Free Sweepstakes and Contests

Phony Sweepstakes

AG Reilly issued the letters to Massachusetts consumers who sent personal information, and in some cases, money responding to a mailing advertising a phony sweepstakes or promotion. The letters, sent to an address in Clives, Iowa, were seized last year by the Iowa Attorney General’s Office and the names of Massachusetts consumers were forwarded to AG Reilly.

“The Iowa Attorney General and I both believe that the original mailing that you responded to was an attempt to identify and locate people who could later be targeted by phony telemarketers and other con-artists,” AG Reilly wrote. “These phony telemarketers and con-artists would have called you, claiming that you had won a sweepstake, lottery, or other prize, or that you are entitled to a government payout or some unexpected inheritance.”

AG Reilly added, “Be warned – everything these people tell you is FALSE – it is all part of a scam to steal your money. Usually, these scammers are outside the United States, and almost impossible to find.”

AG Reilly offers the following advice to consumers about phony sweepstakes or promotions:

Sweepstakes

Sweepstakes are promotions where prizes are given away for free. They differ from a lottery or most contests because you are not required to purchase anything to enter. However, you are required to fill out a registration form and in many cases answer survey or poll questions. To publicize the sweepstakes, companies

Vacation Sweepstakes

If you’re planning a vacation, why not try winning one by entering a vacation sweepstakes? You could be eligible to win a trip for you and your loved ones to your favorite holiday spot and share the experience of a lifetime. Your trip could be to the most romantic island on the planet or a NASCAR dream - winning the chance to see a race from the stands. If history is your hobby, you can enter sweepstakes that offer trips to all kinds of historical places. Whatever your dream vacation is, you can find a sweepstakes

Sweepstakes Advice

When taking part in any sweepstakes, in order to avoid fraud, one must be familiar with all the rules and regulations of any given contest. Know how to differentiate between sweepstakes and other promotional games like the lottery. In games like the lottery, one is obliged to buy a ticket or pay an entry fee in order to win. To enter a sweepstakes, you simply need to register with the sponsoring company and provide information like name, adress and phone number. If, at any point in the process you feel as though you are being taken advantage of, you can elicit the help of the Deceptive Mail Prevention and Enforcement Act. This does not apply to sweepstakes conducted via telephone or online. These games must …

Fake Sweepstake Check

Citizens in Andalusia have reported receiving letters from the “The Winners Management and Payment Centre” and checks from an AEDC Federal Credit
Union.

According to Sgt. Alice Donaldson of the Andalusia Police Department, this is a scam and warns citizens to not taken in.

The letter states that the North American States and Provinces Gaming Association Prize
Pool released their winning ticket numbers, and due to a “setback” in their computer system notification was delayed. As a result, the winner is being notified with a letter and what appears to be a valid check.

Turf Tracker Lawn Sweepstakes

Rob Vegter, owner of Green and Clean Lawn Services in Morrison, Ill., was recently visited by Tad Grubbs, National Sales Director for C&S Turf Care Equipment as Grubbs presented the keys to the Turf Tracker Time Machine to Vegter. The landscape contractor won the machine in Lawn & Landscape’s recent online sweepstakes….

Sweepstake And Sweepstakes Consumers Law

Attorney General Richard Blumenthal sent cease and desist letters to more than 100 direct mail promoters, directing them to halt sweepstake solicitation of Connecticut consumers until they comply with state disclosure laws designed to protect consumers from being scammed by sweepstake offers. 

“The big lie is in the mail — literally tons of sweepstakes mailings each year much of it so deceptive that Connecticut consumers lose tens of thousands of dollars thinking the money they spend will yield a big prize,” Blumenthal said.

“Very simply, ‘pay to play’ is illegal. Consumers … 

YOU could win a few quid at work, home or down the boozer with The Sun Online’s World Cup sweepstake.

Our free print and play kit …

World Cup Sweep Kit

The Better Business Bureau of Akron has issued a warning about a sweepstake win scam with a P.O. box in Boise, Idaho.

Sweepstake Win

The American DreamCard™ Sweepstakes’ December winner of the monthly cash jackpot was Edith Grier, an LPN at the Georgia War Veteran’s Nursing Home. When Grier was notified of winning $25,000 she said her reaction was “Excited. Real Excited!” She is a resident of Augusta, a community of almost 500,000 located in east central Georgia. Augusta is internationally ….

American Dreamcard Sweekstakes Winner