FIGHT BACK : SWEEPSTAKES TACTICS OFTEN BECOME A NO-WIN SITUATION.

Byline: David Horowitz 

Every time I get mail, it seems there is a sweepstakes offer from a magazine sales company. If you get tempted once and enter the contest, even without buying, you can be on a mailing list for eternity.

Some readers have complained that dead family members even get the mailers addressed, or they'll receive mail addressed to ``current resident.'' That way, the company gets more bang for its buck by not having to update its junk mail lists.

Some arrogant sweepstakes companies even get testy and threaten to take recipients off the lists unless they order a magazine. They make it sound like you might be the next megamillion-dollar winner. Others tell you ridiculous things, like you are one of two finalists in the first drawing or some such confusing statement.

Some people fall for it because of the glitzy advertising and the way the mail-order solicitations legally twist the language of these offers in small type mixed with a lot of hype. There's nothing that forces anyone to enter the giveaways, but thoughts of winning a fortune are enough to persuade any non-believer.

Magazine sweepstakes

The megabillion-dollar magazine industry makes its money by selling magazines any way it can sell them to anyone to boost circulation and to ensure higher advertising rates.

Mail-order magazine sweepstakes are extremely competitive. Companies push bigger multimillion-dollar jackpots via radio, television and mail. The money must be given away, or the federal government could put these companies out of business.

The odds in these giveaways are so stacked against winning that contestants have a much better chance buying one state lottery ticket. The magazine hawkers are experts in human nature - they know people will buy a magazine even though, legally, you don't have to order one to ensure a better chance of winning. And if the prize truck doesn't show up at your home, sweepstakes companies supply a list of winners free of charge to those requesting the list and a self-addressed stamped envelope. If you have to do that, the odds are the only thing you'll walk away with is a magazine subscription you don't really need or want.

Car donations

You can't escape the radio and TV ads from charities wanting your old clunker car as a donation. They promise market-value prices and a charitable tax deduction for the vehicle. They'll even pick it up, no matter what condition it's in. Is this a scam?

No. But you need some facts the charities don't tell you in the ads. No matter what the charity says, you are on the hook to establish the real value of the car for the Internal Revenue Service. And you'll need to document it. If it's worth more than $500, it needs to be on IRS form No. 8283 and attached to your tax return.

I suggest that you select a charity that you know or can check out locally and find out how much it estimates the donation is worth. Then, get it in writing as an official receipt. The charity also must be a nonprofit, IRS-approved corporation.

However, you might be better off selling the car privately and then donating the entire proceeds to the charity.

Many groups pick up the old cars and quickly sell them for scrap to a junkyard for $100 or so.

No room at the inn

If you guaranteed your hotel reservations with a credit card and you find you don't have a room when you arrive, most hotels will offer you a free room for the night at a comparable hotel, plus transportation to that hotel and a free long-distance phone call. But this is not mandatory.

If you need help, a good full-service travel agent usually can take care of any problems, even if you're stuck at the airport or searching for a hotel thousands of miles from home. Just make sure to have your travel agent's phone number with you at all times.