so I just got this email from a company known as Network Direct Inc. and they offer some incredible deals. They offer incredible deals on everything from vacations, to cars, etc as long as I pay them $1400. This sounds too good to be true, but I want to be sure. There website is networkdirect.com
Check it out and tell me what you think.
Thanks.
So, basically, you pay them $1400, then you get to buy stuff from them wholesale?
You know, a Sam’s Club membership is $100, and Costco is only $45. Costco even gives you deals on travel and car buying. I’d think they’d be a better deal, honestly.
Just about any “membership club” that you have to fork over that kind of money for just to qualify for discounts is a scam.
As you suspect, if it sounds too good to be true, it is. Especially if it comes in the form of unsolicited email.
Oh and here’s an example of a red flag:
Request Procedures
To request a Discount Week, please fill out the Discount Week Request Form [PDF] in its entirety. Please retain a copy for your records and mail or fax the request form, along with your $89 Processing Fee as a deposit. Your Processing Fee will be applied toward your condominium stay. The Discount Week price for that resort must be paid at the time GCI contacts you with the confirmation. If GCI cannot book your travel needs, the $89 deposit will be refunded.
That’s for a condo timeshare. So not only do you pay 1400, and the price of the condo (undisclosed, of course) you have to pay 89 bucks to even apply for time in the timeshare.
Press the Delete key for this email. In fact, add the sender’s email address to your spam filter list. That is, unless you like giving away your money.
They approached you, and are offering you a “great deal” that they promise to give you as soon as you fork over the $1400.
Scam? Little bit, yeah.
And from that search:
Ask yourself: how much would I have to buy to make back the $1400 fee? Even if this were legit, you’d have to spend a fortune to break even.
I find it a pretty good rule of thumb to never do business with spammers. If this email was unsolicited (spam) then there’s a good chance that the sender has violated the Terms of Service of their ISP, possibly even the law in some states/countries - are they the kinds of people you want to do business with? More importantly, as long as unsolicited email campaigns are successful, there’s incentive for them to keep doing it.
Report the email using SpamCop and keep your hard earned money for a more worthwhile investment. If it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is.
Amen, brother!
Among other problems, this scam seems ripe to develop into a Ponzi scheme:
“Let’s see - how 'bout we pocket $1000 of the ‘membership fee’ we receive from each suck… er, customer. We take the remaining $400 and use it to subsidize their purchases, thereby generating reports of the great bargains to be obtained by membership, thereby generating more members.”