Sun Bingo said I'd won then changed it's mind!

ruthsaver

:mad:

Yesterday I was emailed to say that I'd won £500 in it's recent 'Mystic Meg' promotion, and my account would be credited by 8.30pm. However, just after this, I was emailed again to say that there had been an error, and I'd not won afterall.
I was so upset, as I thought for once Christmas would not have it's usual financial stresses.
Can they do that? I have the email, and was thinking about contacting some regulators for more advice. I haven't a clue where to start.

Thanks.

cyberbob

It was an error I doubt very nuch there is anything you can do. What do you want to happen?

ruthsaver

Well I'd quite like the money!

Timalay

Say you'll take your story to the Star if they don't pay out.

GillsMan7

There are strict rules in the CAP Code of Advertising, Sales Promotions and Direct Marketing about this. The rules changed recently, but you could always make your enquiry to the Advertising Standards Authority. In all likelihood, they will contact the marketer (Sun Newspapers) to find out what went wrong. You can speed up the process by indicating that you're happy for your details to be passed on to them when you submit your complaint (via the ASA's website).

There's a reasonable chance that they might, in the face of an ASA enquiry, contact you to offer you a goodwill gesture. Though I should say that they almost certainly haven't broken any rules.

david39

What's it got to do with the Advertising Standards Agency?

No advertising was involved.

The organisers of the bingo competition made a mistake and corrected their error. We all make mistakes and I'm sure that Sun Bingo would not have contacted you to tell you you had won a prize unless they thought, at the time, you had won - it's not good publicity for them, nor is it good to have a dissatisfied customer.

I think you should contact them ina polite manner, telling them that you understand mistakes can be made but also explaining your disappointment in thinking you had won a major prize, only to be told some little while later that you had been misinformed.

If you do it correctly, they'll probably give you some free games as compensation. Not quite the £500 you were originally expecting but at least something.