#Amiga 3000 for $25.00
15 messages in this thread
Your right… that's what that message says… but it is reffering to an
ad in the CIS classifieds section (GO CLASSIFIEDS) that is in fact running
a contest, requiring a $25 entry fee… and the person running it, will
only award the machine if 100 responses are received (that's $2500) _and_
will _not_ return all of the entrants money if fewer than 100 responses
come in (and the prize is not awarded).
I, like others here, question the legality of this whole thing.
It's certainly LEGAL. It's just a rip-off. I am perfectly free to advertise a
Commodore 64 for $10,000; if you are idiot enough to pay it then tough beansies
<g>.
Bob
No, it's NOT legal. It's an illegal lottery. What you are
effectively doing is asking people to buy "tickets" for five dollars
a piece. For that money, there is no guarantee that you are going to
"win" the machine. There is a huge difference. If you advertise a
C-64 for ten thousand bucks, and I'm stupid enough to pay it, that is
perfectly legal. This situation is quite different.
This is really no different than putting an ad in the paper and
saying "If at least a million people send me a dollar, I'll give the
person who sends the dollar in the nicest envelope a check for
$100,000. If I don't get a million people sending in the dollar, then
everyone who sent in the dollar will get back 80 cents."
It's a lottery.
Hmmm, good point. I had not realized the lottery aspect of it. In
that case, it's illegal but not immoral. <g>
Want to make a wager on the leglity? <g> Call your states att'y
general's office.
Yup, I stand corrected.
Hey did you hear about the lady down south (South Carolina I believe)
who owned a old Victorian home and sold it for $100. Each prospect
had to write an essay on why they would like such a home. The owner
received enough entrants to some out ahead. I don't remember the
attorney general's office intervening…..
It is an interesting concept if it is legal…Maybe Hillary C knows.
Ha!
No, but I did read about (and see on tv) a couple in New England that
ran an 'essay contest/lottery' to sell their Bed & Breakfast. They
hired an accounting firm, applied for and received approal from the
state's office of the attorney general and ran the contest through
Yankee magazine.
The entry fee was $100, and the total # of entries required did not
exceed the market value of the Bed & Breakfast. The prize was indeed
awarded. Many states (including Ohio) do allow the use of this type
of marketing to sell a home… but it _is_ regulated by the state.
If it's legal and it works ….just do it!……..
Happy Turkey Day!
Patrick White
"Burning the midnight Toast"
It's illegal…it's a lottery.
I stand corrected. However…
how come the state can offer a lottery (with considerably worse odds
than this one, which seems to have about a 50% payout rate) but Joe
Schmoe can't?
Not that I blame you for anything, just asking. <G>
Reason is, lotteries are sophisticated high security operations.
They require licenses and regulation. When the state sets up a
lottery, it is monitored by a financial body to ensure that it's all
running under the rules, etc. All the red tape type of stuff. Joe
Schmoe doesn't bother with any of that stuff.
Now, if Joe Schmoe wanted to apply for a license for a lottery, he
can. But such lottery licenses aren't granted for personal profit
ventures. Criterium is typically that the proceeds must go to a
charity, or public/government coffers of some kind.
Thus, charities have raffles/drawings/giveaways/lottery type things
all the time. But, every time they do, they have to get a license for
it and outline exactly what they are charging, how many tickets can
potentially be sold, and where the money goes.
Jim
Actually that is not entirely true. There are states that allow a
limited sort of personal lottery. the first time I saw one was just a
few months ago. A couple had a large house (or Inn) that they wished
to sell so they arranged with thier state to sell it by lot. Entries
were something like $100 each and there was a set cutoff date and
amount. I don't think they are allowed to keep part of the money if
they don't get enough. They may be required by the state to settle
for what they get or return it all, I don't know all the details. It
was actually written up in an issue of People magazine. Since then I
have seen a few other offers of a similar nature. I somehow doubt,
though, that is is legal just to say I am running a lottery and then
do it without any regulation. To easy to be misused as a form of
fraud, as it looks in this particular case.
A common rule is that you must award the prize…or return ALL
the monies received (at the instigators expense…NOT the player's
expense).
Robert,
Same reason the state can make war, and you can't.
Lotteries in and of themselves are not illegal, it's when they
don't follow the rules that they become illegal. The rules vary
state to state (there are no federal rules…other than they can't be
conducted by the mails).
In any event, his posting violates at least one rule in all
states that I'm aware of….not returning all the money if no
"winner" is announced.