GENERAL CONTESTING RULES
STERLING-SCOTT, its subsidiaries and affiliated companies (collectively, the “STERLING-SCOTT ”), will conduct its contests substantially as described in these general contesting rules, and by participating, each participant agrees as follows:
STERLING-SCOTT may from time to time conduct contests concurrently and simultaneously on several platform(s), social media sites and/or other venues not owned by STERLING-SCOTT , and in various States and/or Countries, and STERLING-SCOTT may add or remove participating avenues and/or (any) affiliate platform(s) at any time during a contest(s) without reservation and/or notification. For a list of participating entities for each individual contest, please visit the website of STERLING-SCOTT.
1. Prize(s). The prize(s) that may be awarded to the eligible winner(s) are not transferable, redeemable for cash or exchangeable for any other prize. All prizes must be redeemed from STERLING-SCOTT within thirty (30) days of the contest end date unless otherwise stated in amended contest’s official rules. Certain prizes are date specific (i.e. concerts, trips) and the winner or winners must be available on the dates specified. If a winner cannot be contacted or is disqualified for any reason then STERLING-SCOTT reserves the right to determine an alternate winner and/or not to award that winner’s prize, in its sole discretion.
2. Eligibility and Limitations. Participants and winner(s) must be U.S. residents. The age limit will vary from contest to contest as determined by STERLING-SCOTT, please refer to each contest’s official rules. If the contest is open to minors, a parent or guardian of any participant who is a minor must sign a release on behalf of the minor to be eligible to receive a prize, but STERLING-SCOTT reserves the right to refuse to award a prize to or on behalf of any minor. Unless otherwise stated in the official contest rules, only one (1) entry per person. Only one (1) prize per household for the Contest. Only one (1) prize per household from STERLING-SCOTT within any thirty (30) day period for prizes. Only one (1) prize per household from the STERLING-SCOTT within any one hundred eighty (180) day period for prizes. If the contest involves (any type of) participation by voting for a contest participant on either the STERLING-SCOTT’s website and/or a specific social media platform, then the voting is limited to one (1) vote per person. If a contestant receives multiple and/or irregular votes from the same user or users, regardless of the source, STERLING-SCOTT reserves the right to disqualify the contestant in its sole discretion. Employees of STERLING-SCOTT, the Contest’s participating sponsors and their advertising agencies, employees of social media outlet(s), and members of the immediate family of any such persons are not eligible to participate and win. The term “immediate family” includes spouses, siblings, parents, children, grandparents, and grandchildren, whether as “in-laws,” or by current or past marriage(s), remarriage(s), adoption, co-habitation or other family extension, and any other persons residing at the same household whether or not related.
3. Telephone and Delivery Disclaimer. If a contest is a call in, and/or video (i.e. Skype, Facetime, Friendslife) to win contest and/or a telephone is needed to participate in the Contest, participants are restricted to the use of ordinary telephone equipment. Participants that enable the “Caller ID” block function will not be allowed to participate unless they enter their correct area code and telephone number if prompted, or disable the features inhibiting their participation in the Contest. Participants using equipment not set up for toll free phone exchanges (800, 888, 877, 866, etc.) may experience call connection problems. STERLING-SCOTT disclaims all liability for the inability of a participant to complete or continue a telephone call due to equipment malfunction, busy lines, inadvertent disconnections, acts beyond STERLING-SCOTT ’s control, or otherwise. For all contests STERLING-SCOTT disclaims all liability for any delays, misdelivery, loss, or failure in the delivery of any item sent by mail, courier, express, electronic transmission, or other delivery method. STERLING-SCOTT is not responsible for mechanical, technical, electronic, communications, telephone, computer, hardware or software errors, malfunctions or failures of any kind, including: failed, incomplete, garbled or delayed transmission of online entries, traffic congestion on telephone lines, the Internet or at any website or lost or unavailable network connections which may limit an online entrant's ability to participate in the Contest, and any injury or damage to entrant’s or any other person’s computer related to or resulting from participating in or downloading any information necessary to participate in the Contest. Entry forms in a register-to-win contest must be handwritten. No photocopies or mechanical reproductions of entry forms is permitted.
4. Voting Contests. By participating in the voting portion of any contest, each voting participant agrees to be bound by the official contest rules. Voting is limited to one vote per verified email address. If an entrant receives multiple and/or irregular votes or multiple votes from the same user or users, including but not limited to, votes generated by a robotic, programmed, script, macro, other automated means or other source, STERLING-SCOTT reserves the right to disqualify the entrant in its sole discretion. If the contest includes the use of an internet tool and the internet voting process fails to operate properly or appears to be tampered with or tainted with errors, fraud or unfair practices, STERLING-SCOTT reserves the right to use another means to determine the winner(s), i.e. random selection or appointing a panel of judges. All decisions of the judges are final subject to STERLING-SCOTT’s ruling(s).
5. Publicity; Use of Personal Information. By participating, where allowed by law, all participants and winner(s) grant STERLING-SCOTT exclusive permission to use their names, characters, photographs, voices, video, digital likeness and/or likenesses (of any/all kind) in connection with promotion of this and other contests and waive any claims to royalty, right, or remuneration for such use. By participating in the Contest, where allowed by law, participants agree that STERLING-SCOTT may disclose personal information obtained from participants in the Contest to third parties and use such information for marketing and other purposes.
6. Consumer Created Content. If the entry for the contest includes any creative material from the participant, including but not limited to, consumer created content, by submitting your entry: (1) you agree that your disclosure is gratuitous, unsolicited and without restriction and will not place STERLING-SCOTT or contest sponsors under any fiduciary or other obligation, that STERLING-SCOTT is free to disclose the ideas on a non-confidential basis to anyone or otherwise use the ideas without any additional compensation to you; (2) you acknowledge that, by acceptance of your submission, STERLING-SCOTT and contest sponsors do not waive any rights to use similar or related ideas previously known to sponsor, or developed by their employees, or obtained from sources other than you; (3) you are verifying that you are the owner and producer of the submitted material and that no third party ownership rights exist to any material submitted, and (4) you are hereby granting STERLING-SCOTT and STERLING-SCOTT a perpetual, worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free, sub-licensable (through multiple tiers) right and license to use, publish, reproduce, display, perform, adapt, modify, distribute, have distributed and promote such content in any form, in all media now known or hereinafter created, anywhere in the world and throughout the universe, and/or any/all known and/or unknown platforms now and/or in the future for any purpose.
7. Release. By participating in the Contest, each participant and winner waives any and all claims of liability against STERLING-SCOTT, its employees and agents, the Contest’s sponsors and their respective employees and agents, as well as, the Designer (in all shapes and form), for any personal injury or loss which may occur from the conduct of, or participation in, the Contest, or from the use of any prize. In order to receive a prize, participants must sign an official waiver form provided by STERLING-SCOTT.
8. Taxes. Any valuation of the prize(s) stated above is based on available information provided to STERLING-SCOTT, and the value of any prize awarded to a winner may be reported for tax purposes as required by law. Each winner is solely responsible for reporting and paying any and all applicable taxes related to the prize(s) and paying any expenses associated with any prize which are not specifically provided for in the official rules. Each winner must provide STERLING-SCOTT with valid identification and a valid taxpayer identification number or social security number before any prize will be awarded. Any person winning over $600 in prizes from STERLING-SCOTT may receive an IRS form 1099 at the end of the calendar year and a copy of such form will be filed with the IRS.
9. Conduct and Decisions. By participating in the Contest, participants agree to be bound by the decisions of STERLING-SCOTT and/or the Designer Himself. Persons who violate any rule, gain unfair advantage in participating in the Contest, or obtain winner status using fraudulent means will be disqualified. Unsportsmanlike, disruptive, annoying, harassing or threatening behavior is prohibited. STERLING-SCOTT will interpret these rules and resolve any disputes, conflicting claims or ambiguities concerning the rules or the Contest and STERLING-SCOTT ’s decisions concerning such disputes shall be final. If the conduct or outcome of the Contest is affected by human error, any mechanical malfunctions or failures of any kind, intentional interference or any event beyond the control of the STERLING-SCOTT , STERLING-SCOTT reserves the right to terminate this Contest, or make such other decisions regarding the outcome as STERLING-SCOTT deems appropriate. All decisions will be made by STERLING-SCOTT and are final. STERLING-SCOTT may waive any of these rules in its sole discretion. Any attempt by an entrant or any other individual to deliberately circumvent, disrupt, damage or undermine the legitimate operation of this Contest is a violation of criminal and civil laws. Should such an attempt be made, STERLING-SCOTT reserve the right to seek civil and/or criminal prosecution and/or damages from any such person to the fullest extent permitted by law.
10. Miscellaneous. Void where prohibited. Odds of winning depend upon the number of participants. Each winner must submit proof of eligibility and sign STERLING-SCOTT ’s release form to claim the prize. STERLING-SCOTT may substitute prizes, amend the rules or discontinue the Contest at any time without notice or announcement to that effect, without explanation and/or reason. STERLING-SCOTT disclaims any responsibility to notify participants of any aspect related to the conduct of the Contest. For a copy of the rules, or where required by law, a list of winners, visit the STERLING-SCOTT’s website. All entries become the property of STERLING-SCOTT and will not be returned.
11. Shipping and Handling. Any winner(s) of any/all Contest(s), Promotion(s) and/or Give-away(s), must provide a current e-mail address and agree to be solely responsible for any/all shipping and handling cost. In most cases, STERLING-SCOTT will digitally invoice the winner(s) via Paypal. Furthermore, prize(s) will not ship to the declared winner until such time that any/all invoice(s) are satisfied in full. Winner(s) will have seven (7) calendar days to satisfy issued invoice, failure to do so can/will constitute the voiding of any/all winnings without further notice. All Contestants understand and agree that there are NO REFUNDS and/or CHARGEBACKS in regards to invoiced shipping and handling cost, for any reason.
12. Compliance with Law. The conduct of the Contest is governed by the applicable laws of the United States of America, which take precedence over any rule to the contrary herein. STERLING-SCOTT shall follow the applicable laws for conducting contests, including notice to the state attorney general or consumer affairs office, posting of a prize bond, furnishing lists of winners, running specific on-online disclaimers, providing specific written information about the Contest, etc. as required by local and state law.
13. Applicable. In the event any provision of these Rules shall be invalid, illegal or enforceable in any respect, such a provision shall be considered separate and severable from the remaining provisions of these Rules, and the validity, legality or enforceability of any of the remaining provisions of these Rules shall not be affected of impaired by such provision in any way, and shall be binding and inure to the benefit of the parties and their personal representatives, successors and assigns.
14. General Conditions. By entering the contest, each entrant accepts and agrees to be bound by Official STERLING-SCOTT Internet Contest Rules and by the decision of the either STERLING-SCOTT or the Designer himself which will be final and binding in all respects.