Does FB profile need to be in your name?

coffeehound

I have a FB account in a nonsense name for looking at stuff on FB. If i won a comp using it, would it be a valid entry?

sleepyjones

Yeah, Facebook profile can be anything, shouldn't affect your chances of winning ... unless they think it's maybe a fake profile.

So if the name is just a random name like Jinglybob Foosilbub or Coffee Hound, then that (technically) should be fine, doesn't need to actually be your name ... you might run into "fake profile" issues if it's something like "sdfasd sdfasffa" though, but I doubt that's even a valid Facebook name.

A lot of people, especially compers, use something a bit different for their FB name's anyway because it's easier to spot if you win something if your name is something a bit more unusual.

coffeehound

Thats good to know, many thanks sj.

2013yearofthehouse

Most of the time it should be fine.....there are a few comps (in the minority though) that do say, buried in the T&Cs rather than on the post, that you must use your real name or be disqualified and ask for ID when claiming (tends to be for big prizes and/or big brand names).....although I'm guessing they'd be lenient with, for example, using Vicky *last name* when your ID says Victoria *last name*, but not sure what they would do if it was a completely different name? I'm guessing using your real last name with your real middle name is ok too...seen a few people say they do that.



The only time I could see it being a problem is for the few comps (and it's not many that do this) that you enter via woobox (or other online form) and then they announce the winner on facebook asking you to contact them to claim......if you've used your real name on the form then you wouldn't be able to post on facebook without it looking a bit odd (this happened to me with another comper with the similar name as me posting thanks on the winner announcement when it wasn't clear which of us won).


Also, some comps require you to enter details on an online form and also like them on facebook (or even follow on twitter) and then when they contact the winner and announce on social media it's not really clear how, or even if, they have matched up details or if they have just picked from the form details regardless. I once missed out on a prize via a mix-up this way (someone else claimed it) and I once was told I was the winner via email, then realised I wasn't when I saw the actual winner announced on social media was a different person with same name. So it can have its complications!

coffeehound

That’s very interesting 2013, thanks. Galling to find that someone else with the same name had claimed your prize

I’ll clearly need to start scrutinizing the Ts and Cs