Cheaters

anikka

anikka

Active member
I' m sick of reading about people who rack up numerous prizes in one sweep when the rules clearly state 1 prize person (or household). Many of these people are aware of what they are doing and frankly I think it's selfish. It's irresponsible of the sponsors not to check and to disqualify people. Unless the rules clearly state that I CAN win multiple prizes I quit after the first one...including those pesky song downloads. It's only fair.

Don't get me started on people who use multiple email addy's or physical addresses...
 
I totally agree with you anikka....... Leave those other prizes for those who haven't won yet on a sweep. It's only fair in my opinion. ^5 for making this point girl....
 
I haven't noticed posts where this is the case...seems like people usually say "I'm done with this one" or in some cases they will note that they and their spouse or child both won. (How do they manage more than one win when most of us have trouble securing one?!?)

Does anyone post a reply reminding such people that they're only allowed one win? And where are you finding people who announce that they use multiple addresses? I'm not challenging you here, anikka, I'm really just curious because I've been doing a little unscientific research over the years about cheating...mostly in academics, and whether or not younger folks are less concerned about such behavior than prior generations. I hadn't really thought about whether the same questions about cheating might apply to the world outside the classroom!

If anyone has any further insights, please post...and cue me towards some keywords I might search to find posts on this subject! Thanks for the topic, anikka...very interesting. (Infuriating when you keep getting the "Sorry, you didn't win" message :cussing:--but interesting from a sociological standpoint. :laughing: )
 
They can rake em up all they want but probably wont get them :laughing: If they don't know the rules is one thing but to blatantly cheat is another. Unfortunately there will always be cheaters. multiple email addys, using family members or friends address. It makes it hard for honest sweepers. Ill gotten gain will get them in the long run. I hope so anyway. I dont see how they have time to cheat. Its hard enough for me just getting through mine one time I cant imagine taking the time to enter over and over. besides that would cut into my forum time :laughing: I like the ones that the rules say 1x email and some people think oh, ok! let me get 300 emails. I dont think thats what they mean. Thats cheating plan and simple. Dont let it get ya bummed. There are plenty of prizes to go around for honest sweepers. hey! did you enter my member sweep? :laughing: odds are pretty good. :popcorn:


nkb said:
I haven't noticed posts where this is the case...seems like people usually say "I'm done with this one" or in some cases they will note that they and their spouse or child both won. (How do they manage more than one win when most of us have trouble securing one?!?)
Does anyone post a reply reminding such people that they're only allowed one win? And where are you finding people who announce that they use multiple addresses? I'm not challenging you here, anikka, I'm really just curious because I've been doing a little unscientific research over the years about cheating...mostly in academics, and whether or not younger folks are less concerned about such behavior than prior generations. I hadn't really thought about whether the same questions about cheating might apply to the world outside the classroom!

If anyone has any further insights, please post...and cue me towards some keywords I might search to find posts on this subject! Thanks for the topic, anikka...very interesting. (Infuriating when you keep getting the "Sorry, you didn't win" message :cussing:--but interesting from a sociological standpoint. :laughing: )
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If a prize is one per person I dont see a problem with multiple people in the same family wining. my family sweeps. my children do and my husband enters instants. If its one per household they should quit entering. Thats just my take on it.
 
I absolutely agree, 3mnkids1...if they're following the rules it seems perfectly legit to win a prize for each eligible member of a household.

I just haven't ever noticed a post that claimed to have won something outside the rules, so I'm curious to see some. Are they bragging that they've succeeded in bending the rules, are they unaware of the rules (and if so, does someone point it out to them), or are they totally oblivious to the idea of there being something wrong with cheating?
 
nkb said:
I absolutely agree, 3mnkids1...if they're following the rules it seems perfectly legit to win a prize for each eligible member of a household.

I just haven't ever noticed a post that claimed to have won something outside the rules, so I'm curious to see some. Are they bragging that they've succeeded in bending the rules, are they unaware of the rules (and if so, does someone point it out to them), or are they totally oblivious to the idea of there being something wrong with cheating?
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Go to just about any "freebie" type website and check out their forums. :nono:

I've been sweeping since Feb 2004, so I was playing before the advent of those security codes. DELL had a sweeps whereby if you lost, you had a chance at a coupon for an LCD for $1.00 (or something really good like that) anyway, there was rampant cheating, and boasting on one or more of those sites, DELL caught on, and I noticed those codes soon after.

I predicted during the DELL fiasco (to sneers of disbelief) that the sponsors would enforce their sweeps MUCH more strigently, and/or discontinue bothering with them at all due to the HUGE amount of complaining by those that saw people bragging about their "wins" on those forums. :nono:

I don't remember if they ran one last year, but I notice there is no DELL DELF this year - I could never win from them, but I'm sorry I was right about this - I'd at least like an honest chance to try!!!
 
It's my understanding that once you win but continue to enter when it's one prize only, that the system already recognizes you as having won and will not award anymore prizes. If it doesn't, they usually won't get the extras. If people were to use various email addresses, they would also need various physical addresses to have for each prize won. I highly doubt there are many people if any that have that many physical addresses to use. In situations where people have tried cheating by changing their name around, etc., it's usually caught and the wins returned to the prize pool for new winners to be picked.

I think this has gotten more blown out of preportion than is realistic. There are also people who lie about their wins. So, I wouldn't put much stock in someone claiming they won a bunch of prizes from a sweepstakes that had a limit of one. As far as I'm concerned, it's a bunch of hoo hah; and I have more important things to do than worry about such claims being posted on forums especially with no proof. So, I wouldn't worry about it or waste time getting mad over it. :cheers:
 
LIDARKSIDE - again I agree with you! :headbang:

When I saw people posting they were complaining to sponsors about cheating, I was totally disgusted by their behavior - it's up to the sponsors to police their sweeps, not us sweepers! :nono:

That's why I advocate enter and forget it - It's so easy to fall into a losing slump, and try to find some reason for it, so seeing people brag on cheating... :nono:

When the sponsor of a sweeps people cheat on catches them (as you show they probably will) the sponsor can then decide to re-award the prizes. If they decide not to? Well, we entered and already lost, so what's the real harm? :scratch:

As a community, we show by our actions what type of people we are, and we promote honesty and fairness in entering, so new members will most likely follow suit. IF they decide to cheat? That's their business, and we prefer not to hear about it - it only causes dissension.

I know a post in the comments was the driving force behind this thread, but the reality is, play by the rules, enter at the right time (for IW's) and you will win. :cheers:
 
There were a couple of occasions where I continued to enter after I won the limit of prize(s). I hadn't realized there was a limit until I checked the rules at some point. However, I was never sent anything other than the initial prize(s) that I was limited to winning. So, they do catch these things. Now, when I win, I check the rules to make sure there is or isn't a limit. I'm sure there are other people who don't realize that once they won, they can't win anymore and continue to enter unknowingly.
 
:sunny: Life is too short too worry about cheaters. :popcorn: Besides we all know that cheaters aren't winning everything. We all still win a fair share. Bonus: We can live with ourselves knowing we got our prizes honestly. :cheers:
 
anikka said:
I' m sick of reading about people who rack up numerous prizes in one sweep when the rules clearly state 1 prize person (or household). Many of these people are aware of what they are doing and frankly I think it's selfish. It's irresponsible of the sponsors not to check and to disqualify people. Unless the rules clearly state that I CAN win multiple prizes I quit after the first one...including those pesky song downloads. It's only fair.

Don't get me started on people who use multiple email addy's or physical addresses...
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anikka - I do understand your anger - when I first learned that people cheated, I was floored that they could be so selfish and greedy too. :nono:

I'd already run the emotional gamut on this issue years ago, so when my son told me that this was happening (before I even read the comment) I'd already reacted to it I guess.

In re-reading this thread, I remembered how that felt, and then thought that you might think I was dismissing your feelings - I didn't intend to, I just didn't want you or anyone who read this to fall into that kind of unproductive anger - especially if it riled people up to the point where they complained to the sponsors!

The best we can do is to inform others on what being an honest sweeper is, and hope they follow the rules. If it's 1 prize pp, and someone has 5 members in their home that are eligible, they are ALL entitled to try to win. If it's 1 per HH, then when 1 of them wins, they are all done. Easy peasy :headbang:
 
Well, I didn't mean to throw fuel on anyone's fire. I'm simply fascinated by the reasons/motivations behind people's honesty and/or dishonesty. With students who cheat, you often have either kids who are really stressed out and desperately wanting to get that grade, or those who don't think it's a big deal and just do it so that they don't have to do the work themselves. Those who don't cheat typically either simply feel that it is wrong or are afraid of getting caught. My interest is in tracking the behavior relative to age/generation and to perceived strictness or laxity in enforcement.

Anyway--I found people's opinions on this topic illuminating, so thanks!
 
nkb said:
Well, I didn't mean to throw fuel on anyone's fire. I'm simply fascinated by the reasons/motivations behind people's honesty and/or dishonesty. With students who cheat, you often have either kids who are really stressed out and desperately wanting to get that grade, or those who don't think it's a big deal and just do it so that they don't have to do the work themselves. Those who don't cheat typically either simply feel that it is wrong or are afraid of getting caught. My interest is in tracking the behavior relative to age/generation and to perceived strictness or laxity in enforcement.

Anyway--I found people's opinions on this topic illuminating, so thanks!
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nkb - passions run high on this issue, as you probably already know :laughing:

From what I've observed, it seems to me that there has been a shift in how cheating is viewed and accepted, from plagarism (rampant online with people not crediting their source(s) and pretending something is their work) to trying to get more than your fair share of something for free.

I think the root cause is file sharing - music, etc. - we have a whole generation brought up practically online, and formerly taboo behaviors are now not only accepted, but in some cases, lauded. :nono:

Then again, each generation believes the worst of the next... :laughing: :whistle:
 
I believe this behavior is running rampant because children (many now adults) have never learned to be accountable for themselves or remorseful for their actions. Parents now excuse their children's behavior. My mother used to tell the teacher to just smack my brother if he got out of hand again. Now, parents have the "don't touch my kid"/"don't anything my kid" attitude now. They're raising a generation of lazy and disrespectful adults who care less about other people.

One of my pet peeves is how it now is acceptable for children to call adults by their first name! :nono: Totally disrespectful! :nono:
 
amyshulk said:
I think the root cause is file sharing - music, etc. - we have a whole generation brought up practically online, and formerly taboo behaviors are now not only accepted, but in some cases, lauded. :nono:
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Good point on the music sharing. This particular type of cheating is often met with the excuse that the industry is ripping people off by charging too much, so it's okay. My husband also thinks that this downloading habit has led to cheating in other areas. But if it's okay to steal from the industry because they're the big guys, I wonder what makes it okay in the same person's mind to copy off his/her neighbor's exam, for instance.

amyshulk said:
Then again, each generation believes the worst of the next... :laughing: :whistle:
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Too true...too true!

LIDARKSIDE said:
I believe this behavior is running rampant because children (many now adults) have never learned to be accountable for themselves or remorseful for their actions. Parents now excuse their children's behavior. My mother used to tell the teacher to just smack my brother if he got out of hand again. Now, parents have the "don't touch my kid"/"don't anything my kid" attitude now. They're raising a generation of lazy and disrespectful adults who care less about other people.
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Another excellent point, which speaks to lack of enforcement as encouragement.

I'm always testing the theory that if I can find the strongest motivations among a group for not cheating, and/or take away the strongest motivations for cheating, I can thereby significantly reduce the pool of cheaters in classroom setting. Not sure it's working yet. :laughing:
 
I posted something simular quite a few months ago The response was about the same But the sponnsors are trying and if you pay close attention some states won,t let you enter there sweeps anymore .
 
Not sure if I fall into the cheater category as I am the computer geek in my household I have registered myself, and both my parents in plenty of sweeps. When I see only one entry per household though I only will register myself. But if a contest allows more than one person to enter i.e. an instant where it is okay for me to register all 3 of us I do. Have I gotten multiple wins by doing this yes. But there are plenty of contests in which I have entered all 3 of us and we have won absolutely nothing.

My intention is not to cheat but afford my parents an opportunity to win prizes. By me doing this there have been some really nice prizes that my parents have one: $150.00 for Sleepyhead.com, 2 vouchers on Southwest Airlines which had a retail value of 800.00 I just booked my parents a trip to CA for next year with these tickets. The good thing was that these were open ended tickets and so when I booked the flight the agent told me it did not matter what the retail value was b/c these were open ended tickets the flight could be 1100.00 and my parents still would not have to pay. I am happy that I entered these contests in which my parents were able to get these prizes.

So if I am considered a cheater for this I guess I have to wear that name on my sleeve and be a cheater then.

To me I think the contests that state you have to be a certain age like under 14 and people lie about there age and enter and win these contests are truly cheaters!!!
 
mpgelb - the concern is people who attempt to enter with multiple addys, not real people entering (or being entered) within the rules.

My mom asked me to enter her when I started winning, but because her home address was not mine, I was worried I'd DQ her or myself if I entered her on my comp. I asked for guidance and met an almost solid wall of "cheater cheater" responses. :nono:

I've since learned that only the sweeps that limit entries from your IP addy would DQ those entries - sponsors only care if the entry is within the rules (1x, daily, etc) so as long as each entry is for a diff person with a diff addy, and is within the rules, you aren't cheating :sunny:

I know there are some people who think it is, and wish every sweeps was a 1x phh, but they do NOT make the rules nor enforce them!!!
 
In the past, ePrize and HGTV have responded that it is not cheating to enter for other people as long as it's within the guidelines of the rules. Sweepers who unilaterally in their minds deem it cheating are just making up their own rules!! :laughing: They're just selfish bitter sweepers!! :whistle:
 
We have read post on other sites that are dedicated to beating the "system" or cheating. To me, winning a prize for your parents that are alive and well and living even in the same household with you isn't cheating as long as it isn't posted in the rules as such. The cheaters are the ones that make up people and enter people and their animals and such. They are the ones that make it hard for the true sweepers to win.

Kids are brought up in a society that tells them that everything is okay anymore. When my kid gets in trouble I go in with the attitude of "what in the world did they do now". I don't believe that my children are above getting in trouble and I don't believe in sparring them the punishment. Ashelyn was in the hospital and she was so sick, but she was throwing tantums and I spanked her. The nurse thanked me. I didn't hurt her, I just corrected her. She calmed down and I didn't have any problems out of her the rest of the time out of her. Sometimes you HAVE to know that your kids are not perfect and love them enough to tell them they are wrong!!
 
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