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Sears Discounts, Deals and Coupon Codes

Contests & Sweepstakes Tips, Advice, and Questions

58,150 56,135 June 2, 2008 at 07:50 PM in Other (6) Get Sears coupons Coupons
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Last Edited by BostonGirl March 8, 2015 at 07:18 AM
+89 Deal Score
2,107,659 Views
The intent of this thread is for users, both new and not-so-new, to ask questions, and help with tips/advice. This is not by any means the "gospel". Please feel free to add your words of wisdom, and if you have questions, just ask! If you have a tip that will make sweeping easier for folks, please feel free to share. This is a community effort. We all will benefit in some way.


The Basic Advice/Tips for the new-to-sweeping folks.
Enter for the items you want/need. If you have no interest in trips, avoid the sweeps where the only prize is a trip. If you know you can't afford the tax on a new vehicle, avoid entering for those.

Set up folders in your bookmark/favorites. Create a separate one for each month, and file any sweeps you are interested in into the folder corresponding with when it ends. Then, if you have a day where you're pressed for time, enter at least the ones ending that day.

Play the instant win games.

Follow the rules! If a sweep is restricted to only females, a certain age group, certain states, etc, make sure you fit the criteria! If you don't, move on to another sweep that you do qualify for. Do not create a bunch of email addresses so you can enter something more than once, or so you can play an Instant win game more. The Sponsors can tell, and will DQ you. You're better off playing by the rules than cheating and getting disqualified and having NO entries.

Don't immediately dismiss essay required sweeps (or recipes, photos, etc)....well, unless you know you don't want to write something. A lot of people pass on them, so you might have a better shot at winning something.

Don't expect this to be lucrative enough to become a job. Yes, a lot of us win, and often, but not nearly enough to quit a job!

Expect things to go slow at first. It takes a while for the wins to roll in. But once they do...look out!

Expect to occasionally hit a dry spell. It happens to ALL of us.

DEFINITELY USE YOUR REAL INFO! If you use a fake phone number, and a sponsor is calling to notify people of wins, you'll never know what you missed out on. I, and many others, have been doing this for a long time, and we have no problems with sales calls. Also, use your real name. If your name is Robert or Catherine, using Bob or Cathy is ok, as they are known acceptable shorter versions of that name. if your name is Matilda, and you go by Fluffy, don't use Fluffy. Looking at your ID to get an affy notarized, they may reject it because the names don't match. The sponsor may also say "Fluffy won, not Matilda". So stick with using your real name, or something close to it.

Most of all, HAVE FUN! And don't be afraid to ask questions. We were all new to this at one time. Any one of us would be happy to answer questions.


For easy form filling, check out Roboform [roboform.com]. Google Tool bar and the autofill feature on IE also work well.

For Mac users, the best form filler is 1Password: http://agilewebsolutions.com/products/1Password (thanks javaFlower!)

FireFox Form Filler browser extensions: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/...ll&cat=all

To set up the autofill feature in IE: Click on Tools, then internet options, then choose 'content'. When that pops up, click on "Autocomplete", and make sure to check the boxes for forms and passwords on forms. This is not a good idea if you are on a shared/public computer!

February 17, 2009, 3:10 am: System Notice: This thread has been automatically renewed after reaching a post limit. Most of its content has been moved to this thread for reference purposes.

July 12, 2010, 3:23 pm: System Notice: This thread has been automatically renewed after reaching a post limit. Most of its content has been moved to this thread for reference purposes.
Good Deal?

Community Wiki

Last Edited by JD123 November 1, 2014 at 11:13 AM
Before we had this thread, limpstar posted this site for info on sweeps & taxes in the I Won Thread:
All About Sweepstakes Taxes
http://contests.about.com/od/taxe...gtaxes.htm

Also consider talking to your tax preparer and/or researching further into your tax responsibility.


I have found this page helpful in understanding some of sweep's law - a sweeps law co.'s site:
The Lustigman Firm; Attorneys at Law
http://www.sweepstakeslaw.com/
The Lustigman Firm provides experienced legal counsel that helps protect the business interests
of its advertising and promotional clients around the United States and Canada

What does " age of majority in your state or province " mean?

(sometimes abbreviated as AoM+ )

it's the legal age of that state or province...

The Age of majority is the threshold of adulthood as it is conceptualized in law. It is the chronological moment when children legally assume majority control over their persons and their actions and decisions, thereby terminating the legal control and legal responsibilities of their parents over and for them.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Age_of_majority

there's a list by country and by US State there....

For most purposes, the age of majority in the U.S. is 18,
except for 2 states with the age of 19 (Nebraska,Alabama)
and one state with the age of 21 (Mississippi)
and two (American Samoa and Puerto Rico) that retain 14 as the age of majority.
Occasionally PA is listed under the 19+ or 21+

~javaFlower

Regarding missing prizes
If you were expecting a prize you've never received you can complain 1st to the sweepstakes administrator, then to the sweepstakes sponsor and finally to USPS Postal Inspectors

https://postalinspectors.uspis.go...laint.aspx

-Kotik


ePrize Contacts
[email protected] - Bob Marsh, Senior Vice President, Midwest Region, Phone: 248.543.7522
[email protected] - Darlene Morris, Business Manager, Phone: 248.543.7403
[email protected] - Alesya Opelt, Vice President, Marketing, Phone: 248.543.7440


Occasionally a....less than ethical sweep will get posted.
You might end up finding unauthorized charges on your phone bill. Unauthorized charges on the phone bill are what's called "Cramming". Once you contact the company that's charging you, and you have requested your phone company remove the charge, if you so choose, you can file a complaint with the FCC.

FCC Online complaint form: esupport.fcc.gov/complaints.htm

You can also file your complaint with the FCC's Consumer Center by e-mailing [email protected] or calling 1-888-CALL-FCC (1-888-225-5322) voice or 1-888-TELL-FCC (1-888-835-5322) TTY

You can fax your complaint to 1-866-418-0232

Or by snail mail:
Federal Communications Commission
Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau
Consumer Inquiries and Complaints Division
445 12th Street, SW
Washington, D.C. 20554.

I also recommend a 3rd party block on your line to prohibit this from happening. 3rd party blocks don't affect your phone in any way, except by not allowing some company outside of your local phone company from adding charges to your bill.


Slickdealers on Twitter
(I don't really know where is best to start this list, but I decided to just start it here. If anyone thinks we should move it somewhere else, please do so.)

SD name Twitter name
kdka421 k8fenner
Starbelly Lunachique
dodgers77449 michael0902
sanaperv @slicksweepberry
blueeyeleo  
Slickdealers on Facebook
(Hopefully, it is allowed to post this here. If anyone thinks this link should be deleted, please do so.)
You can find the facebook slickdeals sweepers in this group: http://www.facebook.com/groups/310504039006252/

Track incoming packages
UPS
http://www.ups.com/mychoice/
FedEx https://www.fedex.com/login/web/j...n.jsp?TYPE
USPS https://www.usps.com/manage/manage-your-mail.htm




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This post can be edited by most users to provide up-to-date information about developments of this thread based on user responses, and user findings. Feel free to add, change or remove information shown here as it becomes available. This includes new coupons, rebates, ideas, thread summary, and similar items.

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Joined Oct 2008
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Sweepaholic
06-12-2013 at 07:23 AM.
06-12-2013 at 07:23 AM.
Quote from MsDenise :
What happened to the winners post?
Look in the thread under this one, its the Official Discussion of Contests/Sweepstakes I have Won! No OT thread.
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MsDenise
06-12-2013 at 09:49 AM.
06-12-2013 at 09:49 AM.
Quote from Sweepaholic :
Look in the thread under this one, its the Official Discussion of Contests/Sweepstakes I have Won! No OT thread.
Thanks Sweepaholic, but the only other sticky on my screen is "Contest & Sweepstakes Forum Guide - Please Read". The winners thread isn't coming up anymore on my computer or my phone. Would you mind linking it in this thread?
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Joined Oct 2008
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Sweepaholic
06-12-2013 at 09:50 AM.
06-12-2013 at 09:50 AM.
Quote from MsDenise :
Thanks Sweepaholic, but the only other sticky on my screen is "Contest & Sweepstakes Forum Guide - Please Read". The winners thread isn't coming up anymore on my computer or my phone. Would you mind linking it in this thread?
https://slickdeals.net/f/762267-Official-Discussion-of-Contests-Sweepstakes-I-have-Won-No-OT?v=1
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MsDenise
06-12-2013 at 11:03 AM.
06-12-2013 at 11:03 AM.
Thanks.
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countyline
06-12-2013 at 11:05 AM.
06-12-2013 at 11:05 AM.
anyone else having problems accessing FB sweeps?
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robonero954
06-12-2013 at 11:05 AM.
06-12-2013 at 11:05 AM.
My PC did the automatic "Windows Update". Now I can't enter some sweeps in IE, Chrome or Firefox. All I get is a blank page in Facebook

Quote from countyline :
anyone else having problems accessing FB sweeps?
yes, see my post above
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Last edited by robonero954 June 12, 2013 at 11:06 AM.
Joined Mar 2013
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credmond
06-12-2013 at 11:06 AM.
06-12-2013 at 11:06 AM.
Quote from countyline :
anyone else having problems accessing FB sweeps?
yes! woobox, ugh!
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Joined Jun 2007
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dgleeson
06-12-2013 at 11:10 AM.
06-12-2013 at 11:10 AM.
Quote from countyline :
anyone else having problems accessing FB sweeps?
Giveaway Tab posted:
All of Facebooks Apps are down, not just Giveaway Tab. There must be a huge Outage!
Like · · Share · 1371 · 3 minutes ago ·
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countyline
06-12-2013 at 11:17 AM.
06-12-2013 at 11:17 AM.
thanks everyone, good to know it's not just me
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implode
06-12-2013 at 11:36 AM.
06-12-2013 at 11:36 AM.
I was having issues with FB at of some change at 12:30-1:00 it started...I think they are doing something new today, because I now see both Like and Following on every single FB page. I tried deleting all my FB cookies, and that seemed to fix the issue. You might want to try that.
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robonero954
06-12-2013 at 11:37 AM.
06-12-2013 at 11:37 AM.
Quote from implode :
I was having issues with FB at of some change at 12:30-1:00 it started...I think they are doing something new today, because I now see both Like and Following on every single FB page. I tried deleting all my FB cookies, and that seemed to fix the issue. You might want to try that.
Thank you, I will let you know
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robonero954
06-12-2013 at 12:23 PM.
06-12-2013 at 12:23 PM.
If anybody has an overabundance of Fandango codes to spare let me know. I would love to see Man of Steel in IMAX this weekend. Thanks. I think it 14.00-15.00 for IMAX in my area.
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melan26
06-13-2013 at 12:30 AM.
06-13-2013 at 12:30 AM.
I've often wondered how are miles or points sweepstakes treated when you are issued a 1099, like winning 120,000 thousand miles, for example or winning a trip to Vegas but they'll issue you miles or points instead? Would you be able to list down the value based on the rate for an airline/hotel of where you are traveling to or staying for that particular day(s) or is the value for the miles/points based on how airlines/hotels calculate them? I've never really entered when it comes to miles/points sweepstakes since I find the ARV to be too much.
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Joined May 2006
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implode
06-13-2013 at 07:10 AM.
06-13-2013 at 07:10 AM.
Quote from melan26 :
I've often wondered how are miles or points sweepstakes treated when you are issued a 1099, like winning 120,000 thousand miles, for example or winning a trip to Vegas but they'll issue you miles or points instead? Would you be able to list down the value based on the rate for an airline/hotel of where you are traveling to or staying for that particular day(s) or is the value for the miles/points based on how airlines/hotels calculate them? I've never really entered when it comes to miles/points sweepstakes since I find the ARV to be too much.
How airlines value them at the time they are issued, is how they will be valued. This actually creates a bad paradox, because point values will always trend in a downward fashion. I saw someone who won points valued at $10,000 (100,000 airline pts), by the time they were able to use them based on restrictions they were worth more like $2,000. They tried adjusting the value with the IRS. IRS got ticked off and demanded the tax money. Was a huge, huge mess for them, based on what they said I haven't been to eager to win airline/hotel miles.

That being said, smaller prizes are not too bad. I won 1,000 points valued at $100, and redeemed them for a hotel room. It was really awesome, saved some money on a recent road trip. Priority rewards program had some decent redemption. Nice clean hotel is awesome.
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Joined Aug 2010
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crazeecee
06-19-2013 at 07:24 AM.
06-19-2013 at 07:24 AM.
Even I am facing the same problem with Camel IWGs where I have won two gift cards, but they have been giving expired message while redeeming at up2urewards website. I had emailed [email protected] on June 11, then again on June 14, and they replied back with the following yesterday on June 18 with ticket # same as the one that I received on June 11.

"Greetings,

We noticed you may be experiencing difficulties redeeming your eCode.

The information you enter must precisely match the information that you used
when you first set up your RJR membership, including your email address and
password (log into your Camel account and review).

Please send us screen shots of "My Camel" Personal Information and up2URewards
Redeem eCode input page in jpeg format only (populated with your information),
complete with any error messages that you are seeing.

Once we receive your screenshots (please include "My Camel Personal Information
and up2URewards Redeem eCode input page) in the jpeg format, we will be able to
assist you further.

Thanks for contacting us,

The Customer Support Team"


I had also called camel customer service on Sunday, but they simply asked me to email up2Urewards at [email protected], which I did on Monday, but no replied back from that yet.

Let's see how early will this get resolved.


Edit: I also had few gift cards from Camel waiting to be used. I tried using them on walmart and amazon, but I am not able to touch the last $5 on them. Anybody else faced the same problem? Any possible solution?
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Last edited by crazeecee June 19, 2013 at 07:28 AM.
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