We’ve not mentioned automated entries on the blog for a while, but that’s not to say we’re not still concerned about them. We still believe that all compers should be speaking out about automated entry services and that they should be banging on to promoters about them – especially when terms and conditions don’t take them into account. If our blogs of the past haven’t made you stop and think, then perhaps this number will.
23,000 Entries From Automated Services!!
Today we were told by a promoter that this was the total number of emails they received for their competition on two different days from automated entry services. For their own reasons the promoter does not want to be mentioned and we’ll respect that. What we can tell you is that they have cleaned their databases and disqualified every single one of these entries. They also kindly gave us a little bit of information that we can pass on!
Emails To Look Out For
If you’re running competitions we are now advising all promoters to look out for @freemailstore.com, @bestmailforyou.co.uk, @easybusinessemail.info and @yourmail4you.com. These are in addition to the domains – wonandron.co.uk, shortsmail.co.uk, freggnet.co.uk, wormail.co.uk, prainnet.org.uk, kreahnet.org.uk, rackernet.org.uk and runracemail.org.uk – as mentioned in a previous blog. So who are behind the freemailstore.com and the other accounts? They’re not email addresses we’ve seen before or been told about by other promoters so that rules out some of the other services we’ve mentioned on the blog.
Who’s Sending This Entries?
So, we’ve been looking around and so far what we do know is that they’re all hosted on ukfast.net and the registrars are identity protected. We have our suspicions, but sadly that’s not enough to pin the tail on the donkey so to speak so we’ll try and do a bit more digging and hopefully get something more concrete. However, whoever is behind these emails there’s a number of conclusions we can draw from this situation. Firstly, the good news is that any service dumping 23,000 emails into a competition is pretty much going to get spotted – and if they don’t then the promoter is being incredibly blind.
Promoters Take Note!
Secondly, now we have published the emails to look out for other promoters can find out about this kind of spam. We regularly get searches to the site from people obviously wondering where bulk emails originate from Thirdly, people that subscribe to automated services are quite possibly getting a raw deal as they pay for entries that just get disqualified! It also emphasises why our guide – How To Make Sure Automated Entries Don’t Ruin Your Competition – is a vital read for all promoters. In fact all our blogs on the subject contain information about this issue that should make promoters and compers take note.