Concerned about your privacy and entering competitions?

[april3577317]

I use a Skype phone, for around $60 a year, you get a phone number any land line  or mobile can call you on and you can call any land line in Australia for nothing, this way you don't have to give your home number and if you get any telemarketing calls you can block that number, also it records voice messages and any numbers called or missed. You can get a Skype phone off ebay for around $40 or just use ear phones and a mircophone. It also allows you to accept SMS messages.

[MsComplover]

It's not the amount of spam I get that bothers me, I just use free email accounts just for comping and keep family/business stuff seperate. What does bother me is the possibility of identity theft, I usually spell my first name a little differently ie a C instead of a K for Kathy and just use the short version of my name, I also only try to use "Cath" for comping purposes, family and friends don't call me that so if it's an actual letter that turns up here if it's got the short version of my name I know it's comp related. I also don't put my exact birth date in comps when they ask for it, usually off by a year or two.
I  have a fake name/ addy at the top of my email contact list just in case I manage to pick up something nasty that sends out to all my contacts, I read somewhere that if you have  a fake one at the top of the list it stopped going out to everyone else on the list once it couldn't go to the top one, don't know if it works or not but I figure it can't hurt.
I think that if you've been comping for a while you tend to know if a comp isn't right, some you just know to stear clear off. 

Please be very wary of putting in a fake birthdate.
I did this for security reasons last year and was disqualifiied from a $1000 win because it was wrong.
The company wouldn't accept my reasons for doing so, so I have learnt my lesson.
As you can imagine, I was devastated, all I could think was at least it wasn't a bigger prize than that I missed out on. 

[reet57]

april, when you say any landline, are you saying you can enter premium numbers with Skype?

[Arran]

If you win money the bank probably wouldn't deposit the cheque into your account if the name is different.  I use my maiden name for a lot of comps and if I am lucky enough to win, take my marriage certificate with me to prove identity, but they get a bit narky if you do it too often!

[jonmic]

I am waiting on a prize that i needed to prove my identity to collect..photo copy of DL and a signed stat. dec.....am still waiting 3 months later (cruddy itunes voucher worth $30 bucks) and the promo people have told me there is a discrepency with my birthdate (dont know what happened as i always put in correct birthdate)....and head office has now got my paper work... dont care whether i get prize but what a lot of stu#$&**ing around! Thanx Coke...!

So birthdate and accurate info is becoming essential for prize claims!

[Valleygirl]

Is anyone here on Facebook  just for the comps? After all the latest hooha about Facebook privacy, I'm wondering whether it would be worth it. Hubby says it is very insecure, could I join up just for the comps without doing anything else? How much info do I need to display? Thanks in advance for any tips 

They have just made their privacy options easier (or easier than what it was) yesterday. The only details you need to give them to sign up is your name, sex, email and date of birth.  Then you can make everything about yourself private(if you choose to add anything else). The only information mine will show to anyone who is not my friend is my name and that I am Female. They cant see the country I'm from, my date of birth etc.
With most of the competitions I have seen they are Fan Pages so you dont add them as a 'friend' therefore I dont think they can see any of your personal info.

I read this article a month ago that concerned me http://consumerist.com/2010/04/facebook-kills-more-of-your-privacy-for-cash.html but i don't list my current city, hometown, education, work...and only have a few interests listed so there is not much any advertiser can find out about me

[april3577317]

april, when you say any landline, are you saying you can enter premium numbers with Skype?

No Sorry, you can't call premium numbers.

[koala7]

I use an email address which is a hotmail one without any of my names on it and I use that one specially for entering competitions. I often unsubscribe from newsletters after the competition time is over. Also, I don't use my true birthdate, just tweak the details a bit, for securty reasons. I know it's a risk I am taking though that if asked to provide proof of my birthdate to claim a prize, I could regret doing that. I think I'd rather take the chance though.

[jonmic]

I am waiting on a prize that i needed to prove my identity to collect..photo copy of DL and a signed stat. dec.....am still waiting 3 months later (cruddy itunes voucher worth $30 bucks) and the promo people have told me there is a discrepency with my birthdate (dont know what happened as i always put in correct birthdate)....and head office has now got my paper work... dont care whether i get prize but what a lot of stu#$&**ing around! Thanx Coke...!

So birthdate and accurate info is becoming essential for prize claims!

Quick follow up....They didnt send my prize..just a 3 or more page letter with their terms and conditions saying any inaccurate details made my entry null and void, etc...so incorrect birthdate stopped me getting my prize...

[koala7]

Yes, jonmic, I agree, I had read your previous posting and understand that. I'd rather take the risk of losing a prize than risk my identity though. Hopefully winners don't get ask to provide their birthdate too often.