Instant Messaging Giveaway

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Posted by ryuzaki0 on Friday July 18, 2003 @07:55AM from the a/s/l dept.

An anonymous reader writes "Microsoft is planning on giving away $1000/hr randomly to users of the new MSN messenger. They are going to send instant messages to the winners. I can just see it now, 'You've won $1000 in the MSN Messenger giveaway, just go this website and enter your SS# and credit card info for verification.'" Where's Ed McMahon with the big check when you need him?

27 of 426 comments (clear)

Old news.... by pissoncutler · 2003-07-18 07:55 · Score: 5, Funny

Big deal, Bill Gates has been paying me $200 for every email I send for years...
1. Re:Old news.... by dtfarmer · 2003-07-18 09:04 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  I wouldn't use microsoft software unless they offered to pay me $1000! Oh, wait a minute.... crap!
What about other clients? by anewsome · 2003-07-18 07:56 · Score: 4, Informative

It says specifically only MSN client software. I guess I won't be winning.
1. Re:What about other clients? by LostCluster · 2003-07-18 08:02 · Score: 4, Informative
  
  If you're going to be given a prize greater than $600, the prize giver must collect your SS#... and then send it to the tax man.
2. Re:What about other clients? by TopShelf · 2003-07-18 08:03 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  Hmmm... I think that's the point.
  
  For users of other clients, MSN could send the following:
  
  Message 1: "You just won $1,000!"
  
  Message 2: "Oops, it appears that you're not using MSN Messenger, and so you are not eligible. We'll instead move on to the next contestant. Sorry."
  
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3. Re:What about other clients? by Geek+of+Tech · 2003-07-18 09:01 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  Do you have any idea how funny it would be if someone with a linux box with an msn client (like gaim or amsn) won $1000 from Microsoft?
  Oh well, at least I though it was funny..........
  
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4. Re:What about other clients? by MikeXpop · 2003-07-18 09:20 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  Johney: Yay! So Microsoft, where's my money?
  
  Microsoft: Here Johney, we noticed you don't have windows. So, our gift to you: 50 brand new copies of XP Professional! At $200 a copy, that equals $1000!
  
  Johney: Oh. What a rip off. Stupid Microsoft...
  
  IRS: Johney, our records show that you recieved a prize totaling $1000. You owe us $80 now.
  
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5. Re:What about other clients? by operagost · 2003-07-18 09:24 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  Then Johnny goes to eBay ...
  
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6. Re:What about other clients? by micromoog · 2003-07-18 09:33 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  So, our gift to you: 50 brand new copies of XP Professional! At $200 a copy, that equals $1000!
  Then Johnny learns math.
And in a related story, by stratjakt · 2003-07-18 07:56 · Score: 5, Funny

RMS is giving out handjobs to all GNU/linux users.

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1. Re:And in a related story, by Mr.+Bad+Example · 2003-07-18 08:13 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  RMS is giving out handjobs to all GNU/linux users.
  
  That's GNU/handjobs, you insensitive clod!
This will tide me over by koan · 2003-07-18 07:56 · Score: 4, Funny

Till the Liberian banks pay off

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Pfft! by Pinguu · 2003-07-18 07:57 · Score: 4, Funny

'You've won $1000 in the MSN Messenger giveaway, just go this website and enter your SS# and credit card info for verification.'
Fusking spam again! *delete*

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1. Re:Pfft! by mblase · 2003-07-18 09:29 · Score: 4, Insightful
  
  I'm more worried about the opposite effect -- someone out there is going to start IMing random users, telling them to visit a Microsoft-looking web page and enter their login and passwords (along with some other identifying information) to receive their prize. Odds are they'll hit just enough suckers who've actually entered the contest (and a few who haven't) to get a $@!%load of stolen accounts.
  
  Of course, people have been doing this anyways without Microsoft's help -- or AOL's, or Yahoo's. So maybe I'm making something out of nothing here.
$1000? by Quasar1999 · 2003-07-18 07:58 · Score: 5, Funny

Do I have to use their client? Or will Trillian still suffice? ;)

Seriously though, what the hell is with giving away money for using their network? I mean they already get to keep ANY and ALL IP that is transmitted over MSN Messenger, why would they need to get people to use their servers instead of .... Oh shit... now I get it... [ Frantically uninstalls MSN from system ]

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No Purchase Necessary? by Thoguth · 2003-07-18 07:59 · Score: 5, Interesting

Most giveaways are explicitly required to have rules that allow people to be eligible to win without purchasing a product. If such a rule applies to this contest, they'll have to have a way for people to enter without purchasing Windows, won't they?

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1. Re:No Purchase Necessary? by Odin's+Raven · 2003-07-18 08:19 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  Most giveaways are explicitly required to have rules that allow people to be eligible to win without purchasing a product. If such a rule applies to this contest, they'll have to have a way for people to enter without purchasing Windows, won't they?
  But doesn't everyone get a copy of Windows when they buy their computer? After all, only evil vendors catering to software pirates would sell computers without Windows.
  Or at least that's what I learned from Microsoft's OEM section a couple of years ago when they talked about the evils of "Naked PCs".
  (For those who don't remember the "Naked PC" campaign, you'll have to go to the Wayback Machine to find a copy of Microsoft's page -- Microsoft removed it from their OEM area after this PR campaign failed.)
  
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Even identity theft... by slide-rule · 2003-07-18 07:59 · Score: 5, Funny

... is better with the butterfly. Who knew? ;)
ROFL!!! by cavemanf16 · 2003-07-18 08:01 · Score: 5, Funny

This story should have been submitted with the 'foot' icon! I would have to have gone crazy to do all of the following:

1) Use Microsoft Messenger
2) Trust an anonymous source IM'ing me with a "You just won $1000! Please go to http://www.microsoft.messenger.winner.com/ to claim it! (We must have all your info to claim the prize, btw)"
3) Actually follow said spam message to the site (We all know that just clicking on a malicious website and letting ActiveX controls and other such nonsense run in the background in IE is BEGGING for a complete computer hijacking)

Oh wait, Microsoft must be testing out a new business plan:

10 Spam
20 Collect more email addresses
30 Spam some more!
40 ?
50 GOTO 40
60 Profit!
What else is new? by Petronius · 2003-07-18 08:03 · Score: 5, Funny

Drug dealer gives away free samples at street corner. News at 11.

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1. Re:What else is new? by TheRaven64 · 2003-07-18 10:16 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  Seriously. I'm pretty sure that's just a wives tale, part of all the scary stories they tell 6th graders about drug users. I never get offered free dope on the streets.
  I agree. There are a lot of drug dealers about, and if you could get a free sample from each one then this would keep you drugged up for a long time...
  
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Even if you follow the parent, you're not eligible by TrekkieGod · 2003-07-18 08:14 · Score: 5, Funny

LOL OMG HAHAHA ROTFL LOLOL OMG U SO FUNNY LOLOLOL
Sorry...The promotion applies only to MSN users, not aolers

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Could be illegal in some countries... by the_germ · 2003-07-18 08:15 · Score: 5, Interesting

In Germany a company cannot hold up a lottery where only users of it's product can participate.

So if for example Coca-Cola puts some random numbers on the inside of their bottles and makes some kind of lottery of it, it must provide the same winnning chance to people who just call in though they haven't bougth the product (and not obtained a number).

So Microsoft would need to provide the same chance for getting the bucks to everyone who's using another IM as well.

Don't know how it's handled in other countries, but I think it's like that in many European countries.

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1. Re:Could be illegal in some countries... by satterth · 2003-07-18 08:48 · Score: 4, Informative
  
  Ripped from www.msnmessenger-download.com
  ELIGIBILITY: This sweepstakes is open only to legal residents of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia, 18 years of age or older at the time of entry who have access to a personal computer running Microsoft Windows 98 (or later version) operating system and Internet Access as of July 15, 2003. Void where prohibited by law. Employees of Microsoft Corporation and anyone working directly on Microsoft programs and their respective affiliates, parent companies, subsidiaries, promotion, advertising and promotional agencies and the immediate family members and persons living in the households of each are not eligible to enter.
  
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M$ would have to pay me to use their crap by aardwolf204 · 2003-07-18 08:17 · Score: 5, Funny

I've always said it, Microsoft would have to pay me before I used their crap. Now it looks like they've finally caved.

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Big Prize Giveaway by s20451 · 2003-07-18 08:24 · Score: 5, Funny

I would like to announce that I am giving away $1000 to the first 10 slashdotters who reply to this post. In your reply, please include your credit card number and social security number for verification.

Disclaimer for idiots: This is a joke. Go to http://goatse.cx for the real giveaway.

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I thought so too until ... by pherris · 2003-07-18 08:39 · Score: 4, Informative

I saw this banner ad on this page..
If you go to msn.com, click on "MSN Messenger - New!" on the left column, click on one of the download links and you'll see the ad. BTW, here's the rules. .
The SSN and CC# number comment was meant as a joke. You know, Joe Luser enters the contest (or is told he was automaticly entered), gets an IM from a scammer telling him "just this information please and we'll send you the money". Later he realizes all he got was the wrong end of a plunger.

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