After I read from Contest For Bloggers, I know that The Hack Wordpress Giveaway and I wanted to try my luck to join the contest as well because Kyle Eslick posted an update on Hack Wordpress they will extend another day for the giveaway until Saturday.

The Prizes
* 6 Month Developer Subscription - The winner of this prize will receive a 6 month developer subscription to Woo Themes (Courtesy of the Adii and the Woo Themes team)
* 2008 Theme Club Subscription - The winner of this prize will receive a copy of all themes released by iThemes in 2008, valued at over $1400.00 (Courtesy of Cory Miller of iThemes)
* 3 Revolution Single-Use Licenses - All 3 winners will get their choice of which Revolution theme they want their license to be for. (Courtesy of Brian Gardner of Revolution Themes)
* 5 One Theme Single-Use Licenses - All 5 winners will receive a webmaster (single-use) license of the extremely popular One Theme (Courtesy of Lee Cooper and Karl Forshaw of One Theme).
* 2 Gabfire Single-Use Licenses, 2 Multiple-Use Licenses, and 2 Developer’s Licenses - Winners will have a choice of which of Mehmet’s 3 different themes you would like your license to be for. (Courtesy of Mehmet of Gabfire Themes)
* 2 TV Elements Single-Use Licenses - Winners will get a single-use copy of the extremely popular TV Elements video theme. (Courtesy of Jason of Press 75)

How To Enter The Giveaway
1. Blog About This Contest (3 Entries) - Write a post on your blog about this contest and link to this post. The post needs to include the prize list found above (links in tact) and details on how to enter. (I will be using trackbacks/pingbacks to track this so make sure it shows up here to receive your entries). This will earn you 3 entries into the drawing.
2. Leave a Comment (1 Entry) - Leave a comment on this post giving us feedback on the new theme. What do you like and what could be improved? This will earn you one entry into the drawing.

Hopefully I can win something from the giveaway

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ChiQ from WP Theme Designer is now giving away 30 premium themes to every lucky participants that join the contest. What you need to do is very simple and there’s so many ways to earn your points to be in the top 30 list that will confirm your winning themes!

Make sure you visit WP Theme Designer | Win Premium Theme! Join Now! to join the contest!

Closing Date

June 30, 2008 (1 more week to go)

Prizes

30 Premium WordPress Themes Contest Prizes by WordPress Theme Designer

1 Single-use License of John Cow Milk It Theme by John Cow

Demo | Purchase | Price and Theme Info

2 Single-use Licenses of Elegants Blubs WordPress Theme by Blog Perfume

Demo | Purchase | Price and Theme Info

2 Single-use Licenses for The Revolution by Brian Gardner

Demo | Purchase | Price and Theme Info

Premium Themes by Magnus Jepson
- 1 Single-use License of Polaroid Press
- 1 single-use License of Grunge Press
- 1 Single-use License of Portfolio Press

Price and Theme Info

1 Single-user License of Money Blogger Theme by BlogOhBlog

Demo | Purchase | Price and Theme info

2 Single-use Licenses of the Elite Theme by ElitebyDesign

Demo | Purchase | Price and Theme Info

Premium Themes by MotionTheme

- 1 Single-use License of Pirate Theme - Demo | Purchase
- 1 Single-use License of News Friendly Theme - Demo | Purchase
- 1 Single-use License of Easy Portfolio Theme - Demo | Purchase

1 Single-use License of TV Elements Premium Theme by WPelements

Demo | Purchase | Price and Theme Info

Premium Themes by PowerTheme

- 1 Single-use License of MagPress Theme - Demo | Purchase | Price and Theme Info
- 1 Single-use License of VideoDen Theme - Demo | Purchase | Price and Theme Info

Winners Choice Theme from Blogalized

Products | Order

Premium Themes by GraphPaperPress

1 Single-use License of F8 Portfolio Theme - Price and Theme info
1 Single-use License of F8 Remixed - Price and Theme info
1 Single-use License of Monochrome - Price and Theme info

Bonus:

Themes by Premiumnewstheme

- 3 Single-use Licenses of Fresh News
- 3 Single-use Licenses of LiveWire
- 3 Single-use Licenses of Gazette

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I received a call last week from a company called Eat and Stay Free saying that I was chosen for a special short period promotion by purchasing only 109 dollars, I get to spend 7 nights in more than 100 hotels across Australia and New Zealand. By just purchasing 2 meals for each person each day, I can have free accommodation as long as I’m finish with my 7 nights voucher. I was impressed that night, I was really considering that promotion before this. By paying only 109 dollars for 7 nights and is even for 2 adults? Which means only 55 dollars per person! Cool…

The call was made by an Indian lady, I don’t remember what her name is (who cares?), explaining to me the terms and conditions over the phone for more than 40 minutes. When I showed myself interested in it, then she passed me to another Indian guy which she claimed to be her manager called John.

When I asked about the payment method, he was so convincing saying that they are a registered Australian company. Giving me the following details.

Address: 79, Oxford Street, Bondi Junction, NSW 2022.
ABN : 59111673968

I told him I need sometime to think about it, I will give him a call back if I’ve decided to purchase it, he says that this is a short period promotion, I won’t be able to contact him through the office number. (Huh?) He says that perhaps he can give me a call back and he is taking his risk to reserve the voucher for me. I asked him to call back to me yesterday for my decision.

I asked my friend, KahPeng, whether if he wants to share with me since the voucher is for 2 adults. He looked doubtful, my fault. I was the one trying to convince him about this promotion. Anyway, we decided to buy it after this.

This manager called back yesterday, and we talk about the payment method, he asked me for my credit card number and expiry date (Something fishy here), I was quite worried, how can I just give you my credit card number?! He tried to convinced me paying through credit card, but lucky me, I did not. In the end, he has no option but to ask me to pay him through money order.

The money order is send to a P.O. BOX, not even the address to the office. I was still blinded. I send the money to this address,

P.O.Box 1607, Bondi Junction, NSW 1355.

I’ve made my payment in the post office this morning. He called in to me again today for the money confirmation and asking me if any other of my friends are interested in this promotion, and I really did say to him maybe my friend Benjamin is interested in it, and ask him to call back.

KahPeng have a check on the internet later about this company just now, this is where the interesting part started.

The ABN number provided by the “manager” shows that the name is under Freedom Escape Pty. He even managed to find another ABN number which Freedom Escape was using ealier and it was deregistered! (Being canceled) He managed to find a forum regarding some scams from this Freedom Escape company on the internet, the promotion they were discussing in the forum are exactly like mine!

And there are more than 200 websites under the Freedom Escape domain name, Eat and Stay is one of them. The worst thing is, even the theme they used for these websites are the same! Oh god… Rubbish!

I quickly rushed to the post office just few minutes before it close. I managed to cancel my money order and cash back my money. Lucky me, imagine if I have use my credit card to pay him.

He called in the last time trying to ask my friends to purchase the promotion, this time I was prepared. I had everything in my mind on how to question him.

(Due to a long conversation, I’ve sort out, and only write the important one.)

Me: Is Freedom Escape under your company?

Manager: Where have you heard of it?

Me: I saw it from the internet, you all are related?

Manager: Freedom Escape is our mother company.

Me: I saw from the internet rumors that they are scammers.

Manager: We are not scammers, don’t worry. You had our ABN number, you can trace our company information.

Me: I can simply setup a company and register an ABN number easily, it does not prove anything.

Manager: You have paid to Eat and Stay, you have the receipt of it, if we did not give you the voucher, you can come out and show the receipt that you have paid to us.

Me: It only proves that I’ve paid you the money, for what? I have no evidence shows that you are going to send me the voucher. so?

Me: Speaking of ABN number, I even managed to find out that Freedom Escape previous ABN number was being canceled.

Manager: We are not Freedom Escape, we are Eat and Stay Free. (Now you say so…)

Me: I thought you all are under Freedom Escape?

Manager: We are not scammers, if you want, I can even give you my credit card number.

Me: I don’t want your credit card number, only scammers need that. (Like you asking for mine earlier.)

Menager: Look, we are company with good reputation…

Me: With those comments on the internet? I doubt that.

The following conversation was unnecessary. I told them I’ve cancel the money order, and probably will bring this case the the local police. He got a shock, I just shut the phone.

So beware guys, take note of this company. I would not say they sure are scammer. However, I’ve look through the cases discussed by other people in the forum, and with those comments, I must say it is not whatever they so call Special Promotion. The rest is up to you to judge.

P/S: Due to what I’ve written here, probably they have noticed what are the problems with their websites, when you see their websites, I’m not surprise they have changed it to look even more real to you all. Beware!

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Finally, I’m done with my final assignment for my degree course few days ago… I’m a little bit relieve. However, this moment does not last long. I’m having my final 2 exams in 2 weeks time.

17th of June - Human Resource Management.
25th of June - Network and Distributed System.

God bless me.

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Although KahPeng had posted this in his blog, but I just can’t resist it. I seriously want to share this to everyone if you ever miss this.

I really enjoy this clip, spent a couple of minutes for this, I guaranty, you will not regret!

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