888-493-8245

I received a call from Tim Lu (Lew?) on October 24, 2008, telling me that my submission of a photo of a brand new SUV had been chosen as a finalist and I should call 888-493-8245. Because I have recently sent out a very humorous photo of what I call an "SUV" (actually a toy car)to a few friends, the call was interesting and could have had some relationship to the humorous photo. I could not recall if I had ever submitted the photo to a contest. I called the number and reached some kind of sweepstakes center, but their phone system was not functional and did not connect to a live person. The dysfunctional phone answering system indicated that this was likely a scam. Then I realized that if I had actually been chosen as a finalist in a contest, I would not have received an automated call, I would have been contacted by a real person. So I googled the phone number and found this website. This kind of phone call harassment should be reported to the federal government's Do Not Call registry at the FTC. Which I will do as soon as I post this message.

Received call on answering machine 10/27/2008 2:32PM, retrieved about 6:10PM, saying finalist in contest for Explorer or Lincoln, urgent to return call immediately to Kim (Tim?) Lou (Lu?) of (unintelligible) Promotions)at number.  

At 6:19PM Central time ("CST" below is an error, should be ""CDT")
http://www.peoplelookup.com/results.php?ReportType=33&
PHONE NUMBER LOOKUP
gives:  

Successful Match! Phone Number Results for (773) 573-1691
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(773) 573-1691
Chicago, IL
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Land Line    
    NAME:    Available
    AVG. HOME VALUE:    Available
    
CARRIER: (box checked, presumably can be obtained)    
TIME ZONE:     6:19 PM CST
COUNTY:     Cook
LATITUDE:     41.76
LONGITUDE:     87.62

Hey, my Kim Lou was female; what's this, Anonymous, on August 15, 2008, reporting her as a "male caller"?  

Now is that any way to treat a lady?  

Does anybody have one to report with a British accent?  Might be a Kem Loo (as in "Waterloo").  

Now that would be, shall we say, flush.  

But not, I hope, offensive.

Tim Lu saying finalist for explorer or navigator. Got a similiar call about 6 months ago. Clearly a scam. pretty sure I'm already on the DO NOT CALL list so I hope they catch them!

Tim Lu saying finalist for explorer or navigator. Got a similiar call about 6 months ago. Clearly a scam. pretty sure I'm already on the DO NOT CALL list so I hope they catch them!

Same here, Same Tim Lu, same phone same extension. The answering machine took the message.

Smart move! Never answer or call these idiots back..

Hi
Same here, Today Nov 24 at 8.00 pm that i was a finalist for the explorer or lincoln, yeah sure! I am glad I googled the phone number and got this chat. Tks everybody. The number they left was 1-888-493-8245 ext 150, Tim Lu seems like. They called from the Number 773-324-9693 name on the ID was Sweepstakes Mkt.

I've received two voice messages from "Tim Lu" at sweepstakes promotions saying I am a finalist in winning a Ford Explorer or Navigator.  I never entered a sweepstakes for this.

Tim Lou called and said (taped message) I am a finalist for a SUV.  BOGUS!!!

I just checked our home answering machine and got a message from a Peter "Barrow" ?? telling my boyfriend he was a finalist in a sweepstakes for a "brand new Lincoln Navigator" and to call back 1-888-493-8245 asap, ext 124.
I googled the phone number to check it out, knowing my boyfriend did not enter any such sweepstakes, and came upon this page... interesting but creepy.

I just got a call, on Christmas Day no less, from the same number 888-493-8245. Recorded call - finalist in a sweepstakes for an SUV - his name was Tim Lou at extension 150. I did not the number the auto recording left - do not want to be scammed.

I just got a call, on Christmas Day no less, from the same number 888-493-8245. Recorded call - finalist in a sweepstakes for an SUV - his name was Tim Lou at extension 150. I did not call the number the auto recording left - do not want to be scammed.

Just got call from Tim Liu from sweepstakes promotion also. Said I was finalist for Ford Explorer or lincoln navigator. he left x 150. Other sites also have reported this number as a scam

Same number, same extension with "Tom Lu".  take it from someone in with law enforcement, do NOT return the call.  Good chance you will get on a "suckers list", and get all kinds of calls trolling in the future.

773-324-9685 sweepstakes mkt return call to
888-493-8245 Tim..... so tired of have the DoNotCall ignored I flipped out, filled there recorder telling them so.  Scammers upset me a LOT.

Received call about Finalist for a Explorer SUV.
Call the number and extension and ask for so and so.
Sounded like a baloney scam to me.
Looked on google for the Sweepstakes number 773-324-9693 and found this site.  Confirmed in my mind that its another type of telephone scam.
If you win something they call to tell you its coming. etc.

I actually received a similar call where this guy named Calvin said that he got my email address and name from a survey that I had responded to and that they had pulled my name and email address as a winner of either a 2009 Lincoln Navigator, fully loaded or $45,000 in cash; $2,500 cash, 3-day 2-night vacation to Las Vegas, Orlando, FL, or Puerto Viarta, or a 32 inch flat screen TV.  He gave me some confirmation no. and said that my husband and I should come to retrieve the prize, but we also had to sit through a 90 minute presentation, they would give me a scratch off ticket, which would show what prize we had won; that we both had to come, we had to be between the ages 18-67; bring two forms of ID (driver's license & major credit card and/or checkbook.  We were suppose to go to 901 31st Street, N.W., Washington, D.C.  The phone number he gave me to call back if I had any questions was 1-866-442-3086 x267.  He mentioned that they were a travel agency starting in this area and that they were doing this trying to promote their business and that all we needed to do was to tell other people about them.  He made sure to say that we didn't have to buy anything and that it was not a time-share.

Addendum to my previous message:  I got home today to check my caller ID:  the number that showed up when they called last night was:  773-955-3349 with the name "PRIZE FULFILLME." This company called me again today and left a message that their office was closed today and wanted me to call them back - they rescheduled my appt for Thursday at 8:00 PM (earlier today after reading all the info about this company, my husband I decided we would not go).  Another name & number, however, showed up:Chicago, IL 773-955-3748.

I just got the same phone call from Denise 866.442.3086 x265 from Sunshine Promotions 3050 K St. NW Washington DC 20007.  The actual drawing is Friday Jan. 23, 2009.  She repeated everything you stated in your posting.  She told me that she got my name from an entry that I filled out at a sporting event or shopping center 12 - 18 months ago.  I got a confirmation number and was told my wife had to be there as well.  She repeated what I filled out on the survey, married, household income over 60K, no children, etc...  I wouldn't have checked the married box 12 - 18 months ago because I wasn't married.  It sounds very sketchy and I will not be attending.  Please be careful of this.  My spidey senses are tingling.