Prizechecker.com Scam Tactics: Fake Winnings – Don’t Be Tricked!
The winnings on prizechecker.com are not as legit as it seems. Whether you’ve won $2500 or $1500, it’s all just fake prize as it can’t really be claimed. If you’ve received a scratch card from a car dealership directing you to prizechecker.com, lower your expectations. This review sheds light on how Prizechecker.com really works, the scam behind the winning, and what steps to take.
Overview of Prizechecker.com Scam
Set up in 2011, prizechecker.com is a website used by car dealers for potential customers to confirm their scratch card pin and winning. The website serves as a middle man between car dealers and the people who received scratch cards in the mail.
Once you visit the site you’d be made to provide your scratch card pin and Zip code. After which you’d be told you’ve won $1000 or even $2500. After which you’d be made to drive down to the dealership nearest you to redeem your prize. But this is where it gets pretty sketchy.
Exposing The Car Dealership Scam
The prize you’ve won from prizechecker.com is not really a prize perse. Heck, anyone who receives that scratch card in the mail, wins one or two things. The prize is not real but a bait to draw you to the dealership. Once you visit the car dealer, the amount you won wouldn’t be given to you. Rather, they’ll just give you a discount off the purchase of a real car, not the actual money. There’s no money you can actually just get. In rare cases, you’d receive a $5 gift card for coming.
So why do car dealers do this?
It’s a high-pressure sales tactics to convince customers to buy cars they don’t need or can’t afford. The goal is to get you into the dealership so they can sell you a car. The most challenging part of selling a car is getting people to come in, so dealerships use things like this to entice people to come in.
Here’s Why Everyone Wins With Prizechecker.com Scratch Cards
You may think because your code is 74937 and the number 74937 appears under the “$2,500 instant cash” prize that that means that’s the prize you won, right? But it’s not.
See that “EVENT ID”? That’s the actual code. The 74937 is irrelevant. All boxes say the same code.
In the dealer’s manager’s office, there’s a printout of what the winning EVENT ID is. If your ID matches the one predetermined winning ID printed on that sheet, you win the prize. All other codes win a consolation prize. Usually a pair of dollar store headphones or a $5 gift card to the dealer’s merch shop. (For like hats with the Ford logo on them)
Even if you won a prize, the dealer won’t give you a real prize on the spot, but told the amount wouldn’t de deducted if you buy a car .
What To Do If You Received The Prizechecker.com Mail
- Read the disclaimer ‘the tiny written words’ on the mail carefully and research the dealership before committing to anything
- Contact the dealership beforehand to confirm the legitimacy of the promotion
- Ask about any potential restrictions or requirements for claiming the prize is also advised.
How to Avoid Car Dealer Scams
- The best way to avoid this scam is to toss the mail in the recycle bin when it arrives at your residence.
- Don’t walk into the dearlership unprepared and uneducated. This gives them the best chance of taking advantage of you.
- Read and understand the disclaimer and fine print on the mail to understand what the mailer is offering you.
- It is ok to go to the dealership and collect your free prize. Just be ready to be bombarded with salespeople trying to sell you a car. Whatever you do, don’t buy one until you’ve done your homework on the entire new car buying process.
Also see Temava.com Scam
Conclusion
prizechecker.com is not a scam perse, however it uses deceptive tactics to get people to buy a car from a car dealer. The $2500 you won wouldn’t be given to you but would be deducted from the price of any car you want to buy.
