BigBrandsRewards.com
Complaint 130349 Details

FROM: Judith Burken (Personal Info Removed)

On June 25, 2012 (Monday), I was on a Publisher's Clearing House (PCH)Search site that directs searchers to the web using its search browser. Searchers are randomly selected for rewards. While on the site, a pop-up appeared saying I was Michigan's today winner.
I was offered a choice of prizes and selected an IPOD. After filling out my mailing address, I was informed that by pressing the button SEND, I would receive the IPOD delivered by FedX and was even provided a tracking number. However, the SEND button led me the page expanding and directed "to participate" in two of the sponsors' offers. This is where I paid $7.95 to Green Tea Fit and and selected a "free" credit card offer.(This involved picking put a credit card design. After approval, I was informed that I would be charged a fee decided upon by the card design I picked.) The card has not arrived yet, but I spent no money at the site.

Next, after clicking the "continue button, I was offered a bonus VISA card, and following the developing site maze, I was told to participate in still another offer. So I signed up for a Dr Seuss trial offer (8.95). And then I was connected to another sponsor site, and here I finally decided that I was in a site con.

So I contacted the above company also known as ONLINEREWARDSCLUB,COM as I learned when I received a reply. What follows is my exchange with an on-line representative named Daniel Carlberg.

Help Ticket #45534
June 25, 2012, 3:19 pm
Help Ticket Description:
I "won" an I-POD. In following instructions, I have applied for and was approved for a RUSHCARD. Next, I sent for $1 free trial of Green Tea Fit for $7.95 Then I get a pop-up for a "free" $250 VISA card, and I sign up for Dr. Seuss books. Next comes a pop-up for a "free" $1,000VISA card and all I want is the LAST REAL screen (as advertised to appear) and close the IPOD deal. But I can't get off this "free" offer page. So now I am on this page. At this point I only want the IPOD plus my aforementioned orders. So help me OUT (literally)!
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Questions and Responses
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June 25, 2012, 3:29 pm By General Support
Dear Judith,

Thank you for contacting Priority Support. It is my pleasure to assist you. I have pulled your account information and see that you successfully registered with OnlineRewardsClub.com on 6/25/2012 for a $250 Visa Gift Card. I have broken down how their promotion works below for your review.

In order to receive the $250 Visa Gift Card along with any bonus gifts, you must complete the terms and conditions for the incentive gift offering. Members must complete 2 sponsor offers from the Silver Offers group, 2 from the Gold Offers group, and 9 from the Platinum Offers group for a total of 13 sponsor offers and refer three friends to do the same (i.e. register and complete the required number of sponsor offers). Please see their terms and conditions at http://OnlineRewardsClub.com/terms.php (redemption terms are found under “How the program works”). At the bottom of each of the sponsor pages, above the red button bonus bar, there is a NEXT/PREVIOUS button which will walk you through the incentive promotion.

Once the terms and conditions have been completed and the sponsors have verified your participation, you will then log into your account to print off your redemption certificate in order to claim your incentive gifts. You may access your OnlineRewardsClub.com account by going to: http://OnlineRewardsClub.com/status.php. From here you can track your progress through the incentive gift promotion as well as complete any remaining sponsor offers. This is also where you will find your referral link to distribute to your friends and family.

Please note that OnlineRewardsClub.com does allow their sponsors up to 4 weeks to verify your participation with them. Please let me know if you have any questions.

Sincerely,

Daniel Carlberg
Priority Support
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June 25, 2012, 4:10 pm By Customer

O.K. skip the $250 card.
Where is the eye pod?

June 25, 2012, 4:10 pm By Customer

Ok. Am I logged in to receive the I-POD AFTER the sponsors check out my orders?
Forget the VISA card.
judith

June 25, 2012, 4:13 pm By General Support

Judith,

Per the promotion terms that you agreed to you are not able to redeem any gifts until you have fully satisfied the promotion terms. Again the terms that you are agreed to are you must complete 2 sponsor offers from the Silver Offers group, 2 from the Gold Offers group, and 9 from the Platinum Offers group for a total of 13 sponsor offers and refer three friends to do the same (i.e. register and complete the required number of sponsor offers). Please see their terms and conditions at http://OnlineRewardsClub.com/terms.php (redemption terms are found under “How the program works”). Please let me know if you need anything else.

Regards,

Daniel Carlberg
Priority Support

June 25, 2012, 4:14 pm By Customer
Daniel Carlberg

Regarding the following--
"Please note that OnlineRewardsClub.com does allow their sponsors up to 4 weeks to verify your participation with them." ---Does this mean I will receive the I-POD AFTER the sponsors check out my orders?
judith

June 25, 2012, 4:20 pm By Customer
Daniel:

Where along the maze trail did I miss all the obligations you now mention?
I responded to a Publisher's Clearing House notice that I was the Michigan Winner for today. Next I find myself "chatting" with you.
judith
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June 25, 2012, 4:49 pm By Customer
Am I going to get a reply?
judith
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Well, I got no reply. So next, I contacted PCH

Customer By Web Form (Judith Burken) 06/26/2012 06:04 PM

Monday, I spent hours on-line jumping through questionable links to "receive" my "winning" prize of an I-Pad2. The announcement of such appearing on a web site I had reached while "searching" from an original e-mail sent by PCH.

But the final straw (that broke my online back) was finding out I was no longer on a PCH web site, and the site I was on wanted me to take the following steps: (these are referred to earlier).

Response Via Email (PCH Service) 06/27/2012 12:19 PM

Please be advised, the prize of the iPad 2 was not offered through PCH but through another site. It appears that the offer that you responded to was from a third party advertiser. For future reference, all advertisements on PCH websites are clearly marked with the word "AD" or "ADVERTISEMENT" directly above or to the left of the ad.

Please contact the advertiser directly for a resolution to your concern as we cannot properly address customer service issues for another company. If you are not sure who the advertiser was, please review your browser history to locate the website you were directed to.
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From: PCH Service <[email protected]>
To: [email protected]
Sent: Wednesday, June 27, 2012 1:19 PM
Subject: Today's winner [Incident: 120626-000328]

Thank you for contacting us. Recently you requested personal assistance from our on-line support center. Below is a summary of your request and our response:

Publishers Clearing House wants to ensure that your experience with us a positive one; therefore, if your situation has not been resolved to your satisfaction, please reply to this message within 7 days of receipt of this email with additional information, questions, and/or concerns. If we have handled your inquiry appropriately, there is no need to respond. If we do not hear from you, we will automatically consider this case resolved. To open any new incidents or if you have other questions, please visit our FAQ page at http://pch.custhelp.com

Thank you for allowing us to be of service to you.
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Re: Today's winner [Incident: 120626-000328]
FROM:Judith Burken
TO:PCH Service
Message flagged Wednesday, June 27, 2012 3:08 PM

Thanks for the clarification of my maze travels.
The "pop-up" appeared as I was searching on the "Search Now" site which is the one from which PCH says daily winners are picked.
So when the notice: "You are Today's winner" popped up, I thought it was a PCH, legitimate notice.

The actual site was ONLINEREWARDS.COM.(aka BigBrandsRewards.com)
Has not anyone else fallen for this bait-and-switch scheme and reported it to PCH?
I certainly hope PCH as a reputable company will take some action in this matter---unless PCH is taking a profit cut on the fraudulent pop-up.

judith
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I have not received a reply from Publishers Clearing House.
And so I come to you for certainly others have fallen into this bait and switch scheme.

What can you do?

judith