Sweepstakes Home
Sweepstakes can be fun - but shouldn't
cost you money
Sweepstakes offers sweep savings
out the door
Sweepstakes 'scams' unveiled through
series
Daughters vent their frustrations
at sweepstakes
Another area person also believed
he was a winner
USPE responds to local customers'
complaints
Attorney General wants to better
the odds in sweepstakes
Sweepstakes victim goes public
Sweepstakes industry hits unlucky
streak
Psychology lures people into buying
Sweepstakes victim getting her
money back
Sweepstakes legislation may carry
local victim's name
Buying club complaints piling up
Here's the key: Think, call BBB
before you sign
NEWS-SUN, EVENING STAR
& HERALD-
REPUBLICAN
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Sweepstakes can be
fun - but shouldn't cost you money
Continued from the Sweepstakes
Scams home page
By CINDY BEVINGTON
These articles became a series when I realized the woman's
story was too involved to tell in a single newspaper issue, when
Modisett phoned me on New Year's Eve to offer his thoughts on
the issue, and when our newspaper decided the stories would be
fair only if the major sweepstakes company covered in the stories,
United States Purchasing Exchange, had a chance to tell its side.
The series grew as the story grew, with the national hearing
of attorneys general in Indianapolis in February - where the
female subject of our series testified - and as the woman began
to get her money back from USPE.
The initial purpose of the series simply was to show that
at least two people in northeast Indiana were examples of the
victims Modisett and his committee were defending.
However, the purpose changed to a community service focus
after the series generated intense interest from our readers.
Several letters and telephone calls from others who felt they
had been duped into buying merchandise from sweepstakes companies
showed that more than just two northeast Indiana people believe
they have to buy something to win something.
As it turns out, that's exactly what Modisett and the National
Association of Attorneys General learned, too, as they explored
the issue nationwide.
The purpose of this website, then, is to:
- Inform people that, while sweepstakes and the companies offering
them are legitimate businesses, no one needs to buy ANYTHING
from these companies to win something;
- Illustrate the problems that can occur when people do erroneously
believe they have to buy something to win;
- Offer help guides for finding recourse for victims of sweepstakes;
- Show people how to evaluate sweepstakes offers and enter
- or buy merchandise from mail-order companies - with informed
decision-making.
Also as a service to our readers, this site carries additional
stories and information not included in the print edition of
our newspapers.
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STAR REPORTER'S
SWEEPSTAKES SERIES WINS NATIONAL AWARD
EXCLUSIVE TO THIS WEB SITE:
A letter to The Evening Star editor
from Indiana's Attorney General
Want to read another paper's stories
about sweepstake scams?
Why do the elderly seem more susceptible
to believing sweepstakes promises? Two experts give their opinions
Why do the elderly seem more susceptible
to believing sweepstakes promises? A gerontologist shares his
studies.
Iowa has seen it before
National issue, local example,
big news
Persons to contact if you believe you may be the victim
of a sweepstakes scam:
National Association of Attorneys
General
750 First Street, NE, Suite 1100
Washington, DC 20002
PH: (202) 326-6000
FAX: (202) 408-7014
Office of Attorney
General
Steve Carter
402 W. Washington St.
Fifth Floor
Indianapolis, IN 46204
PH: (317) 232-6201
FAX: (317) 232-7979
National Fraud Information Center 1-800-876-7060
National
Consumer's League
1-202-835-3323
Federal Trade Commission 1-877-382-4357
(toll free)
E-mail
Cindy Bevington
or Evening Star
editor Dave Kurtz.
WATCH FOR ADDITIONAL STORIES EXCLUSIVE TO THIS WEB SITE!
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