Automated Competition Entries - Compers Unite!

Savvybunny2009

I had no idea that people actually paid for these services, I heard about them but assumed everyone was smart enough to know automated entries means disqualification, it's a scam which is easy to pull over people who want something for nothing, meaning prizes for no work. This is a major issue!

I always wondered why competitions that have good odds of winning (even once a year) with loads of prizes we here of few winners.

Anyway I can help I will, maybe there could be a way they could regulate it better? It's a shame that these companies cannot be shut down, although not illegal they kind of fall into the likes of the scratch cards you find randomly in magazines and papers.

The_3rd_Zebu

Looking at the recent wins page on the WeWin4u site I think some of their members are very naive in declaring them.

http://www.wewin4u.co.uk/recentwins.php

It wouldn't take much to dob any of them in and have them forfeit their prizes if it could be shown their entries broke the rules.

I think that would be the ultimate bad publicity for these automated entry companies!

ie - one of their members having to hand back their prizes.

Marg2k8

Savvybunny2009 wrote: »

This is a major issue!

Totally agree

ehlittleone

http://www.prizewise.co.uk/winners.php - how about this one.

The_3rd_Zebu

ehlittleone wrote: »

http://www.prizewise.co.uk/winners.php - how about this one.

Hmmm ......

Five Winners of Bosch products worth £2,000


Very curious!

weeowens

Hi,The 3rd Zebu

Does make one wonder.
Mind you I'm just a bit non-techie so am surprised they can bypass the capcha systems.

jdsaint

am surprised they can bypass the capcha systems.

depends on the system - there is software around I believe that can by pass some of them (quick search on Google and you'll see what I mean).

spanglish

The_3rd_Zebu wrote: »

Hmmm ......

Five Winners of Bosch products worth £2,000


Very curious!

I guess that means there's little point entering that monthly comp anymore. Have e-mailed Bosch to see if they are aware/care about this.

spanglish

I was just looking through the list at http://www.prizewise.co.uk/prizes.php and was really surprised at how small some of the prizes are. I'd always assumed they just went for the bigger prizes but there are several on there worth no more than a fiver each.

thetoothfairy

I've just found this thread and it makes for an interesting read.

@the 3rd Zebu and Jason and others - I think you're doing a great service in emailing those companies running competitions who are targets of this automated entry and wish to thank you for that.

I wonder if an option to support this would be to start a twitter campaign - perhaps we could set up a hash tag on twitter and use this when we tweet companies and also to communicate with each other. That would make your tweets easier to find and easier for us to retweet - some of these companies might take a bit more notice if they suddenly find themselves being tweeted with the warning about unfair automated entries.

What does anyone else think? Any suggestions for a suitable hash tag?