Time-share operator Bluegreen and others have found creative ways around Do Not Call

[mlsmn Member Find all posts View Profile Close mlsmn]

Meet Bluegreen, a Florida time-share company that regularly skirts the Do-Not-Call Lista by offering a $50,000 raffle. By entering the raffle, unsuspecting consumers give Bluegreen - and over a dozen of their affiliates - permission to contact them, even if they subscribe to the Do-Not-Call List

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Misunderstandings: What Part Of " Do-Not-Call " Do Skeezy Telemarketers Not Understand? - Consumerist

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[BocaBum99 Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close BocaBum99]

I believe that Bluegreen was fined severely a couple years ago for violating the Do Not Call list provisions. Since then, they have become much more rigorous in following the telemarketing laws. How do I know that? Because even for encore rewards, which is the referral program for Bluegreen owners, they provide you with immediate feedback on whether or not the leads you enter are on the Do Not Call list. They require you to send them an email to your referree and have them call a toll free number to hear the offer for gift to attend a timeshare presentation. At $11000 per violation, I believe most large firms have taken action to protect themselves from violating these statutes.

The sweepstakes approach is pretty creative. If it does give them an "EBR" then all power to them for being creative in their marketing efforts. It's not like the person who gave them their telephone number didn't get something in return ahead of time. They got a ticket into a sweepstakes. Now, if the sweepstakes were bogus or the disclosures weren't provided, then they should be fined again. But, if the person gave them their contact information of their own free will, then it's really the consumers fault for giving out their personal information.

Personally, I hate telemarketers. They still call me all the time and all my phones are on the DNC list. They hide their caller id, which violates many DNC laws and they make a pitch. All I have to do to get them fined $11000 is to allow the calls to go through. But, it's not worth the hassle. Get in contact with them for their offer and then turn them in. This would be much more effective if they gave 1/2 the fine to the person turning them in for the violation.

[dougp26364 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close dougp26364]

The raffle sign up has been a trick for a long time to establish a "business relationship" and skirt the do-not-call list. I understand that currently they're looking heavily at this trick and whether or not it truely constitutes a "business relationship" thus voiding the do-not-call registery.

You see this all the time with water softner companies et..... I've seen it done in Nashville's Opryland Mall when we were there last June. There was a timeshare company signing people up for those cheap 3 day vacations and gathering all sorts of personal information.

On the other hand, Westgate doesn't seem to be calling their exchange guests anymore. At least we have not received a call since staying at one of their resorts last month. Perhaps I just haven't given them enough time yet. In 2000 they were relentless with calling us after our exchange into Westgates Town Center resort. I passed on giving them my E-mail because I really didn't want on their Spam list.