Barry's free car offer fear
A prize draw being touted door-to-door in Wigan is being investigated by consumer chiefs.
Wigan Metro's trading standards department is looking into the "free" scheme to supposedly win a new car after it was brought to their attention by a worried resident.
Warehouse worker Barry Grindley fears the scheme may actually be a bid to collect personal information which can then be sold on to marketing companies.
He studied the ticket to win a Nissan Micra . . but found the small print on the back of it revealed a draw had actually taken place more than a month earlier!
Now the card has been passed on to the Metro's Consumer Protection Department who are investigating its legality.
Mr Grindley says that his wife Joan was approached by a canvasser on the door step on their Pemberton home.
The man, described as in his mid 30's, said that the draw for the 7,000 vehicle was a promotion on behalf of a new Nissan garage planned for Wigan.
But the Sunderland-based car makers said that they new of no new franchise that was opening in Wigan.
When Mrs Grindley told the canvasser that she didn't want to give their ex-directory telephone number to him, excuses were made and he departed.
Barry, an former Heinz worker who now works part time at B and Q in Frith Street, is concerned that some older folk may feel themselves forced into handing over details.
This could later see them become the targets for tele-marketing companies, causing them unnecessary concern and disturbance.
The draw promoters, KDA Trust UK, refer third parties to a website called 'kdawinners.' But when you click onto this you find a single page with South African and British flag.
Click onto the Union flag icon and you are presented with a picture of the latest smiling "winner" - but no caption details of identifying/validation accompany it.
The Post's emailed questions to the site have remained unanswered.
Mr Grindley said: "As soon as Joan told me about this guy coming to the door I was suspicious. Read the small print and you soon find that the ticket isn't for a car at all because the draw has already taken place and there's no date for a new one printed.
"It makes me wonder if there really is a draw that ever takes place and the only thing this firm want is your name, address and telephone number so that they can eventually sell the list.
"I am concerned that there are plenty of pensioners around here who don't like saying 'no' to people on the doorstep despite everything that is said on the television or written in newspapers and they could be taken advantage of."
A spokesman for the Metro's Trading Standards and Consumer Protection department confirmed that they were studying the ticket.
She added: "Our advice is always not to give out details on the door step if you are in any way uncomfortable with the request."
Email to a friend
Print this page Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Local pages
Looking for a...
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Wigan
Thursday 02 September 2010
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 8 C to 22 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 9 C to 20 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: South east
