"Purely Creative" magazine scratch card. How to claim

UPDATE, I didnt realise this thread was still running. As before I advise caution and NEVER EVER phoning the phone numbers or texting. Email seems best option (if its a hotmail type account rather than your main account).

when this thread was started these cards were still winable, by doing what i advised below. My advice now is don't touch with a bargepole!!!

If the £10 is no longer a prize i wouldnt bother, but i havent personally seen a card in about a year now. Sorry guys.

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My sister regularly claims £10 (£8 to £9 if you consider the postage costs)per card that falls out of the mags. She sent me a letter explaining how to claim, and I'm going to write what she wrote to me. Never ever phone the expensive phone/text claim numbers agian.

I hope someone finds this helpful. There is another post about these cards, but its mostly about comparing who found what symbols rather than cheap claiming. http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=234517

Anyway, here we go....
REMEMBER the most important thing is to read each cards small print, front and back twice just so you know what they want, the dept numbers and addresses


Newspaper scratch cards - top tips

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1. Whats my prize?
So you've got 3 matching sybols (of course!), it says you might have won a million, a hundred thousand, twenty thousand... blah blah blah! Look at the small print, usually on the front. It will say quantities, only 1 or 2 big prizes, at the end of the list of prizes it will say "£10 x 5000+" that means most people win a tenner, assume thats all you've got.

2. I've won a holiday!! Wow!
don't bother. When it says "holiday in Switzerland 5000+" it probably means that the holiday is a coach trip, starting in switzerland, pay to get there yourself. Upgrades available, most likely for whacking fees. Also on the small print on the back states £75 per person deposit. Be careful. If you win a holiday or non cash prize above the minimum prize, its real.

3. Get a claim number.
Most of these cards are printed by purely creative ltd, they must, by law, have an address to write to for a claim number. It will be similar to "Dept PCN 54XXX". That number relates to the card design, as they do several cards. Write the following letters... (post 2)

4. Stop the junk mail.
Also always write to thier anti-junk deparment, also in the small print on the back. (See the letters My sister uses and copy them, they work for her) Otherwise you will get several tonnes of spam. (her words)

5. And this cost me?
2 sheets of paper (or 1 if printing carefully)
3 envolopes,
3 stamps.
I'd say about £1.50

6. Pitfalls and avoiding 'em
*Get thier name and "Dept" number EXACT. Do not be tempted to write deparement, its dept etc.
*Always cross reference the claim to the no junk letter, as in her examples.
*If you do more than one type of card (you can only claim each type of card once!) write on the back of the sae the dept number you sent it to. This is so You know what card this relates to by the time it finally turns up. They get people that way
*your claim number will take years to arrives, as will the prize cheque.
*stick a post it note to your card to make it easy when the sae comes back. Write its dept number clearly on it, and keep all your cards in the same place whilst waiting for your claims

7. I got my claim number! yay
Ace. Never add your email addy or phone number to the claim form, You might not have one afterall :A Purelly always want a loose stamp, don't forget this. Thier claims address might have changed, check you write it exactly as you are told by them, don't get it wrong

8. was it worf it??
You have used in total
2 sheets of paper
4 envolopes
3 second class stamps
1 first class stamp
and a post it note.
Lets say £2.00 max.... so thats £8.00 profit against 30 mins actual effort, but a long wait


It might seem complex, but whehn you get into the habit its so easy its untrue. Its only complicated becoz you are closing down the spam mail options, but its worth it

PS, if you are really anti junk, write a no junk letter again and bung it in with your claim.