Parry Sound man among those falsely told by Tim Hortons that they won a boat

Tim Hortons says human error is to blame for some customers thinking they had won a boat in a recent digital roll up to win contest.

On Wednesday, thousands of customers across Canada received emails telling them they had won a $55,000 boat and trailer, only to get a second email hours later informing them of a technical error.

The initial email from Tims Rewards showed a recap of winnings in the recent digital campaign, and then a congratulatory message with a picture of the boat and trailer.

Cory Attamanchuk of Parry Sound said he was skeptical after the first email -- and annoyed by the second.

“If you’re paying for a piece of software to be developed in a digital infrastructure to create these applications on iPhone and Android and online, then you need to be held accountable for what gives in that software,” Attamanchuk said.

“You are held accountable for the mistakes made by your employees.”

In an email to CTV News, Tim Hortons said their intent was not to mislead anyone.

“We developed a roll-up-to-win recap email message with the best intentions of giving our guests a fun overview of their 2024 play history,” the company said in a statement.

“Unfortunately there was a human error that resulted in some guests receiving some incorrect information in their recap message.”

At least 1,200 people got those emails and they’re now part of a Facebook Group contemplating legal action against Tim Hortons.

“Perhaps maybe even setting a precedent that these companies and corporations have to oblige by in order to promote change in the way digital apps and digital versions of what we always grew up with as analog, need to change,” Attamanchuk said.

Toronto lawyer, Ari Goldkind said there are laws about mistakes and he doesn’t think there’s anything to hold Tim Horton’s accountable for the error.

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“An error happened, our laws really do address for those errors,” Goldkind said.

“Maybe there will be a law firm that wants to take it up because the PR value of it to their name will get them out in the broad media spectrum, but I don’t see any judge or any court saying ‘Hey Tim Hortons, you have to head over to Bass Pro Shop and buy 100,000 boats.”

This isn’t the first time an error has occurred with the digital roll up to win contest.

Last year, a group of players was incorrectly told they won the $10,000 prize. They were offered $50 gift cards as compensation.