Won an online contest but they wont send the prize

[JTB717]

They probably just paid you to make you go away. Asking the same question again and again insisting you are right does not change the correct answers you have already been given.

If you are so sure you are right, then sue. You are wasting your time though.

I am not insisting I am right, but I feel I am in the right, but with no legal background I am looking for answers. And that is why i came to this board, to provide the best info I can of my case to get someone with a legal background provide me with some free advice. So, I am not sure if anyone who is answering is a lawer and can speak to directly to contest law. I am looking for someone who can provide some specific contest law which points to the sponsor not being liable. And if I would sue, what avenue to sue should I pursue? small claims, some other means? What court would govern a contest lawsuit?

 

[Proserpina]

I am not insisting I am right, but I feel I am in the right, but with no legal background I am looking for answers. And that is why i came to this board, to provide the best info I can of my case to get someone with a legal background provide me with some free advice. So, I am not sure if anyone who is answering is a lawer and can speak to directly to contest law. I am looking for someone who can provide some specific contest law which points to the sponsor not being liable. And if I would sue, what avenue to sue should I pursue? small claims, some other means? What court would govern a contest lawsuit?

This is why you need an attorney. One who specializes in contract law.

I don't think you have a case, but have at it. Maybe you'll be paid once again to just go away.

Who knows?

(That in itself could become a lucrative little game, I suspect)

 

[swalsh411]

I am not insisting I am right, but I feel I am in the right, but with no legal background I am looking for answers. And that is why i came to this board, to provide the best info I can of my case to get someone with a legal background provide me with some free advice. So, I am not sure if anyone who is answering is a lawer and can speak to directly to contest law. I am looking for someone who can provide some specific contest law which points to the sponsor not being liable. And if I would sue, what avenue to sue should I pursue? small claims, some other means? What court would govern a contest lawsuit?

Every person who has answered so far has told you that they don't think you have a case because the contest was never real to begin with. What you are doing now is called "fishing for answers" and hoping somebody will come along and tell you what you want to hear.

There is not going to be case law for your specific situation. However a fundamental premise of contract law is "offer" and "acceptance". In this case there was no "offer" (since the contest wasn't real to begin with) so there cannot possibly be a contract.

If you had paid some sort of fee and it had been accepted then it would be an offer. All you did was play in some silly make believe internet game. That doesn't entitle you to a real world prize.

If you want the opinion of a lawyer, feel free to go find one. They don't usually work for free though and they certainly don't troll message boards looking for clients. (well the good ones don't at least).

 

[racer72]

Why not the $1000 prize, since that is the prize listed?

Aren't there specific laws which strictly govern contests/sweepstakes? What would stop every company from having a contest and not giving the prize?

I recall a contest a few years ago where they said if you get this question right, you win a new car, and she got it right but they gave her a match box car. They went to court an ruled that she gets an actual car.

One, you can only sue for your actual damages. At the time of your entry, you spent nothing, hence, you lost nothing. That's how the law works. Second, your example is not quite true. Look it up at Snopes.com. She sued for misrepresentation and settled out of court.