Issue Report: Fake Registrations Exploiting ElevenLabs Promo Codes in Shipaton 2025

Hi RevenueCat Team,

I wanted to bring to your attention an issue affecting the Shipaton 2025 hackathon participants. It appears that a significant portion of the registrations—approximately 70%—may be fake accounts created solely to claim the ElevenLabs 3-month promo code included in the Ship Kit, without genuinely participating in the hackathon. This behavior could undermine the integrity of the event and increase administrative overhead.

Details of the issue:

* Multiple fake accounts appear to be created with the sole purpose of redeeming the ElevenLabs promo code.
* Users exploit the registration system to obtain free access without submitting meaningful projects or contributing to the hackathon community.
* This could potentially strain sponsor resources and negatively affect legitimate participants.
* A similar situation was reported at the world’s largest hackathon organized by Bolt, suggesting this is a broader issue in hackathons offering promo-based incentives.

Possible solutions:

1. Delay Promo Code Distribution
* Only issue ElevenLabs codes after participants have submitted an actual project.
* Alternatively, distribute codes at the very end of the hackathon, either:
* Right before the event concludes, or
* On a random date (weekly or monthly) to make it harder for people to exploit timing.
2. Temporarily Stop Sending ElevenLabs Codes
* Suspend distribution of ElevenLabs promo codes for this event.
* This removes the immediate incentive for fake registrations while a better system is worked out.

Implementing either of these measures could help ensure that the Shipaton hackathon remains fair, rewarding genuine participation, and reducing abuse.

Thank you for considering this. Please let me know if further details or examples would be helpful.

Best regards,
Lunutz
lunutzfisaro0542ko@gmail.com