Legitimate Sweepstakes Online - Free Contests and Sweepstakes Listings

Participating in sweepstakes through mail is slowing down in popularity, and a lot more sweepers are opting to enter online sweepstakes. It is much more convenient, more timesaving, and less costly to enter sweepstakes over the Internet as opposed to entering through postal mail. Online sweepstakes are most often speedy and easier to enter, offers confirmation once a submission is accepted from the sweeper.

Online sweepstaking permits sweepers to search and discover online sweepstakes forms, to bookmark and organize sweepstakes URLs as a file within web browser software, and to use the web browser "form fill" tools to paste required personal contact information onto the online sweepstakes forms.

There are numerous online sweepstakes directories, some more or less offering advanced features to keep track of your entries, and finding sweepstakes with the best odds for you to win. Some include local/restricted promotions, which limit the amount of registrations into a particular sweepstakes.

There are also other online services, which automatically enter members into sweepstakes. Members sign up once and are entered to various sweepstakes each month. This saves entrants time and effort; however, some sponsors of sweepstakes prohibit automated entries because they want entrants to interact with the online presentation at the prize sponsors' websites. Sweepstakes promotion websites often employ CAPTCHA, an acronym meaning Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart.

When you're contacted about prize notifications either by telephone or written solicitation, the law requires, that you, the consumer are not misrepresented about the facts regarding the claim of winning a so-called prize.

By Telephone:
the law requires telemarketers to tell you:

* the odds of winning a prize. If the odds can't be determined in advance, the promoter must tell you the factors used to calculate the odds.
* that you don't have to pay a fee or buy something to win a prize or participate in the promotion.
* if you ask, how to participate in the contest without buying or paying anything.
* what you'll have to pay or the conditions you'll have to meet to receive or redeem a prize.

In Written Solicitations:
The law prohibits:

* claims that you're a winner unless you've actually won a prize.
* requirements that you buy something to enter the contest or to receive future sweepstakes mailings.
* the mailing of fake checks that don't clearly state that they are non-negotiable and have no cash value.
* seals, names or terms that imply an affiliation with or endorsement by the federal government.

Another way to protect yourself is to request that your name be removed from mail and telephone solicitation lists. To have your name removed from direct mail marketing lists, write: Direct Marketing Association, Preference Service Manager, 1120 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10036-6700. To have your name removed from telemarketing lists, write: Direct Marketing Association, Preference Service Manager, 1120 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10036-6700. To "opt out" of receiving unsolicited commercial email, use the DMA's form at http://www.e-mps.org

The best protection to exclude yourself from any prize promotion solicitation of sweepstakes that you have not entered, is to "Just Say No".