Abhimanyu Bind (Account & Audit Assistant) 30 June 2016

Issues with reward scheme running by times news network

Hello experts,

Times News Network (indiatimes.com) is running reward scheme for doing various activities on their group website. They allot points through a seprate website named Times Points and after a certain level one can redeem the points for gifts, which is provided through shopping.indiatimes.com, the activity is running from 3-4 years.

I'm also a reader and contributor on various group websites of the above network and for contribution I got allotted points, after a cetain level I redeemed it for gift but instead of sending gift they blocked my account by allegging that I've registered many accounts on their website and have misused the accounts to earn points to redeem gifts, so my all points have been forfieted and I'd not get any points in future as well.

Here I provided clarification which I already have been provided them before their mail mentiong reason of above mentioned act:

"I already have mentioned you in above mail that I've 2 active accounts on your website that I use. YOU SHOULD UNDERSTAND THAT HAVING 2 ACCOUNTS DOES NOT ALWAYS MEANS MISUSE, OR IF YOU ARE CLAIMING SO, THEN PLEASE PROVIDE PROOF OF MISUSE.

HERE I REPEAT THE REASONS OF HAVING 2 ACCOUNTS,

1) Abhimanyunbtcomment@gmail.com - It is for regular access.

2) abhimanyubind@gmail.com - It is mainly for writing blogs because I could not get registration in blog section on above 1st account which was primarily registered by following account in past abhimanyu.bind@indiatimes.com

(this mail id was disabled later on due to deactivation of your e-mail services.)

Later on I applied for blog writing through my first registered account i.e abhimanyu.bind@indiatimes.com which could not get register due to technical issue and that's from your side, so I applied from using second id i.e. abhimanyubind@gmail.com

I also requested in past to Navbharattimes.com (group website) Team to disable my 1 account but they could not do that again due to technical reasons."

So, 2 accounts opened due to problamtic situation and not for taking any undue benefit, (I also have communication records about my 2 accounts which I've done in past with their group weebsite.)

I asked them to show if I've misused above accounts even a single time, but I did not receive any reply from their side.

1) I request you to suggest proper course of action for above situation, I am sure I've not misused their website for any reason.

Does it fall under anti competitive practice and can a complaint be filled to CCI because they are using reward system to gain viwership and readers on their website when no other media site is doing such practices?