Thousands could miss out on Roxy Jacenko house refund

Seven thousand entrants who signed up for a potentially misleading ‘$10m house giveaway’ that was partly conceived of and slavishly promoted by Roxy Jacenko have just hours to apply for a refund before the deadline lapses.

Seven thousand entrants who signed up for a potentially misleading “$10m house giveaway” that was partly conceived of and slavishly promoted by Roxy Jacenko have just hours to apply for a refund before the deadline lapses.

Days after the NSW Supreme Court on June 5 called in a liquidator after finding the Roxy Bootcamp giveaway to be a “questionable promotion scheme”, Jacenko invited disgruntled entrants who paid between $29 and $499 to enter to apply for a refund she is offering – but only if they act within seven days.

The seven-day window opened last Sunday and will lapse today, Saturday, June 15. Frustratingly for some of the 7000-plus entrants, the refund window has received only a fraction of the promotion and fanfare given the original promotion – prompting fears many out-of-pocket entrants will miss the deadline.

Roxy Jacenko in the Maldives last week. Source: Instagram

In an Instagram post last Sunday Jacenko directed entrants prepared to wade through three pages of text to an affiliated website, roxyjacenko.com, where they would find a form to fill out to apply for the refund. While some have subsequently dubbed the refund process a “nightmare”, others lamented in online chats last week how, having previously been blocked on social media by Jacenko, they were therefore unable to access the refund instructions.

“In life, we can all make mistakes,” Jacenko told her followers in her Sunday post. “We are only human. This “partnership” was a mistake and is a life lesson.

“I am taking matters into my own hands. I am offering the refund personally … Life lesson – don’t go into business with strangers.”

The website states the refund applies to those who entered between March 8 and May 11 and adds that “requests for refunds will be accepted from 8th June 2024 for a period of (7) Days”.

Jacenko is one of three directors behind the Roxy’s Bootcamp promotion that launched in March before relations between the PR and co-directors Youssef Tleis and Kassim Alaouie soured after Jacenko developed cold feet when some media, this writer among them, red-flagged the promotion.

Youssef Tleis (left) and Kassim Alaouie addressing entrants on their social media platforms after Roxy Jacenko called in liquidators. Source: Instagram

Jacenko subsequently backed out of the promotion, avoiding suffering damage to her personal brand and a hit to her 268k Instagram following.

It transpires this occurred after the promotion failed by a broad margin to reach its projected 200,000+ target participants.

In May, after taking two runner-up prizes – a Birkin handbag and Rolex watch – “hostage”, Jacenko apologised for her involvement.

Tleis and Alaouie have also apologised but remain convinced the promotion could have proceeded had Jacenko not pulled the pin.

The liquidator will now decide if the promotion proceeds.

Tleis and Alaouie meanwhile are also headed to court to make their case on June 24.

As a seemingly carefree Jacenko posted images of herself relaxing in the Maldives last week, Tleis and Alaouie fired back at the PR maven via their own social media account.

“Working with Ms Jacenko has been a regrettable decision. Always do your due diligence; even if someone has a big following online, do not be so trusting.”

g.”