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| Subject: Apricot Consortium in cahoots with timeshare company? | |
Author: Glen | [ Next Thread |
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] Date Posted: Sat, Aug 06 2005, 2:28:36 Hi, I've recently fill up a lucky draw coupon (http://chance-of-a-lifetime.com/index.htm) after finishing my meal at sizzler restaurant. Four days later, I received a call from Apricot Consortium (#06-234, Faber House) who is the main sponsor of the event. The caller informed me that I've won in the draw. I'm sceptical at first but they have my details from the lucky draw coupons. They told me that I've won a Olympus camera, travel vouchers and spa vouchers. However, there's a condition to it. I have to own a credit card and have to attend a travel talk for 80mins before I can receive my gifts. Now, isn't this familiar? What shock me is that under the guise of the lucky draw which is participated by many well known restuarants and shops, it's actually providing personal details to a timeshare company. Yes, even thou there are actual winners listed for other prizes but this is too dispicable. [ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ] |
| [> Subject: Re: Apricot Consortium in cahoots with timeshare company? | |
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Author: Up2u [ Edit | View ] |
Date Posted: Sat, Aug 06 2005, 23:18:47 Hi Glen Thanks for sharing and here's my experience with Apricot Consortium: I got a call from Apricot Consortium early this year, claiming I've entered into a lucky draw and won a prize. I asked this girl (sounded young & inexperienced over phone) which lucky draw was that and she said it's with one of the shopping centres during Christmas season and she did not know, all she had was my particulars to contact me. After I realised I was cheated of my money around June last year, I've stopped entering any lucky draws to protect my privacy. Before she rattled on, I asked her for her company name and she said 'Apricot Consortium'. I asked her the location, she said Fable House and I had a sneaky feeling it was another timeshare company and that they are a syndicate sharing our personal particulars because around the same time then, LGM tried getting me down to meet them too. I told her I've never entered lucky draw during last Christmas season, has never consented to anyone or any company releasing my personal particulars to 'Apricot Consortium' and I've never been approached by and personally given Apricot Consortium in the past, hence Apricot Consortium has no right to have my personal particulars. In a firm tone, I told her to tell me the source. She sounded scared and told me to hold on the line. She came back and replied I've checked with my manager and I'm sorry we can't disclose who supplied us your personal particulars. I told her fine then, I shall let the government relevant authorities handle this, this is intrusion of privacy without upfront consent from the owner. She said sorry immediately and hung up the phone. The telephone number she called from was 63392724. Hope my inputs here can save another person from becoming a victim. Up2u [ Post a Reply to This Message ] |
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Author: George [ Edit | View ] |
Date Posted: Tue, Aug 09 2005, 11:55:47 Hi, Please be wary. If u look carefully, there is only one timeshare company in Faber House located on the 6th floor. And that is Interval Resorts International or IRN. It is run by a haughty Britisher called Simon Paul Christopher Cook (MD). IRN is marketing Asian Travel Club or ATC of Thailand. I suspect Apricot Consortium is another subsidiary of IRN. This is how these timeshare companies in Singapore operate. They form subsidiaries or sister companies when too much adverse publicity has been attracted by the main company. Many of the timeshare staff of one company migrate to other companies in Singapore after the going gets tough or have misunderstanding with the Managers or get sacked by the management for not getting enough 'deals' or fall into the bad books of some 'Amoh' managers or directors. So armed with the personal particulars of clients whom they have met or spoken to they then forward them to their new bosses to earn favours. If u go to some of the bigger companies in Singapore - LGM, ERI or Oriental Travels u may bumb into some familiar faces. Even the telemarketing staff migrate. So friends beware when u fill up the so-called Survey Sheets during your timeshare presentation. Don't reveal too much about yourself otherwise u will be haunted when u leave the premises by people calling u on the telephone claiming u have won some lucky draws. Most importantly don't show off all your credit cards! [ Post a Reply to This Message ] |
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Author: Up2u [ Edit | View ] |
Date Posted: Mon, May 22 2006, 1:06:49 With regards to my msg above about Apricot Consortium having my personal particulars without my consent early last year & I suspected the source of info. maybe from LGM, here's an article on detering future occurrence.... hope the new data protection law can be enforced soon to prevent more pple from being victimised by timeshare companies. http://sg.news.yahoo.com/060521/5/singapore209498.html New data protection law likely to reduce junk mails and marketing ploys SINGAPORE: A committee that is looking at how to protect private information, is expected to submit its report to the government next month. Experts believe one of the key features of the upcoming data protection law is clamping down on private companies that collect and disseminate your personal information freely. Currently, when a person fills out their personal information on forms or lucky draw coupons, the companies will usually store your information in their databases and disseminate it without the person's knowledge or permission. The upcoming law will likely make sure that will not happen again. Experts believe the law may be ready in about 2 years. "Data collectors would have to get your consent if they're going to use it for direct marketing and if you discover that your particulars are being used by direct marketing by a particular company, you'd have a right to go to the company and demand that they stop doing it. It's the sort of thing I could envisage in the legislation coming," said S Suressh, a partner at Harry Elias Partnership. Singaporeans are increasingly using the internet to conduct transactions. So it's timely for the government to study and develop laws to protect personal details. "As we develop, there're more and more demands for rights and one of the rights is of course the right to privacy. So the government's probably decided that we have reached a certain level of development and that businesses can probably cope with the increased burden and cost of this," said Asst Prof Terence Tan from the Law Faculty at NUS. The existing laws cover mainly government agencies such as the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore, requiring they protect your personal information. But data collection and protection are unregulated among private companies, which will change with the coming of new laws. - CNA /dt Up2u [ Post a Reply to This Message ] |
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Author: George [ Edit | View ] |
Date Posted: Thu, Aug 11 2005, 21:31:37 A check with ACRA (Accounting And Corporate Regulatory Authority) reveals that Apricot Consortium Pte Ltd was registered on 7 Feb 2005 and its registered address is : 190, Clemenceau Avenue, #05-10, Singapore Shopping Centre, S.239924. Its principal activities are given as follows: 1. Convention/Conference/Events/Concert Organisers (74982) 2. General Wholesale Trade (Including General Importers and Exporters) (50920) It has a V/Share of 1.0 Singapore Dollar. Its two Directors are Singaporean - YEO LYE HUAT MARTIN (YANG LAIFA MARTIN, of Tampines St 45 and a Singapore PR -NEO MUI FONG, of One Tree Hill. If they are operating from the 6th or 8th floor of Faber House then it is possible they are in cahoots with IRN. [ Post a Reply to This Message ] |
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Author: Dominator [ Edit | View ] |
Date Posted: Tue, Aug 23 2005, 22:54:44 I receive my call on 11 july. Excatly same as thread starter on the prize given. My immediate responce was asking the lady where she got my details from. She never reveal anything but instead told me I did participate in a lucky draw which I was very sure I did fill in one at california fit...CF I made a call to CF for a complain and within the very day I get another call from aprocot consordium trying to clarify nonsence with me, yes I said that as nonsence. I hung up the phone without saying much. I made another call to CF and this time round I wanted them to explain to me, why my informations can be leak from their company which is suppose to be confidential. The lady at CF took told me the never expect such things to happen too as apricot is the event organiser. So what I can conclude from this is, all those participating company or lucky draw sponsor are being make use by this aprocot for the timeshare activities. For more than a week the lady at apricot kept on calling me which finally she resort to using her hp and called me! guess what she said? something like this.. "hello Mr... can you just help me by coming down? you need to pay for anything i gurantee, just be there for a good 80mins then take your free gifts and leave. If you do that you are helping me to earn some comission, just take it as helping me will you? Without people like you all out there, customer service reps like us will have no money to eat. And our job is just to find people to come over to faber house to listen to the travel talk other than that it got nothing to do with us as long as we get comissions. please are you coming.....please.........." After she finished all her nonsence, I insisted no and she hang up. well terrible isn't it? so bitchy! sounds like a prostitute begging for customer. after that the following day I received her sms...I still have her number with me and I will keep it should someone call me from there again so I know who to look for. Anyway to all out there here is their website which was given to me when I asked. http://chance-of-a-lifetime.com/index.htm And california fit...logo was taken off the very day after I complained! So everyone, go ahead and complain if you remember which company you filled your lucky draw coupons, see if that company logo/name is being make use by apricot consor..! No doubts they are doing real lucky draw organising but they are also using customer details for timeshare! If there are more complains, I am sure those companies will not use apricot consordium anymore and hence chance for them to do timeshares! [ Post a Reply to This Message ] |
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Author: william [ Edit | View ] |
Date Posted: Wed, Aug 31 2005, 16:45:21 31st Aug 2005 (2.30pm) I have just received a call from a guy with number: 63392724. The starting was the same.... I participated in a lucky draw, win a prize, etc.... They even fax me an official invitation letter and guarantee that I would receive one of the following: 1) A S$700 furniture voucher 2) A 42" plasma YV valued S$3500 3) NEC Laptop computer valued S$2100 4) Free travel & Spa voucher valued S$700 A special complimentary gift of "MP3/Discman Player" awaits all personal cresdit card holders. The credit card holders are required to show their credit card to their sponser's registration counter to qualify. The timeshare takes place at exhibition hall at 230 Orchard Rd, #06-234, Faber House, S(238854) and will last about 80 minutes after which we will receive the gifts. They even mentioned that there is no any obligation to acquire or purchase anything. The guy asked me to go to the place at 5.30pm today. I don't think I will attend the timeshare..... Immedaitely, I check through internet to find out what is this "Apricot Consortium"? I suppose this must be a timeshare and gonna waste my time if I am not interested... I found this VoyForum which posted about this "Apricot Consortium". Thanks VoyForum and everyone who shares their experience here.... At least these experience will be a reference for whom who wish to know more..... I received this similar call before and had attended once in last year. Initially, I rejected few times and the lady keep calling me and request me to help and promise to give me a free gift with spending only 30 minutes, etc..... I was terrible busy that time and finally arrange my time to have a look there on one of the Saturday. I received a "cheap watch" and wasted 30 minutes. I insisted to leave after 30 minutes as I had another appointment..... Once again, thanks for everyone who shares their experience here.... [ Post a Reply to This Message ] |
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Author: killbulk [ Edit | View ] |
Date Posted: Wed, Jul 05 2006, 16:32:32 today receive phone for them,lucky i check this website...how to prevent this kind of thing happen ...really think to teach them a lesson...anyone got great idea ? [ Post a Reply to This Message ] |