This is one of those things I wish I never had to write, but due to the jerky-ness out there of some it’s apparent that it needs to be said. People are cheating Rafflecopter and it’s really grinding my bindings.
Here’s the run down on the Rafflecopter Cheat:
You know how “Tweet Daily” is often an option on most entry forms? Ok, well that’s the contest holders way of A: giving you the opportunity to earn more entries while B: Promoting their blog in the process.
Bloggers are a “word of mouth” kind of business. We don’t have commercials, billboards or hire airplanes to fly around the city with our web address flailing in the tail wind. We network. Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and e-mail. These things are just as important to us being successful as the content on our blogs. When we offer you the opportunity to tweet daily, it’s a win/win – extra word of mouth for us, and you get another chance at something we are giving away.
Well hundreds of people have decided that tweeting daily if far too much work for them, so they use over and over again the initial URL from that first tweet they sent to enter….It actually baffles me as to why. Doing it this way is no more time consuming that tweeting a new tweet each day. You still either have to favorite that tweet of yours and go back for the URL, or copy and paste it someone where to retrieve. In fact, it seems like MORE work?
You may say “well I don’t want to clog my feed with tweets about contests”, hey that’s fine. I have an answer for that…don’t use that option to enter! We are giving you things we own, have bought, and/or accumulated (and no matter what you think, the ARC’s bloggers get don’t always come easy…) we are then using OUR MONEY to ship it to you, and if following one simple contest rule is too much for you, please do me the favor of not entering my contests.
How can bloggers make sure the winner they pull didn’t do this?
Oh this is simple, so simple! A friend of mine told me how she did this, and I switched it up to suit my needs. I am going to pass on to you, our combined wisdom and promise you that the 3 minutes it will take to do this when you pull a winner, will be worth it.
1. Go to the Giveaway and pull your winner
2. Once you have the winners name, scroll down on that same MODERATE page of that giveaway ‘til you see MODERATE ENTRIES.
3. Click the little green button that reads SHOW LIST
4. Type in the name of your winner in the box where it says NAME
5. All the entries for that person will then come up. All you have to do is scan the TWEET ULRs they used and make sure they don’t match. I usually look at the last 4 characters in the URL, if they match THEN I’ll compare the rest. I’ve never found 2 or more with the same last 4, that were not exact in their entirety.
Is it really that big of a deal if they “cheat”?
I’m all about honesty and respect folks. I like to give things to people and do nice things for others. I follow rules, sometimes to a fault and I just can’t wrap my head around why anyone would do this. So yes, to me it is. I can’t control everyone, but I can control who the items on my giveaways go to, and the honest ones will prevail here at MMSAI.
What’s more is, once I did this this method for checking I had to throw out 5-8 winners in a row (minimum!!!) from them doing this cheat. It’s not just one person ruining the fun for everyone…..
I really hope that bloggers will take the few moments to check their winners from now on. And maybe now, since this is going to be out there for all to see, for all those cheaters out there to read and know that we are checking THEY WILL STOP.
I’m actually compiling a BAN LIST for MMSAI, from this day one anyone caught trying to cheat Rafflecopter (or any of my contests not using it) will be added to it and should I pull their name in a contest they will simple be overlooked. And if you think that’s stupid and time consuming for me, you obviously don’t have Ecxel, it’s actually very simple and takes 30 seconds.
Also, this world has enough disrespect and cheating in it, why ruin the fun of book giveaways and the generosity of others with it here in this community?
Will you check your winners from now on? Have you noticed this before? Do you think I’m half cracked and need mood stabilizers? Weigh in below!
Well said as always. I've never noticed this but I will start checking from now on. Cheaters should never prosper ;)
ReplyDeleteA wonderful & informative post, thankyou so much for sharing :)
ReplyDeleteIts such a great (& seemingly easy) way to check & I was clueless..
Sharon @ Obsession with Books ( who'll be checking on cheaters from now on)
This is such a great and informative post!
ReplyDeleteI have been wondering and trying to figure out how to do this, and here it all is!
Thank you so very much!!!
Thank you thank you! I do check my winner and I do delete ones that don't follow the rules! I have had peeps just not leave a URL for a tweet or not follow when they said they do. Sorry guys but I do pay for almost every book I give away. Follow the rules or you don't win! Simple as that.
ReplyDeleteNicely done!!
Valerie
StuckInBooks.com
You should also check for duplicate IP addresses with different name/email addresses.
ReplyDeleteThis is one of the reasons I love using Rafflecopter - you can easily check the entries and it captures IP addresses.
The reason I didn't include this is because I don't care (personally) if they enter from different accounts on their computer. A lot of people have 2 e-mails, 2 twitters and if they want to spread the word using all their accounts - that really only benefits me.
DeleteAlso, in the case of shared home or library computers - how can I really know it's not actually a mom and a daughter in the same house who entered?
I've entered from things here, as has a friend when they have been visiting at the time a particularly cool contest popped up....we weren't doing anything wrong, but sharing a computer - but if you assume all people with different names and matching IP address are cheating, then we would have been branded as such to you.
The twitter thing I can 100% prove, there's too much "what if" with the IP address' to be certain, it's a slippery slope so I choose to not bother with it.
Glad you pointed this out! I don't do the daily tweeting thing for giveaways I host. If I ever choose to, I will remember to do this. I actually do always double check entries. On my last giveaway, I had to pick a different winner twice because they didn't follow me like they claimed they did. Which is a shame, but, you're right, it's all about honesty!
ReplyDeleteI had no idea this was even happening! Thanks for letting everyone know, cheating to get more entries into a free contest is just kinda sad.
ReplyDeleteI was thinking of starting to do Rafflecopter for BNR and I didn't even know there was a way to cheat. Thanks so much for posting this! Now, I'll know to keep my eye out once I get it up and running :)
ReplyDeleteSpeaking strictly from an contestant view, I think this is crazy. It doesn't take but a minute to re-tweet (much less time than looking up the old tweet). I have actually hit enter before adding the tweet link and then gone back in to edit the entry. I hope that actually works and doesn't leave it blank. I will generally leave a comment too with the link, unless I just space and not think of it.
ReplyDeleteVery informative...I didn't even realize this could go on but I'll be keeping my eyes open for this from now on! Thanks for the information.
ReplyDeleteI check my winners, but I hadn't ever thought of checking to see if the Tweet link was the same. O_o I'll be checking that from now on. I usually have to DQ 2-3 winners for every giveaway for cheating. It's a sad thing and makes me want to stop doing giveaways period.
ReplyDeletealso, I rarely use the Twitter entry more than once when I'm entering giveaways, but on the off chances when I remember to go back and Tweet again, it's much easier to actually Tweet the link again than to spend the time & effort trying to cheat.
Wow, just wow. I had no idea that this was even a thing. I'll definitely be checking from now on. Thanks for the post :)
ReplyDeleteA ban list? oh boy. some people are gonna get in trouble now, lol. People's laziness are so annoying.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI never knew that someone would do that.. Thank you for making a post about this! I will check next time :)
ReplyDeleteLisa @ Shatterbooks
Wow, I didn't even knew people could do that! That's low. I still can't believe how people can be so dishonest because of a prize.
ReplyDeleteWow I didn't know there was yet another way to cheat while using Rafflecopter! While I don't do the daily tweet stuff it's good to know if I do decide to do it! TYSM for posting. I only recently learned anyone could cheat using fake FB pages, multiple emails and such. Ugh, I guess the only way to prevent cheaters from entering giveaways is not not hold any giveaways. Thanks for this. :)
ReplyDeletefake FB pages? Wow! Thankfully I don't really use the FB thing because it's pointless for me. I don't update my page much.
DeleteMaybe you should share that info here in the comments though - it could really help others! :) As for multiple e-mail address' - I address that in a comment below. :) Thanks for stoping in chick! Always good to see your face around these part! ((HUGS))
Oh wow! I did not realize that this was even possible! I'm definitely going to check this at the end of my next giveaway! Thanks :)
ReplyDeleteA lot of people have wondered why I don't check the IP Address for different names....here's the answer to that which I gave above and am reposting for all to see :)
ReplyDeleteThe reason I didn't include this [IP address info in the original post] is because I don't care (personally) if they enter from different accounts on their computer. A lot of people have 2 e-mails, 2 twitters and if they want to spread the word using all their accounts - that really only benefits me.
Also, in the case of shared home or library computers - how can I really know it's not actually a mom and a daughter in the same house who entered?
I've entered from things here, as has a friend when they have been visiting at the time a particularly cool contest popped up....we weren't doing anything wrong, but sharing a computer - but if you assume all people with different names and matching IP address are cheating, then we would have been branded as such to you.
The twitter thing I can 100% prove, there's too much "what if" with the IP address' to be certain, it's a slippery slope so I choose to not bother with it.
I only disqualified multiple IP addresses that were very obviously the same person (for example, email 1 was like janedoe@gmail.com and email 2 was like janedoe2@gmail.com).
DeleteI didn't even think to check about the same Tweet URL being used for each entry though! Like you said, that just seems like so much MORE work!
Thank You for sharing this!! OMG, I never knew ppl. would actually go thru all that trouble?? So weird, I mean I get them DYING to win something but really, cheating to win a book! So sketchy!!
ReplyDeleteWow. It's kind of ridiculous that people go through all that just to cheat. My blog is brand new, so we haven't had any giveaways yet, but I'll be bookmarking this for future use. Thanks for the heads up!
ReplyDeleteI've never noticed the twitter URL problem before, but I'll check for it. I have seen other ways of cheating, like saying they did a task when they clearly did not do it, so I just remove those entries.
ReplyDeleteI am a new blogger and am naive to a lot of goings on around the blogosphere. But also as a contestant, I feel like I shouldn't even bother entering these giveaways because these cheaters will undoubtedly win.
ReplyDeleteLauren, I really hope you don't stop entering. I take all the necessary precautions to ensure the winner has all legit entries. I promise you that here, I check and double check for cheaters and ban them immediately. IN fact I have instigated a new rule, anyone found cheating will be banned permanently.
DeleteA cheater will not win here on MMSAI.
It seems that cheaters find new ways to cheat everyday! If someone is willing to have a giveaway in the first place why should they then have to make sure people aren't cheating. In an ideal world they wouldn't have to, but since people seem to think that it's okay to cheat bloggers will have to check for cheaters:(
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing this information so that others can be aware of how some are cheating.
I actually just Googled "why do people try to cheat on Rafflecopter" and found this blog post. I completely agree, I just started a new giveaway yesterday & it's my first time ever using this program. I noticed already that most people who've entered aren't doing what I've asked! I asked them to like my fan page on FB - 3 people have, but 6 people have said they did. :( It goes on. It's sad - I have been monitoring entries as I go but I kind of like your idea of just checking at the end. Less time consuming. The giveaway is ALL ABOUT PROMOTION. I don't just love people so much I want to give them things. People better follow rules, or get disqualified. I'm definitely checking my winner! If you aren't a cheater, come check out my giveaway page: http://whealthyintraining.blogspot.com/2012/09/have-you-heard-about-this-crazy-wrap.html
ReplyDeleteI am all for fairness and I totally spend the time moderating EACH entry! It's amazing how the simplest of tasks is just too much for the extra entry, but yet they have to HAVE that extra entry.
ReplyDeleteI'd love to have a more sophisticated system that verifies for me - though next time I do a rafflecopter, I'm going to change up some of the way things are done for easier moderation!
You're right, it's so sad it has to be said :(
I am currently holding my first contest for my blog and this is ideal timing for me. Thank you so much for this post! It is a horrible thing to have to write up, I agree, but better to write it up than leave those of us who don't know about the cheat in the dark.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know people were doing that... ugh that sucks...
ReplyDeleteI shall pay more attention from now on!
Thanks so much for sharing !
Wow, I didn't know people were doing that either. I always click on the tweet button. It's easy. Or at least it was until yesterday. Rafflecopter added a new feature apparently and the programming knocked out people like me. I am on a Mac G5 powerpc (non-Intel) and we can't run the newer browsers. I had to use an old unsupported version of Firefox which was so horrible it was like using dial up. I saw some comments of other entrants and they complained of the same thing.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for this post!
ReplyDeleteI am hosting my own giveaway at the moment....my first one. eh. well i look at the moderate button every so often and see that someone is just posting their email in the space for the url for the tweeting entry. it super bothers me because like you said its my cash thats sending those books out but i guess there are just those kind of people. and you know? my blog may not be top notch....yet but i am working every single day to make it better, post, or do something for it. i am pouring myself into it for the fun and love of others who love books and then some (not so nice name) comes and cheat. hmph. rant there...sorry. thanks again
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ReplyDeleteThanks for the info.
ReplyDeleteThanks for this post! I'm running a contest right now and noticed some people who got credit for entries didn't really do what the entry said to do. :( I'll definitely be checking over the winner!!
ReplyDeleteI had no idea that people actually cheated on giveaways - it seems like a lot of work, but I don't know... I'm kind of lazy. I'm in the process of planning a giveaway, so I'm definitely going to keep these tips in minds.
ReplyDeleteIt would never occur to me to cheat on a giveaway or a contest - and because of that, I think it didn't occur to me that others might o.O
ReplyDeleteI will definitely check from now on - especially since I noticed just after my last giveaway that I 'lost' about 10 'likes' on FB after I posted the winner, and that the winner was among them :( If you don't want to like my FB page, don't do it just to try to win something, right? It really is kind of sad.
I hate when people do that. I've decided people in general can just suck. All we can do is hop most are honest and nice. Thanks for stopping in and taking the time to post!
DeleteDo you have a post/could you do a post on how to check all the other typical methods? I'm still new to running rafflecopter giveaways and I don't know how to easily check to see if someone "Liked" my FB page or is following me in the various methods that they can (NetworkedBlogs, Linky, RSS, email). That sort of post would make my day :D
ReplyDeleteAnya @ On Starships and Dragonwings
Anya,
DeleteWhen using rafflecopter, if you use their options for the facebook and twitter (the one where you just input the name or page link people should follow) the entry won't count unless they click the button provided in that option.
For instance, if I went to your blog and wanted to enter using the twitter option, it would have a little button with your tiwtter name on it I can easily click to follow you. If I didn't click it, I wouldn't be listed as having entered using that option.
Basically - all Twitter follows and FB page follows that show up CAN'T be cheated, so you don't have to worry about checking them. Raffelcopter does that for you.
FOR RSS - it should provide you the option to seach your people signed up. Input the e-mail in the search and see if it comes up. If not, they didn't follow.
Network blogs is tricky, you have to file through looking for their name...that one is hard and sometimes has to be an "on your honor" one because if you have a lot of giveaways then it can be annoying having to look all them up.
Linky I can't help you with because I don't use it.
Another post of mine you might find helpful is this one: http://www.memyshelfandi.com/2013/03/blogger-babble-hey-how-do-you-get.html It will explain how the number of followers you have on all those things won't really do too much for you in the way of publishers and ARCs and such... :) Before you worry too much on it.
E-mail me if you have any other questions! I'm happy to help!
great post!
ReplyDelete+JMJ+
ReplyDeleteI'm here from Parajunkee's blog, thanks to a post about cheating which links to yours. I wish I had read this last year because I had a similar experience with a giveaway contestant trying to pull a fast one. =(
He pretty much claimed ALL the entries on Rafflecopter without doing any of the tasks. Since entries were kind of low (ultimately peaking at 50+), his actions baffled me. Did he really think I wouldn't notice? If I had 1000+ entries, I could see why he'd think he'd be able to pull the wool over my eyes, but that was just ridiculous. I disqualified all of his entries, including the free entry.
Amber, I enter a LOT of contests--- who DOESN'T want to win? But I agree with you! I skip entries if I decide I don't want to follow people on twitter or whatever. It's one last chance for me to win, but I don't want to compromise my integrity over something as silly as a tweet. I will tell you that I *loathe* following people on facebook or pinterest, and if by the time the contest is over, I will unlike/unfollow.
ReplyDeleteack, sorry, ^if by the t ime the contest is over and their posts are boring/not something I'm interested/they spam with coupons or giveaways I'll unlike/unfollow.
ReplyDeleteOn facebook you can choose to still "follow" but not have them in your feed simply by clicking the little "settings cog" by their name on their page... And on Twitter - most people follow hundreds or thousands...whats one more person? I guess I've never really understood that - but it's like I always say: To each their own :)
DeleteAlso, I do not follow many on FB either - it's my "personal space" LOL - so I totally agree with you there - even if I can remove them from my feed and still follow...seriously - I give advice I can't even take myself...lol
DeleteBy the way this is AMBER of Me, My Shelf and I - I'm logged into my other account for some reason...SORRY!
DeleteI've had people say that they commented and then *didn't* comment. Umm... isn't it obvious if they did/didn't comment? It annoys the crap out of me.
ReplyDeleteIt's amazing what some people will do to win something. Or in this case, won't do. LOL. Though I have to admit, I have clicked the "comment" option and then after I finished all the other things in the form - forgotten!
Delete