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Last Edited by BostonGirl March 8, 2015 at 07:18 AM
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://agilewebsolutio ns.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.
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://agilewebsolutio
FireFox Form Filler browser extensions: https://addons.mozilla.
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.
Community Wiki
Last Edited by zozz
June 10, 2024
at
01:16 PM
Here's a link to some information about sweeps and taxes:
http://contests.about. com/od/taxe...gtaxes.h tm
Consider talking to your tax preparer and researching about your tax responsibility.
This sweeps law firm site may be helpful in understanding sweeps law:
http://www.sweepstakes law.com/
What does "age of majority (sometimes abbreviated as AoM+) in your state or province" mean?
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.or g/wiki/Age_of_majority
In most U.S. states, the age of majority is 18, except for Nebraska and Alabama (19), and Mississippi (21). The age of majority in American Samoa and Puerto Rico is 14.
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
Missing prizes
If you were expecting a prize you've never received, you can complain first to the sweepstakes administrator, then to the sweepstakes sponsor, and finally to USPS Postal Inspectors
https://postalinspector s.uspis.go...la int.aspx
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. This is called "cramming". Once you contact the company that's charging you, and you have requested your phone company remove the charge, you can file a complaint with the FCC.
FCC Online complaint form: esupport.fcc.gov/complaints.htm
Email: [email protected]
Call: 1-888-225-5322
TTY: 1-888-835-5322
Fax: 1-866-418-0232
Snail mail:
Federal Communications Commission
Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau
Consumer Inquiries and Complaints Division
445 12th Street, SW
Washington, D.C. 20554
http://contests.about.
Consider talking to your tax preparer and researching about your tax responsibility.
This sweeps law firm site may be helpful in understanding sweeps law:
http://www.sweepstakes
What does "age of majority (sometimes abbreviated as AoM+) in your state or province" mean?
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.or
In most U.S. states, the age of majority is 18, except for Nebraska and Alabama (19), and Mississippi (21). The age of majority in American Samoa and Puerto Rico is 14.
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
Missing prizes
If you were expecting a prize you've never received, you can complain first to the sweepstakes administrator, then to the sweepstakes sponsor, and finally to USPS Postal Inspectors
https://postalinspector
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. This is called "cramming". Once you contact the company that's charging you, and you have requested your phone company remove the charge, you can file a complaint with the FCC.
FCC Online complaint form: esupport.fcc.gov/complaints.htm
Email: [email protected]
Call: 1-888-225-5322
TTY: 1-888-835-5322
Fax: 1-866-418-0232
Snail mail:
Federal Communications Commission
Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau
Consumer Inquiries and Complaints Division
445 12th Street, SW
Washington, D.C. 20554
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Problem We're having a problem accessing email. You might not be able to see all your email messages. Aug 14 9:49 AM
Updates We're working on the problem and will provide an update by Aug 14 2:00 PM. Thank you for your patience. Aug 14 12:01 PM
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Problem We're having a problem accessing email. You might not be able to see all your email messages. Aug 14 9:49 AM
Updates We're working on the problem and will provide an update by Aug 14 2:00 PM. Thank you for your patience. Aug 14 12:01 PM
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As far as making sure to not to unlike an active sweepstakes, maybe you only want to unlike pages you liked more than 6 months ago or even a year. The fact of the matter is though that there isn't really a foolproof way to figure out what pages shouldn't be unliked. When I went through my mass unlike cleanup, I was unliking all the blogs I didn't care about, but I was much more lenient with company pages since those are more likely the ones that still have something going.
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