# Is this poetry contest legit? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 13, 2000, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-poetry-contest-legit/41053 "2000-11-13T20:38:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![fish\_in\_the\_sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7ba0ec/32.png) [@fish\_in\_the\_sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fish_in_the_sky)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2000, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-poetry-contest-legit/41053/1 "2000-11-13T20:38:22Z")
Last spring I sent off a few poems to some contest for high school/college students. A few months later I am informed that one of my poems has been accepted, and would I like to purchase the exorbinantly overpriced anthology? Here I start to get the feeling this is a little scammy, but you don’t _have_ to buy the anthology to be accepted, so I think what the heck and okay the publication of my poem. Today I get in the mail an announcment that my poem has won a 3rd place prize–a $25 gift cetificate at a restaurant. Cool, I think. To claim my prize I have to supply my name, address, year in school… and my social security number. That doesn’t seem right; I don’t know why they’d need my SSN. I’m a little leery about giving it out. The name of organization is Dimensions in Education, Live Poets Society. They have a website at [http://www.geocities.com/diet-lps](http://www.geocities.com/diet-lps) So, dopers, is this legit? ---
**Author:** ![andygirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a9adbd/32.png) [@andygirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andygirl)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2000, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-poetry-contest-legit/41053/2 "2000-11-13T23:07:28Z")
Well, I entered one of their contests a year ago, and they haven’t maligned my social security number thus far. Although, IIRC, it was a different branch of the DIET organization that I entered my stuff in… Go to [http://www.fastweb.com](http://www.fastweb.com) or any other scholarship search engine and see if you can find them. If they are there, they’re legit. ---
**Author:** ![missbunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/76d3ee/32.png) [@missbunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missbunny)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2000, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-poetry-contest-legit/41053/3 "2000-11-13T23:12:30Z")
I can’t say if this contest is legit or not, but I also don’t see why they need your SSN. If you give it to them, they now have (along with your name, address, close estimate of age) all sorts of personal information that can be used by unscrupulous persons to feign legitimacy and authority - to make someone think they “know” you. I wouldn’t provide it - sounds very fishy to me. Not that the contest itself might not be for real - I just don’t see why they need your SSN to give you a gift certificate. ---
**Author:** ![wring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2000, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-poetry-contest-legit/41053/4 "2000-11-13T23:12:58Z")
although in general, I don’t give out SS number, if there’s a cash prize involved (or equivalent) they need to be able to notify the IRS. This should not be construed to be a vote of confidence in that particular organization. Contact the BBB in your state. ---
**Author:** ![Beruang](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/77aa72/32.png) [@Beruang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beruang)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2000, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-poetry-contest-legit/41053/5 "2000-11-15T04:17:38Z")
A lot of these things are borderline “vanity press.” Basically everyone who enters the “contest” wins and is published, and they make their money off the orders. (They don’t print the volume until they get enough orders.) I’ve never heard of awarding a gift certificate or asking for your SSN, though. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2000, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-poetry-contest-legit/41053/6 "2000-11-15T04:22:40Z")
First, only those “winners” who pay up will ever get the book. You could save the money by posting it on the web yourself, and more people would see it, guaranteed. Second, they make the price of the gift up by the money you pay for the book(far overpriced) and by selling your name _and_ your ssn to companies over and over again. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2000, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-poetry-contest-legit/41053/7 "2000-11-15T14:51:59Z")
There could be a legit reason to ask for your SSN in order to send out tax information. However, you don’t need to report if the prize is below the minimum value (I think it’s $600). Of course, one has to wonder about the legitimacy of an organization that has to set up a free website at Geocities instead of getting their own domain. (BTW, they have a winner’s list on your web page. Which is yours?) However, I doubt this is an out-and-out scam (they’re not going to take out credit cards or forge ID), though it’s likely they will use your SSN to sell the information to marketers. If there’s a way of contacting the company, ask. And, if you want to be sneaky, they probably have no way of checking if the SSN you give them is actually yours. Can you say “random numbers.” 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![fish\_in\_the\_sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7ba0ec/32.png) [@fish\_in\_the\_sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fish_in_the_sky)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2000, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-poetry-contest-legit/41053/8 "2000-11-16T02:47:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Beruang \* > \*\*A lot of these things are borderline “vanity press.” Basically everyone who enters the “contest” wins and is published, and they make their money off the orders. (They don’t print the volume until they get enough orders.) > \*\* > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by slythe \* > \*\* First, only those “winners” who pay up will ever get the book. You could save the money by posting it on the web yourself, and more people would see it, guaranteed. Second, they make the price of the gift up by the money you pay for the book(far overpriced) and by selling your name and your ssn to companies over and over again. > \*\* Yeah, I figure that much of it was a scam. I have no intention of buying the book. But if they want to give me a gift certificate I’m not going to object. 🙂 I e-mailed them anout the SSN thing, but no reply yet. > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by RealityChuck \* > \*\*(BTW, they have a winner’s list on your web page. Which is yours?) > \*\* None are. They only list the high school winners, and I “won” the college contest. > [@](#): > > \*\*And, if you want to be sneaky, they probably have no way of checking if the SSN you give them is actually yours. Can you say “random numbers.” > \*\* Sounds like a plan! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2000, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-poetry-contest-legit/41053/9 "2000-11-16T04:12:28Z")
They do not need your SSN to pay you an amount less than $600, although many companies require some kind of taxpayer ID for any payment to a non-incorporated entity. You _are_ required to report that income; they will report it as well, they’re just not required to have your taxpayer ID (i.e., they’re not required to send you a 1099) for that amount. As far as republishing it yourself, check the contest rules and see if you might not have given them rights to the work by submittal. ---
**Author:** ![Nurlman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Nurlman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nurlman)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2000, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-poetry-contest-legit/41053/10 "2000-11-16T13:42:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Lunatic13 \* > **A few months later I am informed that one of my poems has been accepted, and would I like to purchase the exorbinantly overpriced anthology? Here I start to get the feeling this is a little scammy, but you don’t _have_ to buy the anthology to be accepted, so I think what the heck and okay the publication of my poem.** Obligatory Dave Barry [link](http://wind.wind.org/D-Barry.htm). > [@](#): > > **The name of organization is Dimensions in Education, Live Poets Society.** You’re lucky you’ve still got a pulse. I hear the competition in the Dead Poets Society is pretty stiff!