For those of you who read this and haven't followed my post under the actual instant win game.  I finally got a congrats screen to the Haiwaiin Tropric Tropic Thunder instant win game after i thought it was hopeless. I won (see my post in the win section) i believe Aug 4th, in the wee hours of the morning.  Anywho I got a congratulation you've won and please submit your information.  Once i entered my information and clicked the submit button I got a screen saying Sorry, You're not an Winner.  What???? is what started going through my mind.

Ok so I finally get someone at this number to answer 800-290-0816 and spoke with a lady. Sorry didn't get her name but she verified my email and name with me and saw I had sent several emails.  So she proceeds to tell me that my information will be sent to their tech department to determine if I won or not.  I said but I got a congratulations screen and submitted my information. She says that doesn't mean that you're an instant winner.  She asked did i receive a confirmation email or was i able to print a pdf of a movie ticket.  Of course I say no, if I was we wouldn't be having this conversation. I am highly pissed off with instant win games like these. I took the time to play your game and won honestly for you to tell me not really. What????  This is so unfair and sweeps like this shouldn't be allowed.

This is all a part of sweeping which needs to be understood.  I have been sweeping online now for 10 years and have gotten five false wins on the instants.  Just as humans aren't perfect, technology is even worse; and these things do and will continue to happen.  There's nothing 100% that can prevent these glitches.  If you check the disclaimer in the rules of the sweepstakes, it will state that they are not responsible for any type of errors that occur in the process.

Hang in there!

I'd be pissed off too, claim2fame.  I don't understand how it all works but I wish they wouldn't show a "Congrats!  You Are A Winner!" if indeed you aren't. 

There is a rule of thumb to always keep in mind.  No one has won anything until they are verified as the winner by the JA/Sponsor.  I just forget about it until I actually get a verification through email, mail, etc.  Then and only then am I sure that I won.  Screenshots I don't bother printing up, because it states in the rules that they are cannot be used as proof of a win.  So, I don't bother wasting the paper or ink or taking the time to save it!

Sorry I feel like venting too. Just got back from shell station. I had won a free drink with my scratch off, well they wouldn't let me get the drink free. They said they give out the cards, but don't know what they are for. I think these sweep sponsors need to educate there workers or something. Its stupid.

BS 

This is what the rules say for the drinks:

IN-STORE GAME PRIZES:  The In-Store game prizes include:  One million five hundred thousand (1,500,000) medium fountain beverages (excluding alcohol), with an approximate retail value ("ARV") of up to $1.50/ea; (odds, 1 in 10).  In-Store game prizes are not available at all Shell stations participating in the Promotion.

So, you may have to find another station to use it at.

Luckily, I didn't get that screen but, it was from the MSN search and win awhile back.

I know how you feel...back in June I got an email from Edgeptown that I had won a cd...when I tried to use the claim code it wouldnt work so I emailed them...they emailed me back that they dont know why I had recieved the email that I won and that they would look into it...and I have never recieved another reply from them...so now I will NEVER enter another sweepstakes with them again...this wasnt an instant this was a one time only enter...it wasnt a big prize but it is just the principal of it...why send me a winning email if I wasnt a winner!

I remember that one too.  I also got a winning screen for the camera.  I keep thinking the sponsor had something to do with tape--Scotch maybe?

The Barcardi one was messed up.  They had 600 prizes and thousands of winners.  People kept emailing them, and customer service people who know nothing about the running of the sweepstakes made up a generic email that they kept sending out to everyone saying that if you got a winning screen you did win.  They obviously never forwarded the emails to the proper personnel's attention; and, it seems, because of that, those running the sweepstakes didn't discover the glitch until the sweepstakes was over, and they checked the winner's.

Then those of us who really didn't win got an email saying so; but, though they didn't have enough prizes, they would send something out to the rest of us of comparable value (closet cleaning ).

In that situation, they really had no choice but send everyone else a prize also.  Bacardi's customer service people took it upon themselves to tell everyone that they did win and in writing.  I'm sure some heads were rolling in that department!

I also remember that one I got the wining screen but no camera. It was tape I believw GM

You just knew with only 25 cameras and more people posting they won one, we more than likely didn't really win!

3-M/Scotch-Blue - You're Gonna Like What You See Sweepstakes

Buy a promotional package of Scotch-Blue Painter’s Tape at any participating retailer through September 30, 2007 or until all promotional product supplies are exhausted, whichever occurs first. Look for the promotional code on the package, or code will be provided online. Grand Prize (1) a Sharp AQUOS LC-46D62U Liquid Crystal Television, ARV $3,750. Second Prize (25) a Fuji Fine Pix 5.1MP Digital Camera model A 500, ARV $125. **09-25 See Comments for alternate link. 
Restrictions : 18+ US, DC | Hits : 23797 | Added : 05-03-07 | Expired : 09-30-2007 | Rules

Entry Category : Instant Win
 

I remember the Bacardi and a sweep for a belt buckle that I received a glitch from. Then a glitch on the Glad christmas one with the gingerbread man, thank goodness I really did win the glad gift basket after the glitch was over because, I really wanted that one. I think I stopped playing the MSN game until that was fixed because, it would have made me sick to see such a prize and find out it wasn't real.