need help; scam or not

[dani82]

i got this email (www.zurprize.net) with this verification number saying that a won a Xbox, but i would have to pay for shipping via debt card (too bad i don't have 1 of those)

http://f1.pg.briefcase.yahoo.com/bc/dani882/vwp?.dir=/&.src=bc&.dnm=Screen01.jpg&.view=t&.done=http%3a//f1.pg.briefcase.yahoo.com/bc/dani882/lst%3f%26.dir=/%26.src=bc%26.view=t

i did search the net for some info on it, but only i person was talking about it (helped a little)

for those of you who are probably wondering if i'd ever enter this contest, thanks to comic books & video games, i can't remember; along with some other stuff


thanks for reading, please, share your thoughs

[wmansir]

I don't know if there is any difference from the merchant's end for debit and credit cards. As you may know, debit cards are deducted directly from your bank account and if it is a scam YOU are screwed. With a credit card you can dispute the charge and have it removed from your statement, which means the CC company can stop payment or at the very least it's THEIR problem.

When I was in college I ordered a bunch of used books ($200-300) from an online store using my debit card. Their system screwed up, lost my order but charged my card. It took two weeks for them to credit my account, which they though was no big deal because it's only a credit card, but I kept hounding them because the money was deducted directly from my account and I was a broke student so I didn't have the extra cash to by the books with. I learned my lesson and got a credit card for large purchases (especially online).

As far as this company goes, it looks very shady. I'm sure you found this post in your search:

http://www.netscalped.com/_disc4/0000064e.htm

Which refers to zurprize.com, not zurprize.net. A whois look up for Zurprize.net shows it was registered 3 days ago, very suspicious.

The fact that Zurprize.com is now shut down doesn't bode well either.

Also, if you look at the 'rules' at zurprize.net it talks about being contacted by phone, and it states that when you register you will be asked for you name, address, phone, ect. But none of that happens on the site, you just enter your email address (plus your friends addresses, won't they be happy) and click submit, and get a 'thanks for playing' notice. So, they just want to collect email addresses.

It looks to me like they are an email harvesting site at the very least, and most likely a scam site also.

[mpucoder]

All I can add is that no reputable business would require a debit card, they would allow credit cards as well.

[Nic]

Ok, I know nothing about american payment but just out of my own pure curiosity...In that image shot you took:
It states PIN, thats not referring to the PIN number you use to get money out of the ATM is it? Surely thats not normal?

-Nic

[mpucoder]

You know, I never looked at the screenshot - that is a pure scam.
Never give out your PIN, it is not needed for a bona fide merchant POS payment.

[Nic]

It does seem a definite scam, they state they pass the credit card info to authorize.net. AFAIK authorize are legitimate, they may be interested in this if you felt like getting involved dani82....

-Nic

[SeeMoreDigital]

If I were you. Find out where they are and where the 'prizes' are sent from.

Then say you can arrange for a nominee to come and collect your 'prize'. Thus avoiding any shipping!

If they change their tune and start making excuses. It's a scam and they should be reported.

[Doobie]

Anyone who says you won something, but they need your credit card number, is a scamming you.

[dani82]

i automatically though it was a scam from the beginning cause... well, since when does someone have to pay shipping charges for something they won in a contest (i'd never won anything, so i wouldn't know)

thank you all for your... input/advice/suggestion; either one should do.

if this wasn't a scam, there goes that Xbox i'd probably get bored after 2 hours, that's not a joke.

[Doobie]

Tell them to ship it COD. If they refuse, contact the Better Business Bureau and see if they've heard anything or believe that this is a legitimate business (the domain is registered to Jim Jefferson, info@zurprize.com, +1.18158342235, PO BOX 2139, NYC, 343322, US).

They're giving away a BMW yet are so niggardly that they want you to pay shipping and handling on an XBox?

Even worse, they're whining that they can't take credit cards "due to a certain individual" that, what, ripped them off? What does that have to do with you (you have no ability to rip them off by giving them your credit card number). More likely, they're in trouble with the credit card companies because of complaints that credit cards were billed but no product arrived.

[dani82]

i'd just sent them an email about shipping it COD, if this is my last reply to this thread, then obviously it was a scam (better safe than sorry)

i remember reading about ebay/paypal scam asking people to re-enter there credit card info for some reason, they were avise not to, cause the address wasn't secure "https"; another reason why it might be a scam

just wondering, if this wasn't a scam, how was anyone suppose to enter, if a web search doesn't even show there web link or why they didn't even bother to list there own email address on there site so people can contact them