Today as I was verifying comments, and drawing winners a nerve was struck. That nerve was the fact I had a few people lying when entering giveaways. Let me make one thing clear before I continue on, I will NOT tolerate lying, if I find that you have lied when entering a giveaway here on The Neat Things in Life, you will AUTOMATICALLY be disqualified. No ifs, ands or buts about it.
Companies are generous enough to offer product for giveaway, you can be respectful to both the company and myself and be honest when entering those giveaways.
The giveaway that angered me was the Food Lion giveaway. In the post it states clearly to make sure you have a Food Lion in your location.
“To enter use rafflecopter below. Since these gift cards can only be used at the Food Lion stores, please make sure you have a Food Lion in your area.
Not sure if there is a Food Lion in your area? Simply click here and check using the Food Lion Store locator.”
The mandatory entry which was ignored by one of the “old” winners, was not only to tell me which coupon would be clipped but also to tell me how far you lived from Food Lions. While it wasn’t required that you live by a Food Lions, it was a mandatory entry to go to the Food Lion store locator and tell me how far. When you tell me 5 miles, yet the store locator shows me there isn’t one within 50 miles, you failed to do the mandatory and GO TO the site to find out how far you were from a Food Lions store, and this is the reason the two were disqualified.
When I informed the one winner of the reason for the disqualification I was responded to with this…
“Well it does not say in the rules you can’t lie and it’s not a big deal, relax lady. And I liked your facebook and twitter which is why you do giveaways. These giveaways are open to all the states it does not matter if you live near one. I won on 2 other blogs and they don’t care where I live. I think I will have to contact Food Lion about this. And I am not your child.”
Let me make a few things clear, and I will make sure I put this in the rules on all giveaways. DO NOT KNOWINGLY LIE TO ENTER A GIVEAWAY HERE ON THE NEAT THINGS IN LIFE, I WILL NOT TOLERATE IT.
Secondly, I don’t host giveaways to get facebook and twitter followers, I host giveaways as a thank you to all of you. Yes, the likes and follows are nice, but they’re never a requirement to enter the giveaway. Also, who is this person to tell me who the giveaways are open to, I am the one running the giveaway, Food Lion provided the gift cards yes, but I am the one who made the rules for the giveaway, I am the one sending out the cards.
Thirdly, I am not other bloggers, other bloggers may tolerate those that are dishonest, but I will not, and making threats to me will not make you re-qualified for a giveaway you got disqualified from for not following the directions, and lastly, I know this person is not my child, because I have raised my child to be honest no matter what!
Again, if I find you being dishonest when entering my giveaways, you will be disqualified. Lying about how many miles you live from a place is no different then lying to me about being a subscriber.
If I were to let those who were dishonest win giveaways here on The Neat Things in Life, it wouldn’t be fair to those who are honest. Bottom line, you lie to enter a giveaway and you’re caught, you will be disqualified. If it happens a second time you will be completely banned from any and all giveaways here on the site.
About Jammie Morey
If this were a Facebook comment I’d give you a big like for this post! Somebody’s pants are on fire!!! One thing I have learned in life, is that cheating definitely catches up with people when they least expect it. The universe is pretty good about being a good equalizer in all things. Smile and don’t let one bad apple ruin your day. There’s a lot of us who appreciate everything you and your sponsors do for us and are more than happy to follow the rules. If we win once in a while – that’s just part of the fun!
Thank you for those kind words, Jill. I try to be a very honest person, and in return I to want honesty. I to enter a lot of giveaways, and I know how time consuming it can be, but when short cuts are taken, disqualifications will take place if they’re discovered by me. I cannot tell others how to run there giveaways, but I can be as honest and fair as I can, to the ones who enter mine.
Thank you for requiring and maintaining the integrity of your giveaways. It speaks volumes. And hopefully the cheating entrants will be DQ’d on other sites, as well. Lying about anything is a disgusting habit of clueless, scumbag low-lifes. Hopefully you have blocked them from further activity.
Thank you for your comment, it is very well appreciated. I have since banned this person from the site, so they will not be entering no more giveaways here. I try to be a very honest person, and if I would have allowed the ones being dishonest to win, it would have went against everything I am. Have a wonderful day.
I really liked your post. I was afraid it was going to say they didn’t leave a comment or something. I have the worst computer in the world, and I swear half the time I am unable to leave comments.
It is so wrong what this person did. First off, they won it two other times. Talk about greedy. Then to threaten you when they are caught? If I were you, I would ban them from entering anymore of your giveaways. I really applaud you for not awarding this prize. Too many other bloggers allow cheating and lying. If that continues, companies will stop doing these giveaways. Thank you for following through, not only for not rewarding this person, but for taking the time to explain why. We need more honest bloggers like you.
Hi Debbie, thank you for your comment, when this issue came up, I did ask other bloggers, and one stated “they didn’t break no rules, so you have to give it to them”. First, I don’t HAVE to do anything, and the mandatory was to tell me how far you lived from the store, and linked to the store locator. With them stating 5 miles, it showed they DIDN’T go to the store to see. Which disqualified them.
I wish other bloggers would also stand their ground, because when they allow it, it speaks volumes for who they are as a person. If I would have allowed it, it would have been as if I didn’t care about the readers who enter fairly.
Like I said to the ones who were caught cheating, I wouldn’t reward my daughter for wrong doing, I won’t reward those who enter my giveaways for wrong doing either, and if those who get busted have an issue with my rules, they can hit the x and remove themselves from my site.
Have a great day.
As I read this, I have to admit that I have a big smile on my face! I always take the time to go through the giveaways and enter them properly. I remember when I entered one and it had me like certain Facebook pages, which I did, then on another giveaway it had me like the same pages and they were showing as “not liked”, and I panicked! Only when I went to my real Facebook page was I told that I had reached my max number of page likes and couldn’t like anymore pages. It really really sucks because I don’t know which pages to go back to and unlike so I can like new pages, because I’ve liked so many different pages in the past. I guess I just like too many things! LOL. But if they would’ve gotten away with this, especially after so many OTHER people take the time to enter the giveaways PROPERLY, I more than likely would’ve been pissed!! I mean, its not like the bloggers post “hey, this person won! They cheated, but who cares, they still win!!”, so we never truly know whether or not a winner won the right way, or won through a lie, but I’m so glad that you still run your blog with honor and integrity! Stand your ground! You go girl!!!
PS – Shame on you bloggers who don’t even follow your own giveaway rules when choosing a winner!!!!!!
Thank you Debbie, I try to be as honest and fair as I can. Sometimes some people will slide through, however, I try to make sure all wins are won fairly. Since I also enter giveaways, I would hope that only the ones who entered fairly would have a shot at winning. I mean it is only fair!