If you think you’re immune to a con artist’s scam, you might want to mull that one over.

If you answer your telephone, you can be vulnerable.

Even if you see yourself as a person who looks objectively at every situation, you could be caught up in a clever web — even if you’re one of those people who looks at every aspect.

Oh, oh, there’s the catch.

Just weeks ago we read and saw on the news that a young woman finally was free in Iran after being incarcerated for months, though she was innocent of any wrongdoing. Spying, they said.

The phone-call setup

Your own telephone rings midmorning. “Grandma, I’m in trouble in Barcelona, Spain. I need your help.” She is crying uncontrollably.

“Who is this?”

“Don’t you recognize your own granddaughter’s voice?”

Guilt. “But I have five granddaughters.”

“I’m your oldest one.”

It has to be the oldest one of the three sisters; the actual oldest granddaughter is working.

“Nancy (not her real name). But where’s the baby?”

“I have a super baby sitter. My friend Sarah had an extra plane ticket to visit her relatives and invited me to go with her.” That makes sense. Nancy needs a vacation trip.

“What happened?”

“We were out riding and her cousin was speeding. The police found drugs in the car. I was tested and found clean of drugs and alcohol. But I’m in jail anyway.” Oh, oh.

The money request

“I need $2, 000 for bail when I see the judge this afternoon. Then I can fly right home. And you’ll get your money back right away. But please don’t tell a soul. I’m too embarrassed. I’ll tell everyone when I get home.”

Where are those alarms that are supposed to be sounding about now? It’s those tears that drown them out. Of course you’ll give her the money. You look at your husband. He has that terrified look like he’s going to the poorhouse.

“The police officer wants to talk to you now. But please don’t tell anyone.” OK.

“This is Officer P. Seagal of the Barcelona Police Department. Nancy is innocent, but she needs the bail money. You won’t tell anyone, will you? She feels very badly about that.”

No, you won’t. Such a kind officer. So what should you do?

No checks, please

Officer Seagal, who put the accent on the first syllable of his name, then switched to the last syllable (sounds more Spanish, right?), wants you to send cash only, through Western Union. He even gives you the office closest to your home. You did tell him what city you live in (you don’t remember anything that Barry Bonazzi of the Will County Sheriff’s Department has told seniors time and time again: DON’T GIVE OUT ANY INFORMATION.)

But this is your own granddaughter we’re talking about. Stay out of my head!

Directions are explicit. He gives you his phone number (later turns out to be a Montreal area code). You have your cell phone turned on (of course you gave the kind officer your number) and he will call you in 45 minutes. You will get a form from Western Union and you have specific instructions on sending the money, which is now up to $2, 935, to Nancy. No, not Nancy, he corrects himself as someone else seems to speak to him. You send it to her lawyer, David Benson. “An American lawyer?” you ask. “He’s with the American Embassy, ” Seagal says.

Hubby knows best

Hmm, are the bells ringing now? Your husband certainly hears them. “It’s a scam, ” he yells. You break the rules and call Nancy’s phone number to talk to the baby sitter. Nancy answers. Could this be her cell phone? “Where are you, Nancy?” “I’m home. Don’t you hear the baby?”

“Is anyone forcing you to do anything, ” you ask. “No, Grandma, why?”

You explain the whole story.

“Grandma, you’ve been scammed, ” she screams.

Thank God, Nancy is safe. And no money passed through anybody’s hands.

Your husband answers the next call from Seagal and puts him off.

When Officer Seagal calls back a few hours later to see if the money went through, you tell him Nancy got home and you both appreciate that he did such a great job, and hang up. Funny, he hasn’t called back.

So the next time you hear that Bonazzi is going to talk, you go and take careful notes. You’re going to put those withdrawal slips away, and the only thing you’ll take to the bank is everything Bonazzi says.

I bought a Nissan from Renfrew Chrysler and received a free trip for two for two nights in Las Vegas.

To even have a travel agent talk to you you have have to pay $350.00. The trip is only for departures on Monday and Tuesdays. Who wants to travel then?

I had talked to the travel agent on Friday, March 13 and she quoted me the price of $300 per person at Bally's which includes over the weekend, an extra night and on the strip . I called and emailed the travel agent on Monday, March 16 to book this price as she had mentioned the sooner the better. Her voicemail and email had no mention that she was no longer with the company and as a result I was not able to book the hotel and flights at the quoted price. Later in the day on Tuesday, March 17 a representative finally got in touch with me. When booking the trip she mentioned the price of $635.00 for Monte Carlo which I believed was the total cost for my boyfriend and I, not the price per person. I could not fathom how in 3 business days the cost would increase by over 150 percent. In my haste I signed the required documents as I did not want to lose out on what seemed like a great price. Also, when I inquired about Bally's I was told that it was now more expensive than Monte Carlo, how can that be? I also received a flight that would arrive back in Calgary at midnight, a later flight than the original and not the most beneficial for waking up for work the next morning. I should have clued in then....

I received my credit card bill and was surprised to see the price of $1,270.00. This is supposed to be a free trip. To pay $1,620.00, a price I can book online by myself for the same price is not a good deal. I understand paying the taxes and fees but paying for everything seems ridiculous.

I voiced my complaint to the travel agent who then passed it on to her supervisor. Her supervisor called me back after a day and did nothing. They couldn't tell me what the price would have been on the Monday that I tried to book. They also didn't mention earlier that prices seem to change within seconds, forget about days! I decided to cancel this trip as it is no where near free and I can get a better rate myself. A co-worker booked a trip for her and her husband themselves at the Bellagio, with a fountain view, and tickets to a show for $1,600.00. Now this sounds like a better deal than I got! They wouldn't even give me discounted or free tickets. They didn't care that I was not happy. In the end it cost me $250.00 to cancel.

I would not recommend Odenza to anyone!






I have voiced my concern about the price and the mistake that was made but no offer has been made to rectify the problem. In the end, I lost out on paying only $612.00 total plus the $344.98 for my boyfriend and I to enjoy a free trip to Las Vegas because nobody returned my call or email on Monday, March 16. I now am considering cancelling this trip and to do so will have to pay $250.00. Should I be the only on paying for this mistake?

Odenza marketing and odenza homes are the same principals - scammers who just filed for bankruptcy and left all the trades unpaid. Odenza owed appx close to $3 million dollars and left all the trades and homeowners on the hook for that amount. From the grapevine, one of the owners said they would just open up a new company and start shop again. How is this righteous for all people that are owed money? They are pulling the same bait and switch as their marketing company and spending other peoples money on fancy cars, vacations and personal toys. There is a whole lot of angry people who have mortgages to pay and families to feed and Odenza thinks they can just file bankruptcy and walk away with a clean slate. We are sick of all their scams. Have a conscious for other hard working families.

I received a gift certificate from Nissan last year and I am now getting ready to book my trip but before sending the money I read in the fine print that there might be additional tax costs depending on the airport I use. I called the number at 877-451-7245 and was told from the lady there that no one could give me any information about potential additional costs until I paid my $328.70. This concerned me because in Toronto the Airport tax is very high but I have no way of knowing what the extra costs are - so like the person above me - I will not send my money and look for a last minute deal through a travel agent. another question for Odenza would be - if you are located in BC why are you asking for US Dollars?? To many red flags here! I wish Nissan had looked into this better before giving it to me with my purchase. It;s left a bad taste in my mouth with both Odenza and Nissan Canada