shuley0805
New member
For a new person, how do you tell if its a true winning email and not spam/scam? Any tips on what to look for?
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How do you tell? winning email
- Thread starter shuley0805
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badgercontest
Active member
Some steps I use to ensure legitimacy:
1. Ask yourself if this is a sweepstakes that you remember entering. If you never entered for the prize that you just "won" the odds of being a scam are probably high.
2. The notification should come from a business or prize service e-mail address. Anything from an e-mail that anyone can create (IE: @hotmail.com, @yahoo.com, @gmail.com, @outlook.com etc. is a red flag.)
3. Correspondence should look professional. Any forms to be filled out and returned should look like they're from a business. IE: Not a bunch of misspellings, bad grammar, etc.
4. If you need to return any forms make sure they are going to a business e-mail address or a company street address/fax # (Just Google the street address or phone # to check)... either of the company putting on the sweeps or the sweepstakes service company administering it. IE: Don't send anything with your SS# to a residential address or a PO Box.
Note: Any prize won with a value of $600 or more WILL require you to submit your Social Security # to the company for tax purposes. This does NOT mean it's a scam. Some companies will also require it for prizes with values under $600.
5. Don't send anyone $ in order to claim a prize. Anything tax-related you will do on your own with federal/state filings.
6. All "foreign lotteries" are scams. Either that or the UK owes me a ton of money. har har.
7. Be careful with what sweeps you are entering. A sweepstakes from Coca-Cola Sweepstakes is much safer to enter than from "WinMoneyNOW! LLC" or whatever. Prevention is the best medicine sometimes. Sites like sweepsadvantage are good because 95% of the sweeps they post/screen I feel comfortable with entering. Just avoid anything that gives you bad feelings... always safer that way.
Good luck with your sweeping!
1. Ask yourself if this is a sweepstakes that you remember entering. If you never entered for the prize that you just "won" the odds of being a scam are probably high.
2. The notification should come from a business or prize service e-mail address. Anything from an e-mail that anyone can create (IE: @hotmail.com, @yahoo.com, @gmail.com, @outlook.com etc. is a red flag.)
3. Correspondence should look professional. Any forms to be filled out and returned should look like they're from a business. IE: Not a bunch of misspellings, bad grammar, etc.
4. If you need to return any forms make sure they are going to a business e-mail address or a company street address/fax # (Just Google the street address or phone # to check)... either of the company putting on the sweeps or the sweepstakes service company administering it. IE: Don't send anything with your SS# to a residential address or a PO Box.
Note: Any prize won with a value of $600 or more WILL require you to submit your Social Security # to the company for tax purposes. This does NOT mean it's a scam. Some companies will also require it for prizes with values under $600.
5. Don't send anyone $ in order to claim a prize. Anything tax-related you will do on your own with federal/state filings.
6. All "foreign lotteries" are scams. Either that or the UK owes me a ton of money. har har.
7. Be careful with what sweeps you are entering. A sweepstakes from Coca-Cola Sweepstakes is much safer to enter than from "WinMoneyNOW! LLC" or whatever. Prevention is the best medicine sometimes. Sites like sweepsadvantage are good because 95% of the sweeps they post/screen I feel comfortable with entering. Just avoid anything that gives you bad feelings... always safer that way.
Good luck with your sweeping!
badgercontest
Active member
That being said... don't let my post scare you away or anything! Aside from the very obvious "foreign lottery" and "Nigerian Prince wants to give you $" scams I've only gotten like 2 suspect looking win notices in my 5+ years of sweeping.
badgercontest
Active member
Sweet! Hopefully the fame never goes to my head.
lol badgercontest - no egos allowed!
porkrind276
New member
I've been playing for YEARS and have never won a single thing.
I would need more information. How many sweeps do you enter every day? IMO sweeps are a number game. The more you enter, the better chance you have at winning. You need to do sweeps daily. If you can't commit daily you probably will win less IMO.Look at some of the sweepers winning consistently. It honestly isn't luck. Part of it is but you create your own luck.
I was going to ask the same question. 12 Warning Signs of Sweepstakes Scams (Stay Safe!) is common sense for scams.
When you do WIN and get a winning email could/would/should the subject line say "Winner" "Grand Prize" etc. I just started and get many, many emails from the sweeps I signed up for sending me advertising, offer, sales, Hello, Happy Holiday. What do you look for? How do you keep track of all the emails. Do you have more than one email for sweeps?
Thanks for any advice.