I got a message from this number also regarding a contest I had entered. When I google the telephone number, I found here. Thank you very much Albee, I think I won't waste my time to call them back.

I got a message from a Lindsay saying that she was calling with Vacation International and that she has some exciting news for me! Wanted me to call 888-353-5022 and ask for her. Whatever this is Trendwest trying to have me invest in a timeshare. I already declined their offer over a year ago and they are still harassing me.

Lady called and left message that it was important to reach me. She claimed to be from "The gift center" and it was regarding a contest I had entered. I called the number she left and got a message from Trend West, A huge national vacation property mogul, who evidently plays games to lure people into their 3 hour video presentation. If you ask me, do you really want to make an investment with a company that has to decieve you to get your attention. If what they are selling is truly a good product, it should sell itself. What they do should be illegal. Bastards!

I got a post card that intimated it is a veterans special affair "Anniversary Celebration", so they can thank us in person They used Randalls, Heroes to go, Coca-Cola and Space Center Houston logos, along with an eagle and flag. Just another type of crooked deal. Sad to see. The Randalls web site has no information about the event. Will send a note to each of the others so they can address it too.

It's so fishy it smells from Fla thru Madison up to Point.   Had to send in a money order for $100 to get the "3" day vacation after going to the presentation.  Never heard back from Sunset, 888-950-4441 number is temporarily disabled, how convenient.  Save your time and money, as for Sunset, what goes around, comes around.

This is a total scam. It's not legit. I think it's very misleading for them to sate that it's not a timeshare or land sale offer. As the old saying goes, if it's too good to be true, it probably is. Why get locked into a travel club with tons of restrictions in fine print?

Basically the 'postcard' offer is legit.  It's an ivitation to check out a Travel Club.  It's their way of advertsing and putting their name out there.  Major companies were built through 'word-of-mouth' advertising, and this is what they are doing here.  How does the company benefit?  If you choose to travel or vacation in the future, they hope that you go back to them.  How can they afford to give these away?  They can, becasue it's still cheaper than those pricy television advertisements.  There is no scam, nothing suspicious.  The toll-free number that you call is for a Marketing Company that takes the calls for various Travel Clubs, companies, etc.. So they are just doing what they are asked to do.. Think about it, 90 minutes, in exchange for a gift?  And, if you are not doing anything else in that 90 minutes, why not check it out?  Beats the heck out of thousands of dollars of pricing no-good timeshares out there!!

Recieved a postcard without sender information...geezs!

Only sender info was this toll free.

But, same theme.

We got the card too- for a 90 minute presentation in St Point. Since we are planning a trip this winter- we had tossed around the idea of attending- now we will just cancel or not go. I don't need any time share or trip with a "catch". Thanks for the "heads up" -Boomer-

I was glad to see Matt's post after receiving a similar postcard in the mail.  The first red flag is that the postcard misleadingly implies that the free trip appears to involve American Airlines and the Holiday Inn yet  the companies' actual logos aren't used - just a similar copy.  No travel agency name was listed, only a Tampa, Florida bulk mail permit.  I called the 800 number (888-353-5022).  Similar to Matt's case, I was told that in order to receive my gift, I would need to pick it up at the Radisson in Madison and attend a brief presentation.  When pressed her more information, she said that her company, Sunset Vacations, was new to the Madison area and trying get established. Apparently they are a Florida-based company. She also said that they sell a vacation product that would be explained at the presentation.  I give her credit for being upfront about it.  However, I looked up info on Sunset Vacations and found no applicable organization.  So at that point I decided not to pursue "my gift" and Matt's post confirmed my suspicions.  Thanks Matt and I hope my follow up is helpful to anyone in Dane County that receives the same postcard.

Hello Matt, Thanks for the update......could you tell us what are the 5 locations that they are advertising?

Thank you for posting the information.  I was going to call to check it out because we were planning a trip.  I appreciate you saving me 90 mins.

**UPDATE**

So, we listened to the presentation, and my understanding it that it's just another vacation membership club. The memberships start at $2000 lifetime buy-in with $100 annual fees and scale up to $7000 lifetime buy-in with $200 annual fees.

The packages they offer their members are incredible, IF you are the type of people that vacation enough to use them. Keep in mind you have to pay the annual fee whether you use the membership or not, which is normal for this type of club, but we can't justify joining their club just to get occasional deals when we do travel.

To get the most out of the membership and save the most money you have to be ready to vacation about 4 weeks of the year.

As for the free tickets, we feel like we were bait-and-switched. The airline tickets they promised to anywhere in the continental united states are actually only good to 5 locations their agency has major bookings at and have so many blackout dates and restrictions that my eyes went blurry reading the fine print.

I just got this post card in the mail today (3-17-10) and called the number. It's just a call center that answers the phone and sends your number to the "agent".

I gave her my name and number and within 5 minutes someone called me back and gave me the run down.

Basically, my wife and I just have to show up to a hotel in Stevens Point, WI (we're from the area anyway) and listen to a 90-minute sales pitch, and then we get our free airline tickets or hotel package.

She didn't ask for any personal details other than my name, my wife's name and our phone number, which they already had anyway.

I figure it's a promotional deal where they give you the plane tickets and then try to get you to book a vacation package with their travel agency, or they give you the hotel package and try to get you to book your airline tickets with them.

Either way, the wife and I are going to trade 90 minutes of a Saturday for free plane tickets.

I'll try to post a followup when we're done.

I recieved a postcard with free trip information.  I Googled the phone number listed on postcard:
888-353-5022.

Then...Waalaa!!!   Here I am.   I know better than to sign-up for those contest-in-a-box things.  So, they are getting my name from something/somewhere else.

Ripped up postcard and driving us on short trip, Friday.  We are going to "cruise" to Madison, WI, for the heck of it.

I am excited about visiting/touring Capitol Brewery!  Then, maybe a little shopping and taking in the town for a couple of nights.

Thought you'd like to know.

They have been calling for two years now telling me I have won a trip in a contest I never entered. Each time as soon as they talk to me on the phone they tell me I don't make enough money a year to qualify for winning their free trip. Annoying!

It's not fishy.  They do want to sell you something if you are interested or you can just go pick up your gift after a 30min presentation film of there properties

They just show the different properties they have on a short film.  They have timeshares all over the country.  At the end they ask you if you want to look at pricing and move forward or just give you your prize.

It's not his contest.  You must have entered something at a mall or public place.  It is a sales presentation they invite you to for Time shares.  The trip is legite.  I took a trip to vegas. My manager took a trip to Hawaii.  The feel that if they send you on enough trips and the cost of a timeshare makes sense you will eventually buy.  There are no strings attached.

So, What happened in the 90 minute presentation? Did everything check out???

I got this call too... and the funny thing is that each time I called them back they congradulated me!  It was funny.  But anyways, tommorow i am going to listen to their 90 minute presentation... i hope that i can get a cheap mp4 player... i will let you know what happened.

Lady called and left message that it was important to reach me. She claimed to be from "The gift center" and it was regarding a contest I had entered. I called the number she left and got a message from Trend West, A huge national vacation property mogul, who evidently plays games to lure people into their 3 hour video presentation. If you ask me, do you really want to make an investment with a company that has to decieve you to get your attention. If what they are selling is truly a good product, it should sell itself. What they do should be illegal. B*****ds!

just got a call from them as well. didn't understand much (won a trip or an ipod). seems fishy. altough there is a related contest i participated recently.

Yep me too. They called to say I had to claim my prize by 10/31/07, it's now November and they are still calling...

I rec'd a call as well. But the number on my call display was 1-425-347-5660. I did not return his call. This is the message he left.

"Hi this is Chris with the trend west gift center. I'm calling regarding the results of our recent contest you entered. Please call me toll free 1-888-353-5022 or directly at 425-265-9841 extension number 4106. Again this is Chris, please ask for me. Thank you have a great day."

I never entered his contest.

This is a link to a website about what they are selling:
http://www.tulsa.tv/Trend-West-propage-33788.htm

I received the same call too. What's going on here?

Same call for me too, have not called back, they left a voicemail. It sounds fishy....

I received a call from this number claiming I had won a trip to one of four places. They knew the location of where I had entered the contest, but I have to cross the border to claim my prize and pay $85 in taxes. They claimed that it was not a time share but I still have to watch a video and choose which of the four plaes I would like to go.