Automated Competition Entries - Compers Unite!

kisto

shapala wrote: »

On a slightly different note, I don't mean to stir the hornet's nest, but I find it amazing that certain people can win 30-odd competitions a month consistently. Last month, I entered just over 2000 competitions for the month with 8 wins, which is more than average for me in a month (my average was 5.2 wins per month). I only ever enter myself unless there's a competition I really want, so I'll ask my wife if she can enter it when it's convenient. Therefore, it can't surely be down to luck, rather that these people are entering other members in their household, frowned upon in almost all competition T&C's, or using several email accounts. Whether they use automated entry or not, something to me doesn't ring right with so many wins on a consistent basis. If competition sites adopted a one entry per IP address, it would help to level the playing field for everyone. That's my two cents.

I know that this is off topic but I thought I would reply as it's an interesting comment
I dug out my previous comps spreadsheet (and I have posted this on MSE before). I haven't kept a tally recently, but in 2009/2010 here is my wins/entries:

Sept 09: Entered: 2861 - Prizes won 9
Oct 09: Entered 2943 - Prizes Won 13
Nov 09: Entered 3613 - Prizes Won 8
Dec 09: Entered 2976 - Prizes Won 12
Jan 10: Entered 3323 - Prizes Won 22
Feb 10: Entered 3176 - Prizes Won 31
Mar 10: Entered 3072 - Prizes Won 24
Apr 10: Entered 2658 - Prizes Won 13
May 10: Entered 1773 - Prizes Won 13
June 10: Entered 1806 - Prizes Won 13

Obviously the wins would more likely corrolate to the amount of entries from the previous month.
I am a single mum, so I only enter comps in my name, or my kids name (for childrens comps). One entry each, usually (apart from sites where multiple entries are allowed such as ITV)

spanglish

The_3rd_Zebu wrote: »

Hmmm ......

Five Winners of Bosch products worth £2,000


Very curious!

Just had the following reply from Bosch so hopefully that will soon be one less for the list:

Thank you for contacting us. We have recently been contacted by the Managing Director of a competition community who has informed us of the same issue. We are currently in the process of amending our terms and conditions to disallow entries from paid for competition sites. We are also looking at security options to stop auto-entries by requiring entrants to type in the letters displayed on screen to allow the entry to be submitted.

gem599

gem599 wrote: »

This is such an eye opener! And so disheartening!
I have emailed every website that I have come across this evening that has an 'unsecured competition'. These are:
V&A
MetroSnow
SheerLuxe
CoOp Travel
Budget.ie
Hot Dinners

Will update when I do more and if I get any replies.

Sheerluxe replied straight away saying they would amend their Ts & Cs to one entry per household, and Budget.ie said thanks for the feedback and that they'll look into it!!

Good work Spanglish :T ... it seems there is a willingness from the companies offering prizes to play fairly

Enigmatic_Me

I also see Debenhams have changed the latest FB comp which now requires you to allow an application!

vwcampervan72

Id like to say a huge thank you to everyone emailing companies, lets hope they listen x

jdsaint

We have recently been contacted by the Managing Director of a competition community

Nice they remembered. We did this last month and were going to blog about it, but Bosch were very quick to respond and they genuinely seemed annoyed by what had happened so it didn't happen (in hindsight it was probably a key point to make people more aware, but it was Christmas and it seemed unfair to give them bad commentary).

Hopefully they'll get things sorted now.

Sheerluxe replied straight away saying they would amend their Ts & Cs to one entry per household

Nice they responded, but that won't stop automated entries.. they need something like "automated entries are not permitted and will be disqualified" (and they need to disqualify them).

They did respond to emails a few months back, but didn't change anything - hopefully this time they will.

Debenhams and Very have both got an email hit-list to check off - so hopefully that will see them sort things out too.

All good stuff

Jason

The_3rd_Zebu

luijo wrote:

Thanks jdsaint, I have added a comment to their facebook also. Thanks for all your hard work too.

:j

Good comment luijo - Have just read it on facebook.

:j

spanglish wrote: »

Just had the following reply from Bosch so hopefully that will soon be one less for the list:

Thank you for contacting us. We have recently been contacted by the Managing Director of a competition community who has informed us of the same issue. We are currently in the process of amending our terms and conditions to disallow entries from paid for competition sites. We are also looking at security options to stop auto-entries by requiring entrants to type in the letters displayed on screen to allow the entry to be submitted.

Good work spanglish.

:beer:

One interesting aspect emerges from that monthly Bosch competition that Prizewise was monopolising.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/3706725

When you enter it "normally" there is a certain amount of effort required.

You have to press the red button at different times and then you have to wait for random questions to appear. You have to read them and then answer them ( although you don't need to get them correct).

What has occurred to me is that Prizewise must have perfected a system to carry that out automatically on behalf of their paying clients several thousand times.

This is really what we are up against.

Anyway hopefully Bosch are becoming a little wiser to the activities of automated entry companies.

jdsaint

What has occurred to me is that Prizewise must have perfected a system to carry that out automatically on behalf of their paying clients several thousand times.

They simply took the form at the end of the process and populated it numerous times. The problem Bosch had was that once you knew the form url, you didn't need to go through the questions again... the form also had no cookie check (i.e. have you done the quiz).

So in essence it became a straight forward data fill

Jason

ehlittleone

I've just entered a comp on beautyandthedirt.com

This was there terms and conditions

T&C’s

• This promotion is open to UK residents only
• There is no cash or other alternative to the prize stated, the prize is not transferable and no part or parts of the prize may be substituted for other benefits, items or additions
• Winners will be picked at random by beautyandthedirt.com. The prize will be delivered to the winner within 28 days of confirmation of delivery address
• Prize consists of 1 x Switched signed book and 1x Signed poster for one main winner
• Four additional runners up will each receive 1 x Switched book signed each
• The editor’s decision is final and binding on the entrants. No correspondence will be entered into.

No mention of Automated Entries and you only have to enter your name and email.


I have emailed them to see if they are aware. Hopefully they will reply.


****************************

Gosh that was quick have had a reply already (so that is another one that gets targetted then)

Thanks for your email, these sites often take comps without our knowledge, we will look into it

Many Thanks

ehlittleone

SuperluckyDi wrote: »

I recommend promoters run creative competitions

Thanks Di

Only trouble with this is that only the most creative people have a chance of winning and I'm guessing that they get such a low entry because the majority of us are not