Did anyone else see the add in the new Disc Golf World??? Its on the other side of the "First Tee" page(page 4), its got a stop sign and says "Free Portable Pins!!! Free Discs and Gear!!! Everything but the goat!..?" Then, it has the website freedg.org
I went to the website and checked it out!!! Looks like a pretty cool contest!!! Go there sign yourself up, then send emails to your friends and get entered into a 2nd contest!!! Pretty easy!!!
Anyway, it looks like they are giving a bunch of cool stuff away, thought I would pass on a cool link for free DG equipment!!!
Free stuff good :mellow:
I went to the site and couldn't find out what stuff they were giving away or to how many people or basically anything that the law requires to be explained when running a promotional contest. They promised to not send me any spam but they had already broken that promise by sending me an e-mail with their link in it already. I went there to try to figure who they are and what they are doing.
What I found is that they aren't disclosing what they are doing or who they are. They are saying that they will be making a big announcement on May 15th. Seems kind of fishy to me.
i wonder if they are mining for data - selling the names and e mails and then distributing some plastic with the profits made
I went ahead and signed up with an alias email address (feature that yahoo offers). I created an email address alias that is only going to be used for that site, and so I'll be able to tell you how much spam I get from it. It is still delivered to my preliminary email account, but is highlighted a different color. I can delete the alias at any time if the spam gets out of hand.
So far I've just received the one email saying thanks for signing up. I'll post if I start getting more junk from them. I'd like to believe that if they are going to take up some article space that it's something legit. Only time will tell I suppose...
Scott
QuoteI'd like to believe that if they are going to take up some article space that it's something legit. Only time will tell I suppose...
someone, somewhere has to pay for this - you gotta wonder what their motivation is
and it could be very sincere, but if they dont give any info it leaves the rest of us with questions
If you do a google link search you find that they are not linked on any websites whatsoever. There's a red flag. If this was a legit promotional event, someone would be promoting it. It's a scam of some kind. I think it is a scam to collect donations.
Man, we got some skeptical people here on this board ???
Actually, I have to confess, I know the guy running this thing. I posted just to help a friend out and give him a little exposure. I can assure anyone interested in entering that you can without any reason to be thinking it is a hoax or something bad!!! No name selling, no data mining, nothing at all like that. It is an honest contest, why would someone pay for that add if its not ligit??? He does have his name and address clearly posted on the site!!!
I KNOW FOR A FACT THAT THIS IS LIGIT!!! To the best of my knowledge it is all legal as well. The guy running this thing has been a close friend of mine for quite some time and this whole thing has all been in the works for 3 or more years!!!
I talked to him a gave him the feedback you guys have posted. He is going to go and add some information based on the concerns some of you had.
url?
pat?
Quote from: drdye on May 01, 2006, 02:32:06 PM
Man, we got some skeptical people here on this board ???
Actually, I have to confess, I know the guy running this thing. I posted just to help a friend out and give him a little exposure. I can assure anyone interested in entering that you can without any reason to be thinking it is a hoax or something bad!!! No name selling, no data mining, nothing at all like that. It is an honest contest, why would someone pay for that add if its not ligit??? He does have his name and address clearly posted on the site!!!
I KNOW FOR A FACT THAT THIS IS LIGIT!!! To the best of my knowledge it is all legal as well. The guy running this thing has been a close friend of mine for quite some time and this whole thing has all been in the works for 3 or more years!!!
I talked to him a gave him the feedback you guys have posted. He is going to go and add some information based on the concerns some of you had.
Sorry Joe, didn't mean to doubt a friend of yours. Starting with that carny at the Lake County Fair in 1976, I've been ripped off too many times in my life to not know by now that nothing is free. His website leaves out his motive and I'm suspect when I don't have a clue about some one's motive. I would trust someone that you say is your friend and is trust worthy and I'll wait for his announcement on May 15th. Thanks for setting it straight.
These types of posts are called astroturfing and are generally frowned upon on the net.
http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=astroturfing
n. The use of paid shills to create the
impression of a popular movement, through means like letters to
newspapers from soi-disant `concerned citizens', paid opinion
pieces, and the formation of grass-roots lobbying groups that are
actually funded by a PR group (astroturf is fake grass; hence the
term). This term became common among hackers after it came to light
in early 1998 that Microsoft had attempted to use such tactics to
forestall the U.S. Department of Justice's antitrust action against
the company.
This backfired horribly, angering a number of state
attorneys-general enough to induce them to go public with plans to
join the Federal suit. It also set anybody defending Microsoft on
the net for the accusation "You're just astroturfing!".
Quote from: mirth on May 01, 2006, 08:40:39 PM
pat?
Yup ;D
Jon, no problems ;D Just dont want anyone to get the wrong impression of my buddies vision!!! More info will be come if you sign up!!!
I think anyone with some experience being scammed or dealing with scammers could only get the wrong impression from the way he is presenting whatever it is that he is doing, assuming he is doing something up and up. I've looked at his redesigned website and all I can think is, "So what is this going to be, a golf disc airplane game?"
Quote from: freedg.org
** TELL A FRIEND
1. Go to the e-mailbox linked to the email address
used to sign up and open a fresh email letter.
2. Double check that your from address on that
email is the same as on our sign up form.
3. Use the to: section to enter email addresses of
any disc golfers you know that might want
FREE DISC GOLF GEAR.
4. In the email tell them to visit the site
freedg.org right away! They must come
sign in here before May 14th, or they will
ONLY be eligible for the second chance
contest, & our third Amazing Announcement.
5. Tell them to save or print that email from you.
They will need this exact information later.
6. Include the FULL first and last name you used
above in the closing of your email.
Check out this example:
Hey everybody,
I heard about an awesome contest.
They're giving away tons of disc golf gear.
There's no cost to enter. Go to
http://freedg.org to hear more. Be sure to
check it out before May 14th!
Later,
your "sign up" name
The tell a friend part really doesn't make any sense to me. When you sign up there is no place to put in who sent you there. I don't understand how signing up a friend could get me a second chance at anything.
Quote from: Jon Brakel on May 03, 2006, 01:53:52 PM
The tell a friend part really doesn't make any sense to me. When you sign up there is no place to put in who sent you there. I don't understand how signing up a friend could get me a second chance at anything.
I found this confusing myself. Finally I stopped looking for somewhere to "Tell A Friend" because I assumed it isn't there.
I signed up anyway ;D
Quote from: bruce_brakel on May 03, 2006, 11:21:22 AM
I think anyone with some experience being scammed or dealing with scammers could only get the wrong impression from the way he is presenting whatever it is that he is doing, assuming he is doing something up and up. I've looked at his redesigned website and all I can think is, "So what is this going to be, a golf disc airplane game?"
Well, I guess you will just miss out on possibly the biggest disc golf contest ever!!!
If there is something specific that you think that makes this look like a hoax or something bad, please point it out. I am not sure why you get that impression or what is giving you that impression. If you are going to criticize please be specific so that it can be productive, instead of just saying it looks like a scam to me. Is it that you dont have all the info you think you need??? Of course there will be more info to come, you just have to sign up to get it.
If you want to find out more I guess you have to sign up, I assure you that there is nothing sinister about this contest!!! You sign up on that page, you get an email on the 15 that is basically a survey that allows you to decide what the prizes are!!! How cool is that, all the contestants get to decide what they could win!!! I dont see what is sinister about it???
I would put my name DR DYE on the line to say that this is legit!!! In fact, take a close look at the pic in the top of the page, hey that is me throwing a disc!!! Really it is me!!! I would not put my name or face to something that I did not think would be beneficial to both myself and my friend running the contest and the disc golf world.
Jon, you send your friends emails with "FREE DISC GOLF GEAR." as the subject...In the email tell them to visit the site and sign up themselves...The friend must save and print the email from you for verification purposes...The idea is you see the site, you sign up, send your friends emails like I stated, they sign up, send it to their friends and so on.
Does that clear that up for you??[td][/td]
Quote from: drdye on May 03, 2006, 02:06:50 PM
Quote from: bruce_brakel on May 03, 2006, 11:21:22 AM
I think anyone with some experience being scammed or dealing with scammers could only get the wrong impression from the way he is presenting whatever it is that he is doing, assuming he is doing something up and up. I've looked at his redesigned website and all I can think is, "So what is this going to be, a golf disc airplane game?"
Well, I guess you will just miss out on possibly the biggest disc golf contest ever!!!
If there is something specific that you think that makes this look like a hoax or something bad, please point it out. I am not sure why you get that impression or what is giving you that impression. If you are going to criticize please be specific so that it can be productive, instead of just saying it looks like a scam to me. Is it that you dont have all the info you think you need??? Of course there will be more info to come, you just have to sign up to get it.
If you want to find out more I guess you have to sign up, I assure you that there is nothing sinister about this contest!!! You sign up on that page, you get an email on the 15 that is basically a survey that allows you to decide what the prizes are!!! How cool is that, all the contestants get to decide what they could win!!! I dont see what is sinister about it???
I would put my name DR DYE on the line to say that this is legit!!! In fact, take a close look at the pic in the top of the page, hey that is me throwing a disc!!! Really it is me!!! I would not put my name or face to something that I did not think would be beneficial to both myself and my friend running the contest and the disc golf community.
Jon, you send your friends emails with "FREE DISC GOLF GEAR." as the subject...In the email tell them to visit the site and sign up themselves...The friend must save and print the email from you for a later purpose...The idea is you see the site, you sign up, send your friends emails like I stated, they sign up, send it to their friends and so on.
Does that clear that up for you??[td][/td]
Joe
My reactions was similar to Serg's. I wasn't sure how it worked with telling a friend. In any case, I figured most disc golfing folks I know already troll this board. Based on your assurances I signed up but didn't bother to find any friends.
opps didnt mean to double post :-[
Quote from: drdye on May 03, 2006, 02:06:50 PM
If there is something specific that you think that makes this look like a hoax or something bad, please point it out. I am not sure why you get that impression or what is giving you that impression. If you are going to criticize please be specific so that it can be productive, instead of just saying it looks like a scam to me.
There is no known association with an established entity to back up the contest. If the website said that they have teamed up with xyz corporation and xyz corporation had a link on their site, it would seem more legitimate. The website does not explain what the contest is promoting or what entity is doing the promoting. It says something about a "disc golf city" but does not explain what that is. It does not say what the value of the prizes they are giving away is.
Scams usually try to keep you in the dark. Illegal air plane games keep their players in the dark. It is counter-intuitive for a legitimate promotion to keep people in the dark. Even big announcements from companies let you know who is doing the promotion. I've seen plenty of promotions that start off with "xyz corporation is making a huge announcement on May 15th...stay tuned!" or something like that. But they are using their known entity to try to build hype for something that would probably other wise be unhype-able like a corporate name change or something.
I'm not doubting you, Joe, but I do think whoever dreamed up this contest might be ill advised as to the strategy that they are taking. Or there is the possibility that I might be wrong. ;)
I've stayed away from this topic until now.
For whatever reason, when I got this e-mail, I looked it over, then I immediately deleted it.
No offense Dr. Dye, but, even the way you originally presented the contest was somewhat deceptive. You made it sound like you only knew about this through an ad you saw. When, in actuality, you know the person running the contest. That is actually another red flag for me. I know you say it's legit, I know people here know you, but, honestly, I don't know you at all. And honestly, that kind of posting is deceptive.
This is just some criticism. Next time, just post, "Hey, I have this buddy that's setting up a great contest" I think I was more leery of the site after you said you knew him. "Astroturfing is a bad way to make people feel comfortable. I am very skeptical of everything on the internet though, so, I may be overboard here.
I dont know what else to say to everyone....I was just trying to help a friend out. It is not my contest, but I would like to see my friend do well with it, so that is why I made the post. If you dont feel comfortable entering then I guess dont, you will miss out. My intent was only to help a brother out, not to be deceptive. If that is the way you see it, so be it, but that is not the case. I think everyone that knows me knows that I am a straight forward guy that is probably to honest most of the time. I am not the kind of guy that is just going to give you a line of shit and hope you buy it, it just is not the kind of guy I am.
This is the first time he has done anything like this, so I would expect there to be some kinks. I dont think he expeceted so many. But come on give the guy a break, how many contests and promotions have you done?? Me none, so I have no experience with it, nor do I intend on doing this for myself.
Back to my original statement, I was just trying to help a brother out. I have taken all of the info posted here and sent it to my friend so he is aware of everyones concerns on this board. He, I assume will make any all changes to his contest to help it be the best it can be.
I take no offense to anyones posts and I dont think he does either, in fact I think he is using this info to help better his contest for now and the future!!!
My intent was to help. I was just trying to emphasize the point of view of a paranoid internet user.
Anyone else get an email on May 22nd explaining the odds/prizes that were going to be offered?
I received an email on May 15th about what we had to do in order to vote, and then I also received an email on May 23rd statings the prizes and odds. It also mentioned the grand opening of discgolfcity.com on June 14th.
It mentioned that the odds don't change with the number of people that sign up (so I'm presuming that the number of prizes just increase as more people sign up), but didn't mention the sign-up process. I'm assuming it's just signing up at the same place as was first mentioned in this thread.
Quote from: SERG on May 30, 2006, 07:49:02 AM
Anyone else get an email on May 22nd explaining the odds/prizes that were going to be offered?
I should have clarified...I didn't receive an email.
I guess I'll just wait and see if anything happens.
Quote from: SERG on May 30, 2006, 09:19:48 AM
Quote from: SERG on May 30, 2006, 07:49:02 AM
Anyone else get an email on May 22nd explaining the odds/prizes that were going to be offered?
I should have clarified...I didn't receive an email.
I guess I'll just wait and see if anything happens.
I emailed you what I received, so that way you can at least keep up to date with what is going on :)
any update on this promo?
It looks like the site is alive that it was originally promoting... www.discgolfcity.com (http://www.discgolfcity.com). They mention another contest sign-up that goes through July 9th. Then there's a 2nd contest sign-up that goes until Sept. 4th.
I haven't received any type of emails from this in a long time...never got the email regarding the May 15th(?) thing either. I'll just sign up again and see what happens ;D