on FB, much less click on it, In fact, don't use FB for anything at all.  

[ldubs]

6 hours ago, SPacificbound said:

Definitely sounds like clickbait. 

 

I think SCAM is a more accurate description.  

[edinburgher]

19 hours ago, AlyCat023 said:

I did click on it to get more info and to see if it was legit.

We  would never have clicked any link on a potentially scam ad, e-mail or anything else due to the possibility of malicious malware being down (or is it up?)loaded  to your device. 

 

Can I suggest that you change passwords on any of your accounts which could be compromised?

[Corby114]

Icon of the Seas is Royal Caribbean's newest ship that hasn't even gone into service yet. Interior cabins for a seven day sailing are going for over two thousand dollars per passenger. There's no way that this promotion is legitimate! Run far away in the opposite direction! Another case of spam!

[LH25]

We've been burned a few times by Facebook ads.  Luckily not outright scammed, but cheap goods that aren't worth anything.  I finally have hubby trained to look for a product on Amazon rather than buy from a FB ad.

[Mum2Mercury]

I don't do Facebook, but this has scam written all over it.  People are willing to write reviews for free, so who's benefiting here?  If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is too good to be true.  

If you're tempted to send in your $1, I suggest you get a $5 VISA gift card and pay with that.  Don't use your real credit card.  

[Kristelle]

or pay by PayPal - that way you use your credit or debit card but the receiving company has no access to the details.

 

and if a company doesn't have pay by Paypal option that is bit of a flag already

[GrannyJ]

If it's on Facebook and it looks "too good to be true", well, run....  Run fast.  Do not click go, you won't be collecting anything.