What was a loophole that you found and exploited the hell out of?

L0p on 12/02/2016 - 22:12
Last edited 14/02/2016 - 15:53

Until recently I was using a coupon code for a pizza store which allowed me to get any pizza for $5.
I may be selfish but decided not to post it here for fear of it being canceled.
Until recently where one of the friends I shared this code with shared it with some friend of his who got a job at this pizza place causing the deal to "expire".

So coming to my question: What was a loophole that you found and exploited/are exploiting the hell out of?
It doesn't have to have expired if you wish to keep it a secret like me you may wish to censor the affiliated company.

If you need some inspiration/a good read

https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/44tard/what_was_…

General Discussion

Comments

      • [Deactivated] on 13/02/2016 - 11:24
        +1

        …Yeah!

        They take us home late, or take us to work late… Yet they have the balls to say, "Sorry for the delay, thanks for your cooperation. Full fare thanks."

    • Diji1 on 13/02/2016 - 09:51
      -3

      What the heck has morals got to do with it?

      • ozy on 13/02/2016 - 09:55
        +13

        Whats love got to do with it, got to do with it, got to do with it.

        • Charity on 13/02/2016 - 18:56
          +4

          He's a private dancer, a dancer for money, and any old music will do

      • miarn on 13/02/2016 - 15:18
        +1

        Pretty poor troll mate, you really need to lift your game.

    • Clear on 13/02/2016 - 10:06
      +2

      Most people do it here with the buses. The problem is that there is no signage and the drivers don't tell you that you need to upgrade for certain distances and hops. You're expected to know it already.

      • sellingoutsoon on 15/02/2016 - 13:34
        +2

        Most people do it here with the buses

        I know it was Valentine's Day yesterday…but ewwww

    • MrMcHairyHead on 08/03/2016 - 19:15
      +1

      It is. Public transport should be free.

  • gawky on 13/02/2016 - 09:22
    +38

    Use a non-expired gift credit card with $0 credit on parking ticket machines. Use to accept the card and give maximum allowable ticket time.

    • bargaino on 15/02/2016 - 22:30
      -4

      Errr, that is well beyond fare evasion. It think its actually fraud. Not as bad as stealing, but still criminal.

      • gawky on 16/02/2016 - 10:10
        +8

        Ok.

    • Bluewhisky on 16/02/2016 - 17:19
      +2

      Does this still work?

    • illumination on 17/02/2016 - 19:22

      What's a "gift credit card"? Is that like a woolies gift card or does this refer to something else?

  • muncan on 13/02/2016 - 09:28
    +67

    Bought some Qantas top up points the other day, and the operator asked me to stay on the line to complete a survey. I hung up when the survey started. Saved a minute of my time which I could then spend on OzBargain.

    • massafiri on 13/02/2016 - 19:56
      +8

      There's a special space in hell for people like you. See you there.

    • matt_will_fix_it on 13/02/2016 - 21:29
      +6

      Buying qantas top up points is the opposite of a bargain. They are so expensive.

      • muncan on 13/02/2016 - 21:35
        +9

        Unless purchased for a loophole.

    • Hinee on 17/02/2016 - 15:27
      +1

      I hope you realise that survey is designed purely for KPI's to do with that individual customer service rep. I don't know if I'm just a nice bloke, but if they have legitimately done me well then I'll always spend the ~60 seconds confirming it.

      • paaj on 23/02/2016 - 13:25

        they should then do the survey like iiNet - send you an email after your call and you can reply whenever you want. But the thing that craps me the most is no follow up after a bad review (iiNet usually follows up)

        Note: I don't work for ii

        • koplik8 on 02/03/2016 - 04:30

          I'm sick of those email surveys. Back in the day they use to send you a voucher or something to say thanks when you rated a companies service. Now you get nothing!!
          I've seen a few of the banks saying you could win a $2k voucher. So where do they post the actual winner?

  • That Guy on 13/02/2016 - 09:35
    +43

    When Mars first started the free bars promotion if you looked at the wrapper on the right angle you could see the '!' in the "You've won a free bar!" printed on the inside of the wrapper.

  • kima on 13/02/2016 - 09:37
    +24

    yeah i'm going to share my secret loopholes with you so you can exploit them when you don't share with us.

      • 0p on 13/02/2016 - 16:23
        +8

        As mentioned before you may post the details of a store "anonymously" ie
        -That "big electronics retailer"
        -That online store
        -That burger joint
        -That caravan park
        Etc…

        • BestofOZB on 14/02/2016 - 17:58
          +2

          Then we all try to figure out which caravan park it is….nice game.

        • pointless martyr on 15/02/2016 - 18:04
          +4

          -That "big electronics retailer" - lets just call it D. Smiths
          -That online store - lets just call it x-bay
          -That burger joint - lets just call is hungry x
          -That caravan park - lets just….check mate!

          What about these

          -that pay Tv provider
          -that government owned telco
          -that american video game manufacturer

        • Agret on 16/02/2016 - 20:20

          @pointless comment:

          that american video game manufacturer

          The UPlay $2 game exploit was so good, my UPlay account is full of games thanks to that.

          Sadly I screwed up the EA Origin free game exploit and only got one game. Didn't learn about the add/remove from cart trick to get all of them free until after the promo ended :(

      • revolutio on 18/02/2016 - 01:38
        +1

        Oh youse guys, don't downvote him.

  • IdLikeToBeATree on 13/02/2016 - 09:38
    +18

    I found a loophole/glitch in my internet provider which allowed me to change between plans as many times as I wanted during the month which reset my data used so I basically had unlimited net for about 2-3 months. Then they discovered it and the internet just went back to being unusable. Sad times

  • ozy on 13/02/2016 - 09:54
    +7

    Use AMEX through paypal to pay my phone bill and earn points.
    Also until recently, purchasing EGift Cards using AMEX online to get points then go shopping at woollies a d scan my EDR card to get more AMEX points.

    • Neoika on 13/02/2016 - 14:00

      How do you scan a Woolworths Rewards Card to earn AMEX points?

      • venu on 13/02/2016 - 16:15
        +3

        he's referring to frequent flyer points. Earn by buying a gift card with a FF credit card, then earn again when you spend at woolies and scan your EDR. Wasn't so much of a loophole as it actually stated on woolworths site that this was allowed.

        • Neoika on 13/02/2016 - 16:53
          +4

          I think most people just use $10 off instead of converting to 870 QFF points.Due to the difficulty in accumulating Woolworths dollars,this is hardly worthing doing.

        • ozy on 13/02/2016 - 19:01
          +2

          @Neoika: was good as mentioned until recently when the $10/870QFF was introduced

      • ozy on 13/02/2016 - 18:59

        QFF points, should have mentioned that sorry

        • POWER1 on 14/02/2016 - 21:20
          +1

          I stopped scanning my everyday rewards card since they begging of this with no QFF Points. The new Woolworth system is bad, I used to save more money on the old one.

    • junior_thrift on 14/02/2016 - 13:54

      I stopped using my Commbank credit cards with PayPal once I realised CommBank was treating the transaction as a cash advance. Not sure if this is still the case…

      • bluedufflecoat on 15/02/2016 - 12:00
        +3

        I've got a CBA card now… don't think it's being treated as cash advance. In fact, so far - I've only used the card with paypal because I couldn't remember the PIN.

        • Agret on 16/02/2016 - 20:21

          If you login to net bank you can change the pin to whatever you want

        • bluedufflecoat on 16/02/2016 - 20:41

          @Agret: yeah, worked that out but still haven't used the cards since …

      • ajdlinux on 16/02/2016 - 22:34
        +2

        Never had that problem with my NAB, ANZ or Amex issued cards - that sounds very dodgy on the part of CommBank if true…

  • blingerz on 13/02/2016 - 10:31
    +19

    5-6 years ago, I signed a phone plan with one of the big three service providers when they were offering first three months for free. Got my phone bill and first month was NOT free. Rang up to complain and they adjusted it. But seems like they put it in multiple times or something because I got the subsequent next NINE months for free. Being a poor student at the time, I never told them, but I have stuck with them ever since out of guilt.

    • argonide on 13/02/2016 - 12:40
      +5

      I've had a similar thing, signed up with a plan offering 5 months at half price, also found a code for 3 months free. The first few bills were all negative amounts, and then after 6 months the three months free repeated.

    • blighst on 13/02/2016 - 20:18
      +3

      No need to feel guilty. It was there fault and it's not like they're losing money…

      Vodafone makes over A$4 billion in annual revenue
      Optus made A$764 million profit in 2013
      Telstra made A$4.3 billion profit in 2014

      It's more that they're screwing us.

      • BestofOZB on 14/02/2016 - 18:01
        +2

        Vodafone paid ZERO tax in 2014.
        Oh yeah and QANTS and Virgin too.
        And the the government was talking about GST!

        • ronnknee on 15/02/2016 - 13:20
          +2

          They couldn't get taxed when they weren't making money…

        • BestofOZB on 15/02/2016 - 17:02

          @ronnknee: and you really believe they were not making money!

        • ronnknee on 15/02/2016 - 19:34
          +3

          @BestofOZB: Well are you suggesting that they have been falsifying their earnings?

        • BestofOZB on 15/02/2016 - 22:03
          +1

          @ronnknee:

          Are you seriously asking?

          Clive Palmer "donated" millions from his business to his party before the said business go broke! What losing business has milliins in spare to donate? They ALL do it.

          If Vodafone, or any business, is not making money, they would not be doing business anymore!

        • ronnknee on 16/02/2016 - 09:06

          @BestofOZB:

          These businesses ain't your local mom-and-pop shops. They think long term and have a lot of capital/reserve to survive. It's not like they're gonna shut down because they've had a few bad years.

          Falsifying their earnings is illegal. If you have any solid evidence, I suggest that you go take it up to the authorities. The theory "the business is still alive therefore they didn't actually lose money and are evading tax" just doesn't buy it.

        • BestofOZB on 16/02/2016 - 09:33
          -2

          @ronnknee:I am sorry but you are too naiive.

        • ronnknee on 16/02/2016 - 10:08

          @BestofOZB: Funny, that's how I think of you as well; and it's "naive".

        • BestofOZB on 16/02/2016 - 12:08

          @ronnknee: you just proved my point

          http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=naiive

        • ronnknee on 16/02/2016 - 13:30

          @BestofOZB: Lol okay, I'm not sure how not knowing Urban Dictionary terms makes me "extra naive". More on the topic, I'm still also not sure what Clive Palmer has anything to do with Vodafone/Virgin/Qantas. If you think they are falsifying their earnings or evading taxes, go do something about it; otherwise you're just repeating misleading newspaper headlines.

        • BestofOZB on 16/02/2016 - 21:08
          -1

          @ronnknee:

          Smarty doesnt even get a joke.

          Naïve….OK happy now guardian of the English language? French I mean sorry.

          On a serious note though, big businesses do legal things to minimise their tax. Donations, "purchases", Australian based online busnisses opening a small headquarter in singapore or dubai to avoid/minimise taxes are just a few examples, other things the average person like me won't know (or not allowd to know).

          It's good that the gov finally started releasing paid taxed by big companies to get some publoc pressure.

          It's just not fair to attack hard working Australians qith GST when the super wealthy get away with billions, that was my point.

          Sorry if I came across offensive in any way.

    • ychen8 on 14/02/2016 - 10:35
      +2

      Don't feel guilty, the number of times that they say they will credit you but never do far exceed giving credit numerous times.

    • [Deactivated] on 13/02/2016 - 11:26
      +7

      Can't tell if serious… but I think that's stealing… or 'borrowing'.

      • pointless martyr on 13/02/2016 - 11:29
        -7

        Its 'honour system' - you just gotta leave it for the next person once you reached your destination

        • [Deactivated] on 13/02/2016 - 12:05
          +4

          Still can't tell if serious.

          You're doing it without permission, and that umbrella, or bicycle, belongs to someone. Ya know??

        • GameChanger on 13/02/2016 - 20:41

          @inose: What if you brought it back next day in same spot?

        • [Deactivated] on 13/02/2016 - 20:58
          +2

          @GameChanger:

          Hmm… Yeah. No you're serious aren't you… You didn't grow up in Australia did you?

          Anyhow, this is normal convention: If it's not yours, you don't touch it without permission from its owner, even it's not being used.

          How would you like it if someone took your car without your permission?

        • GameChanger on 13/02/2016 - 21:21
          -1

          @inose: I have grown up here… Well if I left my keys in my car, it might be an invitation for others to use it?

        • [Deactivated] on 18/02/2016 - 11:12

          @inose: woosh

    • paaj on 23/02/2016 - 13:30

      Also Paramedics don't lock the Ambulance and leave the keys in ignition when they're out saving lives- you could just "borrow" the van and turn it into a tradie van or people mover.

      -end sarcasm.

  • djmatt24 on 13/02/2016 - 10:37
    +12

    Speaking of Amex, one of the best current loopholes would have to be buying gift cards using your Amex while taking advantage of the statement credits.

    And then using the self serve checkouts to use your gift cards to buy the gift cards you actually want.

  • felipe1982 on 13/02/2016 - 10:43
    +3

    2 years ago Wotif didn't allow you to get a hotel room with a credit card. But you could buy yourself a gift certificate with a credit card and then use it to get a hotel room. Saved a few hundred.

    • Pigey on 13/02/2016 - 11:15

      No hotel room with a credit card?

      You mean how to avoid the credit card fee?

    • spackbace on 13/02/2016 - 11:19
      +4

      Yep, that method let you avoid the credit card surcharge :)
      I remember posting that on here lol

      • FutureTech on 15/02/2016 - 00:09

        Yeah but if you decided to obtain a refund, typically that will come in the form of gift cards without the possibility to refund to your credit card, and then you're stuck with some gift card with limited validity and can only be used on this website.

  • Unbranded on 13/02/2016 - 10:55
    +188

    When cereal boxes advertise a 1 in 5 chance (or similar) of having a free toy or gadget inside the box, I just take some boxes around to the fruit and veg section of the supermarket and weigh the boxes on the scales. The heaviest box is guaranteed to have the free prize!

    • John on 13/02/2016 - 11:19
      +3

      Smart!

    • Diji1 on 13/02/2016 - 13:09
      +11

      OK that is genius :D

    • WannabeHermit on 14/02/2016 - 00:59
      +6

      Lol this is what my father does

    • POWER1 on 14/02/2016 - 21:22
      +30

      I did that so many times and remember once we got a box with no gift but an extra 100g of cereal.

      • paaj on 23/02/2016 - 13:31
        +2

        still a win! haha

    • TurkishDelight on 14/02/2016 - 22:03

      ok lad that's brilliant, have to admit.

    • harkoliar on 14/02/2016 - 23:20

      I gotta try this. Brilliant

    • Unbranded on 15/02/2016 - 10:14
      +1

      Works best with digital scales as the free pedometers and the like that Kellogg's often gives away only weigh 20 or 30 grams. Unfortunately Coles has replaced many of the digital scales so I find Woolies a better bet.

  • John on 13/02/2016 - 11:17
    +4

    Before I was with Optus, I regularly buy their $10 Hoyts voucher using my prepaid Optus number from 15 years ago (which I have not used for at least 10 years). They once found out and blocked my account. I just re-sign up with the same number but different email address. They never check your ID :) I'm sure you can do it still

    • b-t on 13/02/2016 - 23:12
      +3

      Does yours still work now? Actually I had been doing that too until they recently changed to "Optus Perks" and my number is now showing as "deactivated" and "You must have an active Optus service to use Optus Perks" :(

      I'm with Telstra now.

      • GeneralZod on 14/02/2016 - 02:02
        +2

        I did the same for 2 years lol. Recently got a new 2$ sim and activated optus perks, all good now :)

      • John on 15/02/2016 - 15:25
        +2

        Tried it and didn't work. They must have found the loophole. But as GeneralZod said, buy a $2 sim and you should be sorted :)

    • andysa on 22/02/2016 - 19:34
      +1

      I didn't even have an Optus account and got the tickets. I looked at the sign up page and read how you need an optus email address in the format of [email protected], spent 5 mins googling for one and then had my very own rewards account a few mins later.

      Too bad they've fixed this now.

  • spackbace on 13/02/2016 - 11:20
    +18

    The 3 months free Netflix with Optus sign ups. Probably not really an exploit, but I bought 2 phones for $29 each, activated each and got 6 months Netflix, and sold each phone for $30 :)
    I think some people on here maxed it to like 2yrs!

    • pointless martyr on 13/02/2016 - 11:28

      Nice one…i also think the presto and stan exploits deserve a mention - i got good value out of my presto "subscription" over the holidays

    • Japius on 13/02/2016 - 16:22

      Yes I ended up with 6 of those $15 ZTE phones just for the Netflix credit

      • stringbean402 on 13/02/2016 - 22:51
        -3

        Yeah i had about 10 of them, kept all the chargers and binned them as i couldn't be bothered selling them. Good deal though…. 30 month USA Netflix subscription credit for $150 and a bunch of free phones and usb chargers.

        • Japius on 14/02/2016 - 00:06
          -2

          I only kept the cables as spares. Threw away everything else. No one wanted the phones. Actually took them to a Telstra store near my office expecting to be able to recycle them but they said they don't do that there. So they became landfill.

        • bluedufflecoat on 15/02/2016 - 12:12
          +2

          @Japius: recycle them at the zoo!

        • yacman on 16/02/2016 - 15:37

          @bluedufflecoat: I think I still have one of the Samsung ones, might throw it up in the forums for $20 if anyone is intrested

    • nickj on 15/02/2016 - 21:56
      +1

      Yeah I did this with 6 phones, and then sold all the phones as a single batch for cash via gumtree to someone who said they hated smartphones. Got back around 85% of what I paid, so nearly free netflix for 18 months, runs out end of 2016.

    • paaj on 23/02/2016 - 13:32

      I got 18 months out of that :) My folks live in Africa so I Ebay unlocked them and sent the phones to my folks. Phones there get stolen every few months.

  • Sertacv2 on 13/02/2016 - 11:26
    +3

    When nandos first released their loyalty program thingo. you could keep creating new accounts with a date of birth for the day. It then gave you a free meal for your birthday (which at the time you can get whatever you want. i got $50 worth) without showing your i.d. Yes you can see where this went.

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