'I won £18k in online prize draw - but haven't seen a penny'

Dafydd Bayliss's Monday morning blues cleared instantly when he found out he had won either a BMW M3 or £18,000 in an online competition.

The 31-year-old had been taking part in prize draws with Level Up Giveaways for three years, but this was his first win.

A first-time buyer close to completing his house purchase, he opted for the cash with a view to using it for a new kitchen and bathroom.

"I was over the moon," he said.

But his joy was short-lived. The HGV driver should have received his money in the days afterwards. Three months on, he's not been paid a penny.

The company's responses to his requests for payment have dried up too.

Mr Bayliss is one of several people the BBC has spoken to who say they have been left in the dark by Level Up Giveaways.

The competitions company, from Sowerby Bridge in West Yorkshire, has seemingly stopped paying out prizes totalling tens of thousands of pounds.

After the story was published, the firm's director Anton Hall told the BBC he had "nothing to hide", adding: "I'm just someone who tried and did do good whose business has failed unfortunately."

He said: "As for a message for those not paid up tll now, I'll do everything in my power to make sure they are, it may just take a while."

Mr Hall said that he had been dealing with a lot personally and professionally.

The firm's website, which offered prize draw competitions including sports cars, luxury watches and even gold, stopped working about 10 days before Christmas.

The firm also offered a free entry system where would-be winners could post an entry to an address in Halifax, West Yorkshire.

Mr Bayliss, from Blackwood in Caerphilly county, south Wales, bought five 99p online entries for a draw on 15 September.

He said he spoke to Mr Hall, 35, over the phone the day after his win.

He remembered Mr Hall being "happy I took the cash" and confirming the money would be in his bank account within two to three days.

But nothing arrived.

Mr Bayliss sent numerous messages in the weeks that followed and received the occasional explanation from Mr Hall, but has not received payment.

"I have kind of given up," said Mr Bayliss.

"It was the first time I'd won and it was typical that he stopped paying everyone.

"I have just gone numb to it. I have probably got a 5% chance of getting the money."

Mr Bayliss said he had not heard from Mr Hall since 1 November, when he told him his bank accounts were "on hold".

After the BBC published this story, Robbie Savage, of Devon-based competition operator Rev Comps, said he wanted to rectify Mr Bayliss's situation.

Mr Savage's company, which has no link to the original claims, donated £18,000 to Mr Bayliss to ensure a "happy ending".

Mr Savage said his firm would work with others in the new year on "spearheading some sort of regulation" for the prize industry.

Mr Bayliss' mum Tina reported Level Up Giveaways to Trading Standards and Action Fraud, the national reporting centre for fraud and cybercrime in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Mrs Bayliss said she believed her son's case was "just the tip of the iceberg".

"He's taking your money and not paying up - it's like having the rug pulled out from your feet.

"I just feel really aggrieved someone is allowed to do that."

Insurance broker Scott Boyle, from Wakefield, won £1,200 in a Level Up Giveaways competition in May, to be paid to him over 12 months.

He received five months' worth of payments, but they stopped in October.

Although the company was usually "really responsive", he has not heard from them since October, despite sending numerous messages.

"It's disgusting," he said.

"A lot of people have won huge amounts of money. If I won that sort of money I would be absolutely devastated."

Meanwhile, Manchester-based Phill Harkins has been waiting for a 20g gold bar he won in a Level Up Giveaways prize draw since 18 October.

"Something needs to be done about it because you can't treat people like this," he said.

Mark McCorry, a restaurant manager from Belfast, won £600 cash in a draw on 9 October.

The 36-year-old father-of-one had previously met people who had won cars in Mr Hall's competitions, leading him to believe the business owner to be "trustworthy".

He said the experience with Level Up Giveaways had left him "gutted".

A spokesperson for Trading Standards West Yorkshire told the BBC they had received seven complaints about Level Up Giveaways relating to prize draws, including unpaid winnings, since 2022.

The spokesperson said due to "limited resources" the company was not being investigated.

A West Yorkshire Police spokesperson said they were not allowed to comment on inquiries relating to named individuals.

According to Companies House, Level Up Giveaways was set up in March 2019.

Its social media pages boast of creating more than 5,000 winners and awarding £5m in prizes.

Previously happy customers have left stories of winning life-changing sums on the review website Trustpilot but some recent reviews are less glowing

In a video update posted on social media on 6 December, Mr Hall said he "had to take time out".

"I was just absolutely drained with personal life and issues that are going on with the business," he continued.

Mr Hall said he was "still trying to fix Level Up Giveaways" and added: "I do intend to come back to doing draws in the near future."

"I'm just going to stay in my lane with the smaller prizes. I tried to run wild with extravagant competitions. I'm just not in a position to be able to do that.

Mr Hall apologised for a "lack of communication", but did not say if, or when, people might receive their prizes.

Despite promising to contact those chasing him "as soon as possible" in his most recent update, none of the people the BBC has spoken to have heard from Mr Hall.

"He hasn't said what's actually going on, it's more just like smoke and mirrors," said Mr Bayliss.

Asked if he had a message for Mr Hall, Mr Boyle said: "Pay what people are owed and have paid to win in good faith."

If you have been affected by Level Up Giveaways, you can email your experiences to [email protected].

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