Help! Is this a scam?!

I've never heard of this. Did you contact weddingwire? Regardless they shouldn't need your SSN... be very careful. People are a-holes and they try to ruin happiness.

NO! Do not do it. Scam!

I wouldn't do it. No way.

It seems extremely fishy, and I wouldn't give over your SSN.

What was the email address that you got the email from? Have you contacted WW asking about it? WW wouldn't be scamming you, however I'd worry that it was some sort of phishing attempt.

Read the term and conditions from the email that confirmed your submission

I would check with wedding wire. I do know with some things you do because you have to pay taxes for it and they have to report it on their taxes.

http://contests.about.com/od/winningsweepstakes/qt/notsignsofscam.htm this explains winnings and contests asking for our social.

For them to ask for her ss number up front before they even discuss anything with her its a scam and tend to one if she looks closely at the email address it is not a wedding wire email address.

I was thinking the same thing as Misty regarding taxes. I'd definitely make sure that the email was legit before handing over any of that information.

Not exactly @the future mrs drakthal the terms say here exactly what they would do and yes it would of been in the affidavit. I would still contact WW (not demertios) since WW is the one holding the contest.

http://mktg.weddingwire.com/contests/thegreatgowngiveaway/TCs.html - terms of the contest it says she does have to send the affidavit first AND she will be paying taxes on it.

My son won an all expense paid trip to NYC through Build-a-Bear and the do need your SSN because they charge you taxes on the amount.

But you should be able to Google the marketing company who is sponsoring the contest and figure out if it is legit.

Before I handed over the necessary information I confirmed with the marketing company that it was legit. Also read the terms and conditions of the contest and determined it was actually legit.

ETA: Try emailing: promotions@weddingwire.com to see if you are the actual winner.

Also, where are these contests listed and how do I enter?

I would definitely contact weddingwire first! But I hope it's not a scam and that you actually won!

Ok taxes is what I do for a living. There is a specefic form for them to get your social security number etc. A legitimate contest would be telling her other things not asking for her social security number on the first email. They should be telling her what she won and how she can collect it, and then the subject of "oh and we need you to fill out this tax form should come up" they should not be asking her to email them back with her social security number.

Also she has already stated that she did not enter any contest so all together now can we say "SCAM"!

Future Mrs D - the OP says she did enter the contest and she isn't saying they are asking for her to send it to them in the original email - she is saying there is an affidavit to be filled out which includes her SSN.

I went through the exact same process when my son won a trip to NYC - they tell you the prize, the give you a deadline to claim it and then they have you fill out the forms.

I would say she needs to contact WW to confirm if she is indeed the winner.

Contact Wedding wire, not from the email they sent it from and not from replying from it. New email to them using the address posted on here.

Hope for you that you did win something. But never give info without confirming who it is.

Good luck.

Ooops sorry I misread it that makes a huge difference. I would say contact wedding wire then. And I would be asking for more information before you agree to accept the prize. (Oh and fyi that will be other income so realize that you need to look at your effective tax rate for last year and put aside cash in the amount of that percentage of $2,000 to cover the federal tax and whatever percentage your state tax is as well). Cannot believe the number of people that a couple thousand dollar winnings causes problems come tax season!

I've done quite a bit of research in trying to verify that I am not turning over my information over to a fraud. The email came from a woman with an e-mail address with her firstname@weddingwire.com and her title is Marketing Operations Manager. She even included a phone number with an extension. I have called the phone number a few times with and without the extension and there is always a prerecorded message and I can't get a live person on the phone. There was one red flag, her voicemail said she would be out of the office until Thursday December 27th (which is 2012).

I responded to the e-mail asking her to call me and she responded saying she would, but I never received a call. I have e-mailed & left voicemails for WW attempting to verify the person who I received the e-mail from & to verify that I really won, but no one has gotten back to me.

The e-mail deadline is Monday Evening so hopefully I can figure this out before then, I would hate to miss this opportunity.

Good job doing your research before jumping on it which must be tempting or been tempting maybe you could google her name and her title and number see what you come up with?? But the vm is a red flag! And not getting any phone calls when told.

I've googled the sweepstakes title and haven't been able to find anything saying it's a scam. I did locate the WW phone number through the BBB website and it's the same as the one in the e-mail saying I'd won and the extension in the e-mail takes me to the VM of a woman whose name matches the e-mail.

It sounds like just bad customer service to me. I know this email is on the site of the terms and conditions for the contest promotions@weddingwire.com With everything matching it sounds like someone doesn't keep up with their phone messages. I hope you can find something out soon. I don't blame you though for the hesitation.

Where is Leeor when we need her?!?!? I think it is a scam. They would have taken down the contest by now and honestly I doubt they would ask for SSN before talking to you about how everything works. {LEEOR WE NEED YOU}