Complaint Review: Anderson Ford

Anderson Ford mailed invitations to a "Mega Sale" of used cars to be held on August 10, 11 & 12. The invitation included a "scratch off" number on the outside and stated that if the number matched the "winning number" on the inside, the recipient would receive one of five prizes listed on the inside. The prizes listed were: $5,000 cash; New Sea-Doo personal watercraft; 42" plazma TV; voucher for 2 free airline tickets; and $250.00 cash. "No Purchase Required"

My wife and I attended the sale and spent over 2.5 hours trying to by a vehicle but were unsuccessful. While there I noticed that nearly all, if not all, of the other victims there received invitations with the same "scratch off" number and "winning number" on the inside. When I asked for our prize I was first given a voucher for 2 free nights stay at a motel in Branson, MO.

When I complained that I was supposed to receive one of the five prizes listed in the voucher I was then given a second voucher for 2 complimentary airline tickets to one of 34 destinations and told to go the web site listed for details. The web site listed terms that required a minimum overnight stay of at least 6 days at a minimum nightly rate of $140 for a motel that could easily be rented for $60 to $70 nightly. For most of the destinations listed the required minimum stay was 12 nights and the nightly rate was over $200 to $250.

I called the General Manager of the dealership and told him I wanted a minimum of either two free airline tickets or $250 with "no purchase required" as stated in the flier. He told me that only meant no vehicle purchase required but that is certainly not what it said.

Anyone reading the flier would think that they were a lucky winner of no less than $250 cash. He refused to do anything about the issue and in fact said that he knew the voucher had value because he paid $10 for each of them. He also told me that kover 700 people showed up to claim their winning "prize". He also told me that he thought all but 4 of the invitations contained the same numbers.

If that is not deceptive advertising I don't know what is!!

David
Lawson, Missouri
U.S.A.