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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Avoiding sweepstakes
scams
Consumer tips from
the attorneys general
Originally printed in the August
Mature Living supplement to The News-Sun and The
Evening Star.
You're a winner - guaranteed!
If you are one of the millions of people who receive "guaranteed"
notices such as these from any one of dozens of companies, you
can protect yourself - and your pocketbook - by following these
guidelines suggested by Indiana Attorney General Jeffrey Modisett
and other attorneys general involved in stopping sweepstakes
fraud:
1. Read ALL the information carefully, including the official
contest rules for specifics about the sweepstakes.
2. If you have to pay ANYTHING to win a prize (such as shipping
and handing fees or taxes) it is NOT a legitimate sweepstakes.
By law, YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BUY SOMETHING TO WIN SOMETHING - that
includes magazines or any other products
the sweepstakes company is offering.
3. Look for the odds of winning each of the prizes identified
in the sweepstakes. Different states have different laws regarding
how odds of winning must be listed. Indiana law requires that
the odds of winning must be stated in the immediate proximity
of EACH
listing of the prize.
4. Be wary of contests requiring a telephone call to an 800-
or 900-number to claim the prize.
5. Ask a lot of questions and insist on specific answers before
participating: What are my odds of winning? Am I being disqualified
if I don't purchase something? Does the offer
say I have to pay handling fees or up-front taxes, etc.
6. Check the postmark for "Bulk Mail Permit" - If
the envelope has this type of postmark, chances are thousands
of other people have been told they are a "finalist"
or "specially selected," too.
7. Do not give your credit card number to telephone solicitors
who say you have "won" a special prize of any kind,
or who say they need it to verify your prize.
AND REMEMBER, when you open a sweepstakes envelope:
- You have not yet won
- You can enter for free
- You can enter as often as you like
- Buying won't help you win
- Promises that sound too good to be true usually are too good
to be true.
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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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