[PSA] Beware of the quirks of the current round of the Tesla Referral Program (till April 30, 2018)

[Tesl@ Bargain]

1. Only the FIRST to use a referral code in this round of the referral program will receive the credit toward service or accessories. A clever step by Tesla, because that way there is just no point at all that the same referral code is used more than once.
2. There will be NO credit if the order is placed on the "Other Europe" version of the Tesla website (locale /en-EU). This may be a mistake by Tesla, but it definitely says "Free Unlimited Supercharging and a € 0 Credit" and no mention of the credit in the design studio, so I would avoid placing an order using that version of the website.
3. If you place an order in Macau, you still get the full HK$8,800 credit (equivalent of US$1,000) toward a new Model S or X, so that one is not just an account credit toward service or accessories, but gets deducted from the purchase price, as it was till last year all around the globe.
4. The Tesla website does not tell that the one subscribing to the Tesla Newsletter will get a chance to race the semi truck together with the owner of the used referral code, but that each individually gets a chance. Seeing in the Leaderboard that someone has already 1200 entries on the present day it would not be possible otherwise.

 

[Tesl@ Bargain]

Addition to #4 about the Tesla Newsletter Subscriptions: There will be weekly drawings, so the one with the most entries is not automatically a winner.

 

[HankLloydRight]

It's kinda strange actually with the leaderboard. Like you said, the person with the most newsletter signups isn't guaranteed to win the Semi race each week. And the people with the most signups are the same people who get lots of referrals and already have the secret levels unlocked, so if they get 5 more referrals (highly likely), they're going to get the Semi race anyway. So why bother collecting thousands of email addresses for the newsletter, when next week, they all get reset to zero anyway?

If they were smart about it, they would spread out those signups over the course of each week and not all at once so they have lots of entries in each week's drawing. I don't suspect those people in the top 10 right now can generate that many new signups each week, unless they are spoofing the system and submitting hundreds or thousands of fake email addresses (very easy to do).

 

[Tesl@ Bargain]

@HankLloydRight I guess it's not that clear right now what will happen on February 8, so if the entries are reset or not, though it would not make much sense to keep just adding to already drawn entries week after week. The huge number of entries in the top 10 of the leaderboard can only either be the result of everybody trying to be first or with a little help of fake subscriptions (that one even number 1200 looks quite suspicious). We'll see what will happen after the first drawing.

Using fake subscriptions and generally having such a large number of subscriptions on your referral account is a pretty bad idea, because it will totally mess up the Your Vehicle Referrals page in the app, which lists the referred contacts at the bottom.

 

[Tesl@ Bargain]

@HankLloydRight that one is clearly overdoing it with his fake newsletter signup, he is now already approaching 6000 entries.

 

[bonnie]

@HankLloydRight that one is clearly overdoing it with his fake newsletter signup, he is now already approaching 6000 entries.

I'm surprised that Tesla doesn't require a verification step in the email signup process (i.e., send an email to the address and require a click to confirm it's a real account). That would slow down any fraudulent activity.

I've hit the required number of referrals to race the semi, but still boosting it on social media so that friends have a chance to participate, too.

 

[HankLloydRight]

I've hit the required number of referrals to race the semi, but still boosting it on social media so that friends have a chance to participate, too.

So you already have 5 more referrals since the next Secret Level was announced a few days ago? Wow.

If so, does your referral link still have the $500 service credit? That would support my assertion that everyone gets the US$500 credit, and not just the "first" referral.

I'm surprised that Tesla doesn't require a verification step in the email signup process (i.e., send an email to the address and require a click to confirm it's a real account). That would slow down any fraudulent activity.

I agree, the leaderboard is getting out of hand and clearly some of the top ones are spoofing the system (maybe not Ben or Bjorn.. but the rest look suspicious to me).

 

[bonnie]

So you already have 5 more referrals since the next Secret Level was announced a few days ago? Wow.

If so, does your referral link still have the $500 service credit? That would support my assertion that everyone gets the US$500 credit, and not just the "first" referral.




I agree, the leaderboard is getting out of hand and clearly some of the top ones are spoofing the system (maybe not Ben or Bjorn.. but the rest look suspicious to me).

Twenty-five referrals are needed for the next secret level. I came into the new program with 27, so pre-qualified. I haven't gotten a referral yet under the new program. I wish I'd gotten 5 in that short of time!

 

[HankLloydRight]

Twenty-five referrals are needed for the next secret level. I came into the new program with 27, so pre-qualified. I haven't gotten a referral yet under the new program. I wish I'd gotten 5 in that short of time!

Huh.. I didn't know it worked that way. I thought it was 5 more referrals from where we are now. If that's the case, nearly everyone on the semi newsletter leaderboard already qualifies.

 

[bonnie]

Huh.. I didn't know it worked that way. I thought it was 5 more referrals from where we are now. If that's the case, nearly everyone on the semi newsletter leaderboard already qualifies.

I'll verify.

 

[MorrisonHiker]

Huh.. I didn't know it worked that way. I thought it was 5 more referrals from where we are now. If that's the case, nearly everyone on the semi newsletter leaderboard already qualifies.

I think that those who have completed Secret Level 4 would already get it since that is the level 4 prize.

The numbers on that leaderboard are for newsletter sign-ups, not referrals. They will choose additional people from this leaderboard (randomly) and allow them to drive the semi as well...without having to get all 25 referrals to complete level 4. The entries increase odds of winning but that doesn't mean those with say 9045 entries will win. Someone with 1 entry could be randomly selected.

At least that's how I understood it...

 

[HankLloydRight]

Yeah I know those are newsletter sign ups. That's why I said newsletter leaderboard. Like anyone has 6000 referrals.

I'm just saying most everyone on that list already has more than 25 referrals so "winning" the weekly newsletter contest is redundant.

 

[MorrisonHiker]

Yeah I know those are newsletter sign ups. That's why I said newsletter leaderboard. Like anyone has 6000 referrals.

I'm just saying most everyone on that list already has more than 25 referrals so "winning" the weekly newsletter contest is redundant.

He's up to over 9045 newsletter sign-ups last I checked.

There are lots of people with NO referrals and they still have a chance and are listed in the semi leaderboard. Yes, the ones in the first few places probably have over 25 referrals already but there are 49 other names on the list.

 

[HankLloydRight]

The thing is, the secret level clearly says: "Refer 5 MORE friends to race the semi".

If everyone with 25+ referrals already won that prize, it doesn't yet show up in "My Awards"

 

[bonnie]

The thing is, the secret level clearly says: "Refer 5 MORE friends to race the semi".

If everyone with 25+ referrals already won that prize, it doesn't yet show up in "My Awards"

In the last program, I consistently had enough for the next secret level ... but when each was announced, it said 'refer 5 more friends'. And it took a few weeks to show up on my rewards list. So based on past behavior, I don't think it will work differently.

If it DID work the way you're suggesting, they'd then have to keep track of how many referrals each person had when this new round started. That would be a pain for everyone.

 

[HankLloydRight]

There are lots of people with NO referrals and they still have a chance and are listed in the semi leaderboard. Yes, the ones in the first few places probably have over 25 referrals already but there are 49 other names on the list.

I'm clearly not talking about other people with few or no referrals. Obviously the newsletter contest gives them a fair chance to win with no referrals.

It just seems silly to me that the other people either with 25+ referrals or the ability to get five more easily in three months ( however level 4 works) even bother with the newsletter contest. It also greatly reduces the chances of those people to win the weekly contest if 95% of the entries are by these high referral folks.

 

[bonnie]

I'm clearly not talking about other people with few or no referrals. Obviously the newsletter contest gives them a fair chance to win with no referrals.

It just seems silly to me that the other people either with 25+ referrals or the ability to get five more easily in three months ( however level 4 works) even bother with the newsletter contest. It also greatly reduces the chances of those people to win the weekly contest if 95% of the entries are by these high referral folks.

I bothered because I want my friends and family to have a chance. So I let people know. But I'm obviously not trying to obtain a spot for myself.

 

[HankLloydRight]

Sure that makes sense.. but people with hundred or thousands of signups? Seems like that falls into a different category.

And apparently according to Bjorn, people can sign up over and over again using different referral codes. I wonder if Tesla will remove all dupes?

 

[bonnie]

(@HankLloydRight, et al)

Confirmed. Level 4 is attained when you have 25 referrals. Not '5 more' than what you had when this round began on 2/1. Emails below.

My email:

Response from head of the referral program:

 

[HankLloydRight]

Awesome news. Thank you for verifying.