Can we trust any of these sweepstakes admins?

[amyshulk]

... there are far more reputable people that hold a good, honest sweeps, than those who are shady or fake. Sweeping is a choice, and we all choose to do it. I will continue sweeping for as long as I am able. It keeps me busy, keeps me positive and keeps me hopefu ...

Agreed! When I think of the thousands upon thousands of promos run every year {including Blogs/small locals} my 1st thought is that even in such a down economy, we still have this wonderful opportunity to enter to win.

I also think about all the "scare" stories in the news {like the scary death stuff} I have never known of anyone, or thru anyone I know, to be directly affected. They are what I call zebras that they {reporters} try to make us think are horses - you know, the old saw about when you hear hoof beats, think horse, not zebra?

Well, McDonalds, Taco Bell - they are zebras. If they were truly horses, the people here at SA/SP wouldn't be posting wins day after day!

The BBB will investigate if you have reason to suspect a sponsor/JA is not following the law, but, because they {company/sponsor/JA} have to put up a {$10,000 last I knew} bond to even run a promo in the US, they risk forfeiture if caught/exposed.

The thing is, people are people - some work the system for every edge, and some will bend/break the rules for gain. Until people stop doing so, *everything* runs a risk of being corrupted.

Heck, even how some of my fellow sweepers choose to interpret the rules to their benefit, if the rules don't explicitly state something - like promos for new moms open to everyone {again, because of the law} yet they ask for info that is required on their form only new mothers can answer honestly!

I may be naïve in my thinking, but choosing to believe that because there are laws & rules pertaining to sweepstakes and contests, the *majority* of sponsors and sweepers *will* follow them - those that don't? "it's/that's not my job, man" {Chico and the Man for you young'uns }

I figured out thinking negatively didn't help me - in fact, I almost dropped this hobby at about 6 months in - but I had a little epiphany that kept me coming back. I now focus only on what is in my power to control, and leave the "policing" to the actual "police"

My epiphany resulted in The Sweeper's Credo:

Enter and forget it.

Always be happy for those who win - even when they win "your" prize - and be positive you will win.

Sweeping is a hobby that is all about timing. Especially for those elusive instants! IF you enter at the exact right moment, you will win.

If not? Sad to say you won't. But I assure you - it's nothing personal, and those who win a lot don't have any "secrets" - they are just consistent, persistent, and patient.

I really believe that if you go into it thinking you can't win, well, you'll MAKE yourself right so often you'll start believing it!!!

I truly do believe you have to have a positive attitude - don't get hung up on what others are doing - just focus on entering, then move on to something else - like posting so we can get to know you!!!

So hang in there - and enter, enter, enter - and you'll be posting a win before you know it!!! And remember - every day brings new opportunities to win!!!

 

[colleenjudge]

It seems like a lot of accusations of fraud/cheating without any real proof. As with McDonalds .... who discovered that it was employees doing the winning? How do you know the Taco Bell xBox sweeps was a scam? You need proof before accusing someone of cheating ..... and "I heard" just won't cut it.

 

[amyshulk]

It seems like a lot of accusations of fraud/cheating without any real proof. As with McDonalds .... who discovered that it was employees doing the winning? How do you know the Taco Bell xBox sweeps was a scam? You need proof before accusing someone of cheating ..... and "I heard" just won't cut it.

Good point colleenjudge - with the extreme bias and lack of subject matter knowledge in reporting, we can't even trust the "gatekeepers"!

I try to keep in mind how some people allow themselves to be swayed by another person in regards to how they saw/felt about me.

When those people got to know me and realized I was NOT like what they were told, they told me how they were misled.

I wouldn't wish that on anyone, so I reserve judgment.

It's real if it happened to/directly affects me & mine. Otherwise, I *might* keep a bit of info under advisement, but no way am I allowing it to control how I might see/feel about an issue!

 

[goldenpaso]

Of course there is cheating. Anything and everything from food stamps to sweepstakes, if there is a way to cheat and get free stuff some people are going to do it. But just because one store manager lets his employees take codes, or one person has 100 email addresses and enters them all, or one blogger always gives the prizes to friends....It doesn't mean they all do. There are thousands of legitimate sweepstakes and I'm sure that anybody that has won big will tell you they are not all rigged.

 

[amyshulk]

Of course there is cheating. Anything and everything from food stamps to sweepstakes, if there is a way to cheat and get free stuff some people are going to do it. But just because one store manager lets his employees take codes, or one person has 100 email addresses and enters them all, or one blogger always gives the prizes to friends....It doesn't mean they all do. There are thousands of legitimate sweepstakes and I'm sure that anybody that has won big will tell you they are not all rigged.

Short & sweet, I like it!

 

[russrpm]

A quick check shows that at least 47 people were sentenced to jail time and restitution in the McDonalds scam. Hopefully, that will serve as a deterrent for future scams. For myself, I enter the ones that interest me, and don't require me to invest too much time or money, and hope for the best. I don't enter voting contests, because I look at them as social media events, rather than true sweepstakes. The people running them seem to be a little too flexible in the way they interpret the rules for me to be involved. Still, there are plenty of others for me to enter, and the vast majority are on the up and up. In fact, in my experience, most will go out of their way to correct anything that goes wrong. Life's too short to worry about the others.