[ISN] ...and now a word from one of our sponsors II

[InfoSec News]

http://attrition.org/news/content/06-06-15.001.html

After a frustrating day at the coke web site (mycokerewards.com which 
leads to another server/domain), I finally got all the FAQs and rules 
to load. Frustrating because the site is poorly written, the pages 
randomly 404, inputing codez or entering the daily contests error out 
frequently. Add to that the codes are not always 100% legible on the 
bottles and boxes.

Anyway, after a little math, I see that this loyalty reward program is 
a complete scam! Here are a few key rules:

http://mcr.us.icoke.com/rules.do

   1. The Program begins at 12:00 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on February
   27, 2006 and is scheduled to end at 12:00 p.m. ET on January 15, 2007

   The Website will indicate whether there is an active Double Points
   period in effect.

   3. Codes can only be used 1 time. Limit: 10 valid codes per
   Account, per day (12:00 p.m. ET through 11:59 a.m. ET). However,
   if an Enrollee enters 20 invalid codes before entering 10 valid
   codes, Enrollee will be unable to enter any more codes for that day.

   Enrollees may not combine codes obtained by others for deposit into
   a single Enrollees account, nor transfer, sell, or otherwise
   dispose of codes in any manner in violation or attempted subversion
   of these Terms and Conditions. Any attempt to combine or transfer
   codes or points will result in disqualification from the Program
   and forfeiture of all points in any Enrollees Account.

   9. Enrollees must save the bottle cap, product packaging, and/or
   promotional item with official code for at least 90 days after the
   date Enrollee redeems an item online, as it may be necessary to
   submit it later for verification.

   3. The Program is provided to individuals only. Corporations,
   associations or other groups may not participate in the Program.

Cliff notes: You alone, not a group/company/assocation must enter the
contest. You have 322 days to input codes, but only 10 codes a day.  
That is 100 points a day max, for 32,220 points total. So the 20,000
point TV and the rewards for 24,000+ seem feasible. Until you see that
you can't combine codes from other people, and must keep the physical
cap/box with the code for 90 days after prize redemption.

In short, they think that a single person can purchase and presumably
consume *2,000* cases of coke in 322 days? If you can drink 74.5 cans
of coke per day, every day, for the entire duration of the contest,
then you have a chance of getting that prize.

Does Coca-cola realize it has implemented a loyalty program that baits
people into participating, but won't actually give out the rewards
because it isn't possible as outlined in the rules? Is this a cheap
gimmick or corporate oversight? I'd like to find out. I'm still aiming
to get codes from the masses.. but now, instead of a nice TV as a
generous reward for eight years of indentured servitude, it is likely
going to be a chance to write a scathing article about corporate lies
and the reality of such loyalty reward programs. If I get 20,000
points (which is only now possible if they carry through with the
'double point' days), will they actually part with said TV? Let's find
out.