202-552-1557

I am amazed at the number of people who have had the similar experience of being called by the "National Gifting Center". I was contacted on July 28, 2007. Like others I was told that my information was received from a ballot I filled out in a grocery store on 12/16/06 and that the prizes were from a promotional deal by Ford, Sony and Toshiba. I was given the address 1450 114th Ave SE Suite 205, Bellevue, WA 98004. I was given the phone number (202)552-1557 to call "Sam" if I could not show up for my appointment. I was skeptical but curious so we showed up at the location figuring we could leave if it was a scam. The address is for Starpoint Resort Group and we were scheduled for on of there presentation. I explained about the false pretense we were brought to her office by. She blamed the marketing group and let us file a complaint. However as I research this and other websites this has been going on for sometime. Starpoint Resort Group must have some idea of what is going on and appeased us so we would not cause problems. I am attempting to file complaints with The BBB and FTC. We will see if anything happens. It will be more effective if more people file complaints.  I am also researching if my credit could be damaged in anyway by the limited information they have on us.

Received around 6:00 p.m. on July 31, 2007.  National Gifting, Sam Rodriquez, from 202-552-1557 given as number to return calls.  Promised at least two of five prizes - round-trip all-expenses-paid vacation for the whole family to one of 65 major cities, Caribbean cruise from Miami, brand-new Explorer, 27" Toshiba flat-panel TV, and another vacation trip of some kind.  English was not too good, two different people on the call in a hand-off play.  First one sounded Indian, the second, claiming to be Sam Rodriguez, sounded more as though he were (sort-of) Eastern European.  Asked me to set aside a time on 8/1 or 8/2 2007 to go to 1450 114th Avenue SE in Bellevue WA 98004.

I also got a call on Aug. 1st, 2007 from 202-552-1557 by Sam.  I am always skeptical when told that I have won something.  I NEVER fill out the type of cards that he said I filled out in December, 2006, so I was concerned that this was a scam from the beginning.  Years ago, I went into one of these "Resort" places and it was high pressure sales and they never delivered on the prize.  I took the number down and said I would call back, but I plan to stay far away from these guys now.

i had a similer exprience with unknown people calling me and telling me to go somewhere in bellevue and i would get some prizes that i was guaranteed.
well somehow it came to my knowledge that it was not true but i decided to take a chance and go and see what do i have to go through to recive these prizes. coz i was kinda curious and interested in such prizes . and well unlike all of you people i did get to recive the prizes that i was hoping . and yea i had to sit through some kind of gifting procudure but hack who cares i got what i wanted and that too without paying for anything at all.
it wasn't that bad driving down there and coming back with a cruise prize . me and my wife are planing to take that trip in few months.

hey, i olso recieved dis particular so colled 'TELE-MARKETING COLL'
DATE: August 1st, 2007
da name ov da person woz James Anderson, he wuz da Senior Manager Operaitons over Toshiba Electronics. He told me dat i had filled out sum kind ov an application form, exactly on December 16th, 2006 (which i dun recall), which got short listed nd mah name came up az a lucky winner, he promised me dat i m gna recieve two out ov da five prizes..
1: Ford explorer car
2: Some kind ov a Vacation certificate for ny ov da 65 different locations
3: 5 dayz nd 4 nites accomodation, ny ov da major cities, wid airfares nd meals
4: High definition flat screen T.V
5: A Cruise package......
well, i dun care iv its true or not, i just wna giv it a try, oll da prizes r really 'AWSUM', i set an appointment for tomorrow August 2nd, 2007, 7:45 pm...
i'll go der nd i'll inform evryone else wots xactly goin on...

I had a sales pitch scheduled for Starpoint Resorts on Wed Aug 8th around 6:30pm.  1450 114th Ave SE, Suite 205, Bellefield Office Park, Conifer Building. In Bellevue, WA  
But I found this tip on the net, about who these people really are. Check out this link: http://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/0/169/ripoff0169775.htm
I am sending this info to the Bellevue Chamber of Commerce

Received call 8/16/07 in Woodinville, WA.  Very poor connection.  Man calling himself "Angel" (?) with strong South Asian accent said I was eligible for 1 of 2 gifts, either (1) 5 days/4 nights hotel w/airfare to any major city in U.S. or (2) 7 days/6 nights Royal Carribean Cruise out of Miami, w/airfare.  Claimed to represent Hilton Hotel/Ramada Inn through GEO Holiday Group.  Asked me to attend a buffet for 25-30 people. Stated guaranteed to win a prize.  Did want to validate address, income (was incorrect, I did not correct!), and marital status, and wanted me to produce 2 forms of ID (specifying driver's license)at an address below.  Gave me a confirmation number for claiming the prize. I have placed an initial fraud alert with the 3 credit bureaus.  I actually did attempt to attend meeting out of pure curiosity (alone, which I realize now was very reckless), but fortunately could not find the building with the info he gave me.  It does conform, however, to that above: 1450 114th Ave SE, Suite 205, Bellefield Office Park, Conifer Building. In Bellevue, WA.  I pressed caller repeatedly with questions (no purchase necessary, "gift" guaranteed, etc., etc., requested callback # and was given 202-552-1557.  I spoke to "Garcia" at the "National Gifting Center," and he stated they represented GEO Holiday Group (their "sponsor").  Today, 8/18, was called and asked why I did not show on 8/17, and scheduled for later date.  That won't be happening!  :-) Thank God(dess) for Google, and collective decency.

Just like many of the above.  After the male South Asian spoke with "Sam Rogriguez".
My award number is:
BC341
I got my call at 5pm Thursaday 8/30/2007, and I live in Shoreline, WA.

BTW, what is the scam?

Actually the caller ID was blank.

Exactly as above, 9/8/07

Got a call around 8:30pm and man with heavy accent told us that we had won something from an entry on Sept. 6, 2006 and that he was from the National Gifting Center.  We asked for a callback no. to verify the company and was given 202-552-1557...the phone always rings busy...no verification of how or what we won...just that we won something from some entry...I now know that it is a scam and to be very very careful about calls from unknown sources.

Same thing happened to my wife today. They called the house and got her cell phone number from the house voice mail recording. They called her on her cell phone. Some guy that wouldn't give his name and had a really heavy accent was pushing her to make an appointment to come pick-up the prize that we have supposedly won. The said it was from an entry that we placed at a Wal-Mart back in 2006. The closest Wal Mart that I know of us over an hour-and-a-half drive from where we live and we haven't been in there since probably 2000. We are also on the DNC list.

I was called yesterday and today by toshiba and hilton hotels representative saying I had filled out a questioner and won a prize.  I asked immediately if this was a sales call, informing the sales agent that I was on the ndc list.  He states this was not a sales call.  His accent was very strong 'indian' and states he was calling from washington, d.c., yesterday he was from new york city.  he tried to go on with his sales pitch, mind you with his thick accent , I had him repeat it quiet a few times.  Upon hearing his tone get more aggressive and angry because I could not understand his english, I told him to just take me off his f---ing list and hung up.  He calls me back within 2 minutes and asks why I hung up on him and called me a m---er f---er.

I am glad that I checked on Star Points Resort.  I got a call today from Star Point Resort (based in Bellevue) telling me my husband and I won a prize and we need to come down to their office to pick up the prize (2 day and 3 night 5 star hotel accomodation and roundtrip air travel for 2 adults).  The call identifying himself as Andy Jones had a very thick accent (South Asian) and I had hard time in understanding his English.  It is apparent that this company has been engaged in this type of scam for some time and I wonder how we can stop them.

I got the same call today.  I could barely understand the guy.  I told him I'm going to call him back.  First of all I never fill out anything anywhere and they said that I filled out and application almost a year ago.  Yeah right.  So I called back and some guy called Angel picked up.  First of all they don't even say the name of the company when they anwser and second of all the guy introduced himself as a manager.  I started telling him that I would like to be excluded from the whole thing and that they should stop calling me.  Guess what - he hanged up on me.  I called the number back and the same guy picked up.  Lucky me.  I told him - "Hi, we just talked and you just hanged up on me.  Do you really have the right to call yourself a manager.  Take my name off everything."  - He says.  "Ok,  I'll do that, bye" and he hangs up.

Got postcard in mail: we get 2 free roundtrip tix and 3 day/2 nights at hotel for any major city in US, Canada, Mexico.  All for attending a 90 min presentation for Star Point Resorts, at the same 1450 114th Ave. address in Bellevue.  Many details that sounded legit: couldn't be on major holidays, had to be city served by International airlines, only good for one year, using carriers like United and Delta.  Verified some age and income parameters to qualify, lucky us!  They'll call back day before to verify our attendance.

Caller was woman named Stephanie, she put me through to another woman, Diane?, who verified I was going to be there.  My guess: it's her boss, checking to be sure Stephanie actually hooked me.

Phone number on the postcard was 800-413-5613.  They said they were working on behalf of Star Point.  My second guess:  It's the same outfit, but trying to maintain some semblance of distance between the marks (me) and the parent company.  They said I could call and confirm my attendance at 877-743-4336.

After checking the net, no way will I waste my time and gas driving to Bellevue.  Based on what's on the net about these guys, I figure the evening will be a high-pressure sell on a time-share add-on package, and that whether I buy or don't, I'll get a worthless "certificate" for the airfare and hotel deal, but will never actually get a trip anywhere except to Bellevue.  And that I can manage on my own.