Skymiles Cruise Marketing agency wants my SS number?
Mar 21, 2011, 10:59 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: CHS
Programs: Delta, AA, BA, United, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Honors Diamond, SPG Marriott Gold, Sixt Platinum
Posts: 1,142
Skymiles Cruise Marketing agency wants my SS number?
Does this sound legit? or does this sound like a scam? Marketing agency says they need my SS number, in order to 1099 me for the $2,000 value. I know the value should be lower, but my real concern , is this a scam to get my SS number?
Hello :
Sorry for the inconvenience, this is the email you were supposed to receive.
Between September and November 2010, you entered the “SkyMiles Cruises Million Miles Giveaway” at:
http://www.skymilescruises.com/promo...es/default.asp.
In case you don't remember, you were automatically entered when you put your, name, email address and Zip Code in the Delta "Cruise Deals Alerts" sign-up (http://www.skymilescruises.com/). We are the Sweepstakes Administrators (we wrote the Official Rules).
You have been chosen as a First Prize winner, pending your completion of an Affidavit of Eligibility, Liability and Publicity Release we will send to you. In order to send you your Affidavit, we need your full name and mailing address.
The prize is a 100,000 bonus miles awarded to your Skymiles account. The approximate value of the prize is $2,000.
Please reply to this email by 3/22/2011 with your name and address or it will be concluded definitively that the prize has been declined and, without further notice, an alternative winner will be selected in random drawings.
Please feel free to contact us with any questions during business hours, east coast time.
Congratulations,
Hello :
Sorry for the inconvenience, this is the email you were supposed to receive.
Between September and November 2010, you entered the “SkyMiles Cruises Million Miles Giveaway” at:
http://www.skymilescruises.com/promo...es/default.asp.
In case you don't remember, you were automatically entered when you put your, name, email address and Zip Code in the Delta "Cruise Deals Alerts" sign-up (http://www.skymilescruises.com/). We are the Sweepstakes Administrators (we wrote the Official Rules).
You have been chosen as a First Prize winner, pending your completion of an Affidavit of Eligibility, Liability and Publicity Release we will send to you. In order to send you your Affidavit, we need your full name and mailing address.
The prize is a 100,000 bonus miles awarded to your Skymiles account. The approximate value of the prize is $2,000.
Please reply to this email by 3/22/2011 with your name and address or it will be concluded definitively that the prize has been declined and, without further notice, an alternative winner will be selected in random drawings.
Please feel free to contact us with any questions during business hours, east coast time.
Congratulations,
Last edited by beachmiles; Mar 21, 2011 at 11:17 am
Mar 21, 2011, 11:21 am
#2
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: NYC
Programs: DL DM, Marriott Plat, Hertz PC, Avis First
Posts: 84
#4 Winner Selection: One (1) Grand Prize winner and five (5) First Prize winners will be chosen in random drawings approximately 20 days after Sweepstakes-End from all eligible entries received during the Sweepstakes. Winners will be notified within five (5) days after the selection is made via email or other form of communication in Sponsor's sole discretion. A winner will have three (3) business days to reply confirming his/her acceptance of the prize and providing all requested contact information. Failure to reply in the indicated time frame will declare that the prize has been refused and forfeited for all time and an alternative entry will be chosen in random drawings as outlined above. The prize will be awarded provided it is claimed properly.
Mar 21, 2011, 11:24 am
#3
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Formerly Box 350, Boston Mass, Oh two one three four. Now near Beverly Hills 90210
Programs: Loyal Order of Water Buffalos
Posts: 3,934
if you did really win, then they need your SS# as they do have to report the value of your prize to the IRS.
Like dshides said, confirm you're a winner first.
Like dshides said, confirm you're a winner first.
Mar 21, 2011, 11:30 am
#4
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: SEA - DL DM/2MM, *A Gold, SPG Lifetime Plat, some other car and hotel stuff
Posts: 5,649
I won a million miles sweepstakes and did get a 1099 for the $20k value.
The sweepstakes was through a vendor and all my interactions with them seemed very professional.
The sweepstakes was through a vendor and all my interactions with them seemed very professional.
Mar 21, 2011, 11:37 am
#5
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: NYC
Programs: DL PM MM SC; GE; Bonvoy Titanium; IHG Diamond
Posts: 2,310
I won a $599 Apple gift card in a Delta sweepstakes last year and did not receive a 1099, possibly because it was under $600. All the communication was through a marketing company, not directly from Delta.
Mar 21, 2011, 11:48 am
#6
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Right here
Posts: 2,940
Not to turn this into a "Sky Miles or Sky Pesos" discussion, but there was a recent thread somewhere on FT about disputing the values placed on travel winnings by sweepstakes outfits. Several people reported being able to get a revised 1099 after complaining to the awarder that the value on the 1099 was way above market value.
Mar 22, 2011, 9:00 am
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: CHS
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Thanks, dshides. I just PM'd you asking for a copy of whatever info you saved on that sweepstakes. Maybe your screenshot contains someone I can contact.
Mar 22, 2011, 9:32 am
#9
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: BOS
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Posts: 15,166
You should be able to look at the links in the email and where the email is from... that usually is the giveaway to scams since they copy info/websites but the link actually leads to the copy hosted someplace else.
Did you contact skymilescruises directly instead of at whatever number was in the email? I would also argue that 100k miles is worth nowhere near $2000... Paywithmiles values it at 1c/mi, not 2c/mi as they are claiming.
Did you contact skymilescruises directly instead of at whatever number was in the email? I would also argue that 100k miles is worth nowhere near $2000... Paywithmiles values it at 1c/mi, not 2c/mi as they are claiming.
Mar 22, 2011, 10:09 am
#11
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: NYC with eyes on the world
Programs: DL-Kryptonium (DM+); HH-Diamond, SPG-Gold
Posts: 529
IMO...
After re-reading your original post, the email you received is so poorly written, no legit marketing company would let something like that go out to the public. I say Shena...wait, wrong term...SCAM!
Firs of all, they didn't address you by name: "Hello Mr/Mrs Beachmiles,"
Secondly, these lines in particular, "just ain't right..."
"an alternative winner (singular) selected in random drawings (plural)"
I say it's a scam and you should report it to your email provider and Delta.
After re-reading your original post, the email you received is so poorly written, no legit marketing company would let something like that go out to the public. I say Shena...wait, wrong term...SCAM!
Firs of all, they didn't address you by name: "Hello Mr/Mrs Beachmiles,"
Secondly, these lines in particular, "just ain't right..."
Sorry for the inconvenience, this is the email you were supposed to receive.
You have been chosen as a First Prize winner, pending your completion of an Affidavit of Eligibility, Liability and Publicity Release we will send to you. In order to send you your Affidavit, we need your full name and mailing address.
...with your name and address or it will be concluded definitively that the prize has been declined and, without further notice, an alternative winner will be selected in random drawings.
I say it's a scam and you should report it to your email provider and Delta.
Mar 22, 2011, 10:24 am
#12
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: SE US
Programs: Duke of Bombay, Delta Ham Sandwich tm, Delta's Glitch
Posts: 4,201
Not so fast, I was told his uncle worked for BP and died in a trajic automibile collizion and left him Millions of dollars and if it is not insulting to ask, he will ask your assistince in getting it out of the Afrikan National Bank.
Mar 22, 2011, 12:17 pm
#13
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: MN
Programs: Lots of programs, dirt on all of them!
Posts: 11,938
Not to turn this into a "Sky Miles or Sky Pesos" discussion, but there was a recent thread somewhere on FT about disputing the values placed on travel winnings by sweepstakes outfits. Several people reported being able to get a revised 1099 after complaining to the awarder that the value on the 1099 was way above market value.
I wonder if someone won 100,000 miles, got a 1099 for $2,000 then went to buy a J ticket that would have cost $5,000, would he then ask to have the 1099 changed to be a higher amount????
Mar 22, 2011, 12:42 pm
#14
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: CHS
Programs: Delta, AA, BA, United, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Honors Diamond, SPG Marriott Gold, Sixt Platinum
Posts: 1,142
No need to complain to the issuer of the 1099. There is a provision to adjust this on your tax return. See your tax preparer for details.
I wonder if someone won 100,000 miles, got a 1099 for $2,000 then went to buy a J ticket that would have cost $5,000, would he then ask to have the 1099 changed to be a higher amount????
I wonder if someone won 100,000 miles, got a 1099 for $2,000 then went to buy a J ticket that would have cost $5,000, would he then ask to have the 1099 changed to be a higher amount????
Skymiles Cruises was no help. I did report to Delta Fraud Dept. , but have not heard back from them. it's been 24 hours.
Mar 22, 2011, 1:10 pm
#15
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Here, There, Everywhere & Occasionally GRR
Programs: DL-DM, PC-PM
Posts: 672
Have you not read some of the email responses from Delta? 
IMO...
After re-reading your original post, the email you received is so poorly written, no legit marketing company would let something like that go out to the public. I say Shena...wait, wrong term...SCAM!
Firs of all, they didn't address you by name: "Hello Mr/Mrs Beachmiles,"
Secondly, these lines in particular, "just ain't right..."
"an alternative winner (singular) selected in random drawings (plural)"
I say it's a scam and you should report it to your email provider and Delta.
After re-reading your original post, the email you received is so poorly written, no legit marketing company would let something like that go out to the public. I say Shena...wait, wrong term...SCAM!
Firs of all, they didn't address you by name: "Hello Mr/Mrs Beachmiles,"
Secondly, these lines in particular, "just ain't right..."
"an alternative winner (singular) selected in random drawings (plural)"
I say it's a scam and you should report it to your email provider and Delta.