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"My pet newt has shingles"

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Not mocking those who post comments about people being ill or a tragedy striking them but why do people feel the need to post comments like these in comment boxes after they've entered the competition?

Do they think the people running the competition will see the post and think "ah that is a sad story we'll give them the prize"?
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Comments

  • purple.sarah
    purple.sarah Posts: 2,517 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    That does annoy me when the prizes are awarded randomly, it's so unnecessary!
  • cagsd
    cagsd Posts: 7,657 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    Yes it really grates on me when people put sob stories in the comments, it's like each one is trying to outdo all the others on what a terrible life they have and how a prize is going to make it all better. Particularly annoying, and useless, when it's a random draw!!!
  • hamsterfan1
    hamsterfan1 Posts: 8,281 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    I've noticed that the radio comps which were the main place i saw these seem no longer to have them so much
    proud gran to 4 lovely boys and one little girl
  • jaxdia
    jaxdia Posts: 796 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 500 Posts Combo Breaker Name Dropper
    Tell me about it. I read this one about someone's mom suffering with cancer, and a £20 iTunes voucher would make things a lot better. Then there was this one who was about to be kicked out of her home, so she needed a £50 Amazon voucher to help things.

    Honestly? If these were "post why we should give you the prize" I'd understand a little bit, but posting begging letters in the comments of random prize draws is ridiculous, depressing, and very unnecessary.
    Wins of 2014: *zip*
    ITV Winners Club Member #75
  • BlueBella
    BlueBella Posts: 10,374 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    I often think people make too much of an effort in writing comments! Particularly on Facebook, a company can have 800+ comments under their post - do we really think they read each and every one of those - NO - I very much doubt it! They will prob just pick a random comment and announce the winner!
    :TA big thanks to all who post and sprinkling lucky dust to all who enter :smileyhea
  • andrew71 wrote: »
    Not mocking those who post comments about people being ill or a tragedy striking them but why do people feel the need to post comments like these in comment boxes after they've entered the competition?

    Do they think the people running the competition will see the post and think "ah that is a sad story we'll give them the prize"?

    Hi, really sorry to hear about your newts illness- why not try camomile lotion in the first instance and then try a Zovirax suspension.
    (PLEASE NOTE- this is just a joke- don't do it if you have a poorly newt!!!!)
    Oh and we felt so sorry for you and your newt that we have decided to send you and your newt the holiday to Greenland- well done!!!
    I am a Random Number!(£174)
    2016:£14(venus),£50(WhiteHouse),£100(NisaNoFear),£10(SportsDirect)
  • andrew71
    andrew71 Posts: 1,229 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 500 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    Hi, really sorry to hear about your newts illness- why not try camomile lotion in the first instance and then try a Zovirax suspension.
    (PLEASE NOTE- this is just a joke- don't do it if you have a poorly newt!!!!)
    Oh and we felt so sorry for you and your newt that we have decided to send you and your newt the holiday to Greenland- well done!!!
    Thank you CatsWithThumbs, your message means so much to me at this difficult time. Unfortunately Gregory Vincent Ashworth the 34th passed away after a long battle with shingles and complications with his diet of Guiness and smoking 30 cigars a day. Thank you for the prize of a trip to Greenland but I was just wondering if it could be changed to four weeks holiday? With two of the weeks being in Florida and the other two being cruise around the Caribbean? I am sure this is what he would want for us and also if you could arrange for £10,000 for us to pay for his funeral.

    :A
  • andrew71 wrote: »
    Thank you CatsWithThumbs, your message means so much to me at this difficult time. Unfortunately Gregory Vincent Ashworth the 34th passed away after a long battle with shingles and complications with his diet of Guiness and smoking 30 cigars a day. Thank you for the prize of a trip to Greenland but I was just wondering if it could be changed to four weeks holiday? With two of the weeks being in Florida and the other two being cruise around the Caribbean? I am sure this is what he would want for us and also if you could arrange for £10,000 for us to pay for his funeral.

    :A
    Hi Andrew71, so sorry to hear of the passing of Gregory Vincent Asworth th 34th, our sincere condelences.
    As to your request to exchange the prize for one of much higher value- I have consulted the team in the office and yes we can do all you ask. However we will need some sort of follow- on sob story, maybe how, in the windy weather, a tile fell of the roof and chopped the head of your prize Dhalia, and the only thing that would make up for it is winning this prize.
    (I am having such a laugh with this thread- cheers Andrew71)
    I am a Random Number!(£174)
    2016:£14(venus),£50(WhiteHouse),£100(NisaNoFear),£10(SportsDirect)
  • andrew71
    andrew71 Posts: 1,229 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 500 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    Hi Andrew71, so sorry to hear of the passing of Gregory Vincent Asworth th 34th, our sincere condelences.
    As to your request to exchange the prize for one of much higher value- I have consulted the team in the office and yes we can do all you ask. However we will need some sort of follow- on sob story, maybe how, in the windy weather, a tile fell of the roof and chopped the head of your prize Dhalia, and the only thing that would make up for it is winning this prize.
    (I am having such a laugh with this thread- cheers Andrew71)
    Dear CatsWithThumbs (or may I call you CWT) Thank you so much for getting back to me at this difficult time. Yesterday I again received some terrible news. I had attempted to tie my shoe laces but unfortunately the lace snapped after I had pulled them to tight. I was unable to go to the shop to purchase some more as I only had slip on shoes and I was concerned I may of slipped on a piece of banana skin somebody had left on the floor. I am sure if I had a Land Rover vehicle I could of drove to the local Tesco at 7pm on a Sunday to find it was closed. I understand all superstores are not open on a Sunday night at 7pm but I could have drove the Land Rover myself to clarify what I already know.
  • System
    System Posts: 178,346 Community Admin
    10,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    Haha you two made me giggle :p
    This is a system account and does not represent a real person. To contact the Forum Team email forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com
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