Letter from Garrison Finley about free airline tickets
Here’s another Leading Incentive Agency! (See other posts here.) Please comment if you received one.
It tells you that you have qualified for an award of 2 roundtrip airline tickets. It looks like it was actually signed by Lynn Hess, the “Vice President of the Travel Awards Division.”
The www.garrisonfinley.com website exists. Here’s the whois info: http://www.whois.net/whois/garrisonfinley.com — registered October 25, 2010.
They hand write the address on the envelope and use a real stamp.
I have found the answers to this mystery thanks to the great work of the folks at BBB in Tucson, AZ:
http://www.bbb.org/tucson/business-reviews/travel-clubs/southwest-travel-club-in-tucson-az-20007983
http://www.bbb.org/tucson/business-reviews/prize-promotions/patterson-bell-in-tucson-az-20027549
An actual story: http://www.kgun9.com/Global/story.asp?S=12741861
If you would like to read more about these folks, visit this post.
I am the proud recipient of a replica of this letter with the name of Madden Hall. See my earlier blog post about that letter.
Notice anything similar to garrisonfinley.com with these?
Foster Simmons: http://fostersimmons.com/
Sampson Phelps: http://sampsonphelps.com/
Burton Malone: http://burtonmalone.com/
Anderson Pratt: http://andersonpratt.com/
Morgan Stanfield: http://morganstanfield.com/
Maddox Wright: http://maddoxwright.com/
Strickland Penn: http://stricklandpenn.com/
Harris Fields: http://www.harrisfields.com/
Lexington Duke: http://www.lexingtonduke.com/
Hamilton Gates: http://hamiltongates.com/ (http://twitter.com/hamiltongates)
Madden Hall: http://maddenhall.com/ (http://twitter.com/maddenhall)
Davidson Powell: http://davidsonpowell.com/ (http://twitter.com/davidsonpowell)
Nicholson Barnes: http://www.nicholsonbarnes.com/ (http://twitter.com/nicholsonbarnes)
Warner Rowe: http://www.warnerrowe.com/ (http://twitter.com/warnerrowe)
Larson Keller: http://www.larsonkeller.com/ (http://twitter.com/larsonkeller)
Robinson Rhodes: http://www.robinsonrhodes.com
Stanton Carney: http://www.stantoncarney.com/
Swanson Carr: http://www.swansoncarr.com/
Morrison Banks: http://www.morrisonbanks.com/
Stanton Carney: http://www.stantoncarney.com/
Zimmerman Cain: http://zimmermancain.com/
Thompson Fuller: http://www.thompsonfuller.com/
Shelton White: http://sheltonwhite.com/
Gilbert Turner: http://gilbertturner.com/
Richardson Blake: http://www.richardsonblake.com/
Sutton Perry: http://www.suttonperry.com/
Chapman Lane
Sullivan Lang
Spencer Burns
Hammond Reed
Lambert Steel
Peterson Burke
Watson Brooks
Bradley Tate
Stevens Cole: http://www.stevenscole.com/
Hudson Stone
Hoffman Sims
Patterson Bell
Erickson Wade
Emerson Ross
Welsh McCormick: http://welshmccormick.com/
Jensen Sharpe: http://www.jensensharpe.com/
Jefferson Greer: http://www.jeffersongreer.com/
Henderson Gill: http://www.hendersongill.com/
Finn and Gilliam: http://finnandgilliam.com/
Brooks Spade: http://brooksspade.com/
Here are some other links to info these folks:
http://tucsoncitizen.com/bbbconsumeralert/tag/airline-ticket/
http://slickdeals.net/forums/showthread.php?sduid=0&t=2027392
http://willbradyjournal2.blogspot.com/2010/07/scams-nicholson-barnes.html
Now they are going after me:
http://www.metacafe.com/watch/5201222/brian_morris_tech_fraud/
What a coincidence! Look at how these videos compare:
Hamilton Gates: http://www.kewego.com/video/iLyROoaf8KVL.html
Beware of me: http://www.kewego.com/video/iLyROoaf8NfI.html
LETTER:
I am pleased to inform you that you have qualified for an award of 2 roundtrip airline tickets. Congratulations. These tickets are valid for travel anywhere in the Continental U.S. The retail value of this award is up to $1,400.00. Certain restrictions apply.
We have attempted contacting you several times without success. This is our last attempt. If we do not hear from you soon, we may need to issue the ticket vouchers to the alternate.
Please call me today at 866-963-7259, 866-995-7189, 866-995-7152, 866-995-9310.
Regards,
Lynn Hess
Vice President, Travel Awards Division
info@garrisonfinley.com — www.garrisonfinley.com
xxx at the bottom
Got one of the letters today, and it gave me a deadline of today to respond. Was 99.999% sure it was phony, but was glad I could confirm that here. Thanks.
I received my letter yesterday Dec. 1st with a note:
“You must respond no later than December 1st, 2010”
The balance of the letter is exactly as it is above. I called out of curiosity. Gave the guy my BP-***** number at the bottom of the page. The pitch began.
‘No obligation…’
‘Respond to to their phone call Dec. 2nd and receive an additional 2 nights, 3 days at a famous resort.’
‘You don’t have to risk a dime.’ When he said that I responded with ‘but I may risk a dime’. He gave a little chuckle before he said ‘less than 5% of the people receiving their free gift actually join the membership’.
I may just forward this to the local TV stations to see if 1 of them want to attend with a hidden camera.
I live in http://www.dublin.oh.us/
Thanks for tipping us all off on this scam.
Just got mine today and figured it was like what you wrote about. Thanks for all the leg work …
Yep, my wife and I got one today. The paper is too common and it looks like it was printed with an inferior ink cartridge.
Any envelope “handwritten” with my name on it without a stamp immeadiately looks suspicious to me.
I got one of these letters today (12/2/2010) in Murfreesboro, TN. Thanks for the info.
Also in Murfreesboro, TN and received one of these yesterday.
I received one of these letters in the mail yesterday. Live in Thompsons Station, TN.
received one today. must be going around central ohio. i see someone posted from dublin, i also live in the columbus area. the lack of return address is what threw up the red flag for me.
Hmm, seems like several Tennessee residents are getting this. Makes me wonder if our contact info was stolen (or sold) from a brick and mortar retail chain. I live in Goodlettsville, TN and I received the same letter today.
Got one of these dated Nov 29th, 2010. Signed by Lynn Hess with the x7259 extension. This came to me at my house in Metro Detroit, MI
My husband received one of these letters in the mail today from Garrison Finley. We live in suburban Pittsburgh, PA.
I got one today. Nashville, TN
I just got my copy today, an exact duplicate of those shwon here. Middle Tennessee must be on the radar.
I received the letter 12/3 to respond by 12/8. My envelope did have a real stamp. I noticed that someone from Dublin, Ohio posted, Columbus, Ohio is here this one was received.
Just got one from Garrison Finley dated November 22, 2010 signed Lynn Hess 1-866-995-7152. Same M.O. Same pitch. Threw in trash.
I received one from “Garrison” Finley dated Nov.29, post marked Dec. 2, and respond by “Dec. 8.”
Got my letter today following numberous calls that I refused to answer
Another one in Murfreesboro. Don’t know how they got my name. Maybe from the court system? I know someone else that received one in the boro, and they were recently in court as well.
My husband received his 2nd one of these today. He got one about a month or so ago…I looked it up online.
(Always double check stuff like that…I won a trip to the Marlboro Ranch once and it was spectacular! They notified me via mail, as well.)
Figured I’d come back on and report they are sending out multiples! We are in a suburb of Pittsburgh, PA.
Got ours from Garrison Finley in Nashville 11.22. Good thing I forgot to look it up until after the deadline. Wife would be kicking me if I’d passed on free airline tix! Then again, who actually gives away free airline tix?? I love that they didn’t even bother to change the stock photo and info on so many of the other sites.
I got one last week. Garden City, MI.
I received a letter for 2 free airline tickets from Garrison Finley in the mail on Saturday, 12/4. The letter is dated 11/29/10 and it said I had until 12/8/10 to respond. I live in the Nashville, TN area. I thought it was a phony, but glad I checked it out. Thanks for the feedback.
Thanks for the heads-up on the Garrison Finley awards letter… it went in file 13.
Just got one that stated the same, here in Mid Michigan. Same old crap.
Got one here as well, in Hendersonville, TN – just outside of Nashville. They have been calling quite a bit, but I have been ignoring them.
Just threw it away after looking it up.
Just got the infamous letter from Garrison Finley today. I have no idea how they got my name or address, but it obviously looked suspicious, so I checked it out, and thanks to this website and several others, it confirms what I already suspected.
I also live in Goodlettsville, TN and got one of these letters this week.
I received this exact letter, dated November 29, 2010. These offers are always suspect, so I researched it online before taking action and found this great website revealing it as a fraud.
I do a great deal of online shopping — you get great deals, but it subjects you to lots of fraudulent activities. And despite being on a national “do not call” list, my phone still rings a lot, and this is the reason I never answer it.
I’m in Pittsburgh. Thanks for all the information!
I would add that giving your card to a waiter, or allowing the local big box store to keep your card data in a big database all subjects you to lots of fraud, too. If you remember a few years ago, TJ Maxx had a theft of credit card data that was swiped at the cash register. Nothing is safe!
I got one of these letters too. I am in Cedar Hill TN (about 10 miles from Springfield). I notice a bunch of folks on here from my general area.
Smyrna, Tn got one today! Middle Tn definitely getting hit with these.
Yep, I got one …Nashville Tn. Thanks for the info.
I received one of this today. I live in Nashville, TN
I received one of these today in SE Michigan.
got one earlier this week outside Franklin, just opened it. wonder if the TN attorney general’s office has been or should be notified? not entirely sure what they can do.
Got the same letter. First thing I asked myself was why would a VP personally sign a letter to me (they get paid to do more important things). Sounds like a class action, but they probably operate out of another part of the world infested with scumbags.
We received a letter like this Saturday. They want us to attend an event of some sort this week.
Thank you for confirming my gut reaction to reading the letter. My offer was the two free airline tickets. The postmark was from Phoenix, AZ. Im in Pittsburgh PA. Considering sending to the TV station… or shredding it and moving on. Thanks!
Got a letter yesterday in the mail. Same wording as everyone else is posting about except different phone number, 866-740-5703 and signed by Laura Shane Vice President.
It was on letter head for US Airlines, dated Jan. 3
Got one from Laura Shane just like Frak did. I liked the line “If we do not hear from you soon, we may need to issue the ticket vouchers to the alternate.” Hmmmm, the alternate what? Grammar is an issue with these folks.
My husband received one today and it is all the same MO. It only came in his name which leads me to believe that it is affiliated with a company that he contacted regarding sale of a timeshare in Mexico. We are in the Central Ohio area. It amazes me that people actually fall for this type of crap!
SCAM! this is yet another modern day scam. Garrison Finley should be ashamed of themselves