International Merchandise Services review: SCAM 128

ive been recieving letters for years have lost quite a bit of money .i should have been a millionair by now, i too got three symbols correct and win a travel voucher just getting hold of anybody at travel cips is a mission so i give up and thanks to this site it has opened my eyes .so adios I.M.S Internatoinal Made Scams

Thank's for all the info..I will for ever be grateful to this site for saving me from being another sucker.Lynn/JHB

in september they send me a travelling voucher worth R10, 000.00 telling me and my husband that we have won, what followed was a letter stating that we have won R115, 000.00 but before we can claim our prize money we have to deposit a ceratin amount of money.I tried calling them on several occasion but no one answered the phone and i decided to do my little reseach thats when i found all this atrories of people who have been scammed out of their monies.These people work together with travel clips and they have a Nedbank account. I would like to warn my fellow South african that they shouldnt take a second look at anything that comes from IMS they should just throw it in the bin, its a huge scam.The scratch cards are usually placed inside our mails, mostly if you receive a magizene from any retail store. Becareful dont give money to claim anything check it out first amd make sure that it is genuine.

Thats, true...this people they will tell you that you won the price but you had to pay some money first in there bank account. I wish they count be lock up.

I got the same scratch card in the You Magazine. And I sent them my P.O. Box address. They said that I had won the R10 000 holiday travel voucher and that it will be in my post box in 2 weeks. Well last friday it had been two weeks, and what a shock - no holiday travel voucher! I just got off the phone with them, and guess what, the prize has just been dispatched and I must wait for 2 more weeks. - bollocks. Thats when I did a search. Thanks to all for posting your comments. I am attaching a picture of the "Scratch Card" to warn all of you, and I am taking this further with the You Magazine as they should not have scams in their magazine. You think its a legit thing when it comes from a big branded magazine.

My wife also received one of these letters from them yesterday, you just need to pay R149, 90 for charges.
Must say it looks very legit the letter, etc.

I also received a scratchcard in the peoples magazine regarding this competition, next i sms my details and shortly received a letter inforning me, i won a 32" plasma tv for which i need to send a debit order for R139.00 to receive my prize (6 weeks later nothing)i have the following address of the company if anyone wish to purse further.
[protected]
9 Viking Place
Viking place
CAPE town

I have received my wonderful R10000.00 travel voucher. when i read it slowly and discovered that i had to send R129.00 to receive my prize, the SCAM alert rang in my mind. so today i decided to have a look at the web site and i see all your complaints...THANK YOU for confirming my alert. i will keep my R129.00 in my pocket and i am going to feed my lovely friend Shredder. Cherrs

i also recieved scratch card from people magazine one of my favourite magazines and i also got the travel voucher and also recieved letters from them promising a lot of cash that i won all i had to do was pay some money to them but i didnt respond thank god for that. but what is wrong with these magazine distributors
they are acctually giving themselves a bad reputation for allowing these people to put things in their mags... i would really love to get my hand on these people...

oh my oh my...im glad i googled information about this INTERNATIONAL MERCHANDISE SERVICES before i could try claim my "prize" of R115000.00.

We were also scammed by these people. The first letter said that we've won a R10 000 travel voucher and then R115 000 and today another R100 000. They give you a call centre no to dial which starts with 021 which to my knowledge is a Telkom line and not a call centre, and of course only a voicemail to say that they only work office hours. I am so glad that I've googles this company before my daugher sends an money.

im also a "winner" of a useless holiday and "diamond pendant'" the diamond ive never received . Paid that xtra for the parcel thats too big 4 the postbox and wait and wait. Many un answerd calls later i sent them an email. Few days later "Wayne" call me. end of story the "diamond pendant" was post to me with normal post, lost in post, and Wayne promissed me my money back in my bank account in 2 weeks time. The diamond pendant was worth around R100, ive paid R169. Email Wayne at info@lifestylemail.co.za and claim you money back . Remember the Consumer Board is a good place for complains. Fool2

iv won all these things too but i will be suing them they will be ever so sorry to have messed with me

I received a Prize Notification from International Merchandise Service stating that I was in line to win R115, 000.00 and that I could either take the lump sum or receive 5 individual payments of R23, 000.00 over a 5 month period. But I had to pay in R139.90 to claim it and to receive my "free gift " of jewellery and I had to respond in 8 days. I could give them my credit Card details or make a payment into a Nedback account no [protected], branch code Business Banking South Peninsula code 123 209. Ther was not contact number at all only a fax number [protected]. Watch out people.

Just really want to thank everybody for their feedback on these as...les. Same happened to me and gullable as is human nature I also send them money luckily only once. All I know is what goes around comes around - Just look at what happenned to those scammers of the Krion scheme that took all those poor pensoiners life savings. Don't worry guys their turn will come.

i also recieved a scratch card in my Edgers mail i scrached and got three stars which meant i'd qualify for a prize. I later got a letter telling me that i had won a cash prize of R50000. i thought i should research more, and i found that it is a scam.

I have reported this people to a news paper and I am not going to let go with this, I have won a price and I want it, come hel or high water or what ever the say is. My next step is Carte Blance, anybody wants to join me please email me at elizej@vodamail.co.za. Lets bring these crooks down !

Same happened to us. Fortunately I've been around long enough to immediately realise it was a scam. Wish I could warn everyone NOT to send any money to IMS!

I also received the scratch card in my Edgars magazine... I didn't think that it was a scam because it came in my Edgars mag. When i received the travel certificate and the letter saying that I had to pay the postage fees, i also decided to google this company...

I wish that we could all gang up and find these people that get a kick out of scamming innocent people... Some of us can use that kind of money and it is people like that, that get scammed by these people...
I wish I could sue them as well... but how will you find them to sue them...

I received my letter in the post yesterday and i won R115 000.00. all i need to do is transfer R139.90 for delivery postage of a jewellery set, which consists of a genuine diamond and precious stone pendant. I might be desperate for some extra cash, but really i would never stoop to this level. I feel very sorry for people who do fall for these scams. i really wish that the police can look into thsi and have these people arrested and locked away. imagine how many people they have scammed already, i mean we paying their slaries, if we do fall for this. These days people are so desperate to win extra cash, they will do anything, and falling into traps like this is so easy for them. Thank God i used my brains before using my heart :) Be careful people. Regards, Delia

I also got a scratchcard in the people magazine and sms'ed my details, received reply asking that I pay an amount over to cover the shipment costs of my prize. Did not trust their request and ignored the message. Now I have received a letter promissing a huge sum of money. Naturally I am going to ignore this. What does worry me is that how does these scratch cards end up in magazines - is there no control measures in place by the publishers to ensure that their readers are not exposed to fraudulent, con artists? And I agree - there MUST be a way to trace these people. Someone in the know just needs to follow up on it. But unfortunately we live in a society where everyone seems to just look after their own interests and not willing to sacrifice a bit of their time and resources in order to stop these criminals.

Thabs.
Hey every one. I unfortunatly have fallen for this scam. Thankfully though I only paid once before seeing these complaints. I received the R10 000 holiday voucher, Then a cash price of R115 000 with R16 000 for early response, followed by a guaranteed R50 000 and later a R100 000 cash price, including a diamond pendent and Dante watch. All these I considered my financial solution for i'm currently deep in debt and thought God answers our prayers in mysterious ways. I won't stop believing in God due to human wickedness but have finally learnt my lesson in being "rewarded" with no effort. I'm again highly disapointed in these big brands like Edgars and multichoice because these scams come in their packaging which built a level of trust due to their popularity and existing association with them. Is it not weird how, all these letters are not dated? If you have to pay within a certain time frame, there has to be a starting point for it, but IMS has no dated letters. But followed my concience a bit too late. Please everyone, watch out for these damned scams in future.
Lesson Learnt

I won a price and money from the international merchandise services whereby they told me that if you havnt recieved it within 14 days i must confirm so i want to know what is going on because i have not recieved them PLEASE REPLY

The very samething happened to me, the scratch card was in an M-Net postage, now tell me is there a link between the two, thanks god that I googled this morning and see how many ppl fell in this boogy trap.

I also fell in the same booggy trap, my scratch card was in an M-Net package, is there a link between the two? something must be done with these people. I phoned travel clips and they explain the arrangements regarding accommodation, if its a scam travel clips is also involved in this.

These people have been trying to scam me out of money for 3 months, but they have no consistency with regard to the information they give you. This is the biggest clue that they are trying to scam people. Watch out!

Ok my story is very similar your everyone of you guys. Thank God for Technology...I'm looking at this letter as I'm typing. I've won R10 000 holiday voucher, been entered to win R100 000 and have been specifically selected to receive ANOTHER award. The damage is R129.90..Well I though to myself this must be true coz they are not asking much but then I though HOW KIND? all this for FREE? Then decided to google it. Thank you so so much to each one of you for your comments. I regret sending that SMS.

I cant believe I fell for it.I also got a scratch card in a Multichoice magazine and sms'd my address, in a few days I got a letter with R10, 000 holiday voucher from travel clips and that I must pay cash to the bank in order to receive another guaranteed prize, I ignored that one and didnt send cash but the second one said I am a winner of R115.000 and I must send cash to redeem my prize.I deposited the money at Nedbank and sent the claim notification back.I have been waiting for my cheque but it seems like its never going to come, the way I see the same complaints from different people.How can reputable magazine allow this to happen, we trust them thats why we reply to these stupid competitions.21st Annivessary Celebration my foot! I'm really angry, I was so sure that its not a scam, how do they do this? Nedbank must also take some responsibility for this, how come all scams use their bank to make deposits?
Andy from Umtata

Claim you money back i did and i received mine back. As they say "read the fineprint" I cant wait for the new consumer act, i think that is the only way that people can be stopped

18/01/2011
I too have received umpteen letters from IMS with promises of large amounts of money that I've won, TV's and other prizes and on return sent money to pay for so called delivery etc. I even received a tracking number for a TV set at one stage, but I could not track this number anywhere.
These people should be tracked down and their so called business (scams) be eliminated and themselves be jailed.

Hi, I'm Rina i received many letters from International merchandise service, they said i won R60, 000, 125, 000, gifts and the money that they debit in my account.You know what guys i'm sick and tight of you telling me that i won i have to order.I don't want any order, You telling me about travelclips how you going to fetch me at my home to the Airport.I can see that this is just a total SCAM.So i send all my lottery documentation to LOCAL FRAUD SQUAD to follow up.

I have also received a scratch card with mnet book, and won something or other. Had to pay release fees, never received a gift other than a fake diamond pendant- could get that in a lucky packet! I received numerous letters stating i have won R50 000 and then R110 000, the latest in February this year for R8000 000! All had to pay release fees. I paid twice for release fees, and never got cash prize, unless you want to call R20 discount a cash prize of R50 000. The letter clearly stated that i was the winner, but only got the R20 discount which could only be used for buying one of their products. I have not bought anything from them, and won't be scammed again. The R10 000 travel voucher isn't really a win, because it is only a discount voucher, don't know how true it is, as when i tried to contact the travel agency involved, the number was wrong. I hope this helps and they don't catch any more people out.

Two weeks ago I too was duped when I took the mail out of the postbox and discovered a postcard advertising giveaway prizes as part as promotion, I too scratched the card and I three correct symbols were revealed.I then sms my details, address and the code of the symbols, receiving a reply seconds later stating I had won a HOLIDAY VOUCHER worth R10 000 to be posted to me within 14 days. I received post this morning from INTERNATIONAL MERCHANDISE SERVICES containing my HOLIDAY VOUCHER from a company called TRAVEL CLIPS, I have been requested to pay R70.00 to register and claim.Apparently I am elegible for another prize which I have to pay R129.90 in delivery fees to have that prize posted to me. I am so glad that I googled the company otherwise I would have been scammed. Thank you to sites like this one that innocent people like us can be made aware of con artists and scammers.

Luckily I checked this site... I just won R120 000 in exchange for R160.00.. And, I was going to pay it and send my claim order form off... not now... Thanks guys... IMS or whoever the hell they are needs to be burnt to the ground...

I just won R120 000 for the price of R160.00 . I was all excited and was gonna pay the R160.00 until I decided to do some research. Sorry and thanks to the people who have fallen for this SCAM... This company should be burnt to the ground and the people that operate it should be lynched... We are struggling to make ends meet and these people give you false hope... DISGUSTING!

Damn!...these guys will not stop @ nothing, got a scratch and win voucher inside a my news paper...and off-course i won. was thinking ''hey, my lucky day''. what i did'nt understant is why must i pay money to get the price that i luckly won, then i googled this stupid company. to my suprice, my worries about them where justified. its just a money making scam to reap people off their hard earned cash. thanx to all those who wrote on this side to make everyone aware of these MF...they'll burn in hell coz i know they failed to get me, but they'll probably get someone out there.

Hi fellow victims
Well from now on I know that luck is hope for fools, luckily I decided to research this international merchandise service company, u guys were of great use, sorry for the pain they caused, I'll hunt these fraudsters down even if it takes my whole life, they don't mess with the P!

Hi All;

My husband found the scratchcard in the Daily Sun and I enter the competition, winning a R10, 000 holiday voucher. I have just received now this letter in which I have won R120 000. Cheque installments to be made in R24, 000 for 5 months. Also I need to buy the pendant and a Rush Price of R15, 000 if I send this back in 8 days. Still waiting for the holiday voucher. I dont think this pple are for real. Do you think so?

What must I do? There is no phone or fax number to call that is why decided to google them.

I have been receiving phone calls from a Christopher who tells me that for R399-00 I will get travel vouchers for up to 80 different resorts in South Africa and in Mauritius and all it will cost me is a registration fee of R80 per person on my first visit. This all sounds far too good to be true so I am extremely suspicious. The fellow is really persistent and has now sent me an email telling me about the voucher, it has to be registered within 21 days.Voucher Info
-Voucher valid for 1 year 6 months from date of registration. Must be registered in 21 days
-Over 80 free and discounted accommodations available in South Africa and Mauritius.
-Valid for 3 holiday in South Africa and 1 holiday in Mauritius.
-Minimum of 2 people per unit.
-Maximum of 8 people per unit
-Can use this voucher for entire week, midweek or weekend.
-Christmas, New Year, Easter and all major public holidays available at special rates.
-Free access to all activities at the Resort, Hotel or Game Reserve – No Restrictions!
-Cape Town, Durban, Drakensburg, Mpumelanga, around the Kruger National Park Gates
-Selected accommodation –FREE – .
-accommodation at self catering hotels free,
I think this could be a scam, (duh), has anyone else had this kind of contact with them?

Same thing happened to my partner. We have already paid that money without knowing the real truth. Now that i know thanks to the internet cause we were supposed to pay another R129.00. Dinah Mogakwe