Locating free offers online can be very exciting, and for many individuals, the hunt for freebies is as fun as actually enjoying the free products themselves. There is a dark side to freebie offers, however. Many fraud artists have come to realize that acting like to offer free things is a great way to fool people into handing over delicate information about them than can be used in identity theft operations or even con them out of cold, hard cash.
That's why it is so important to know how to stay safe from predators when looking for free stuff online. There are some things you can do to make sure you freebie hunting only brings you first-rate items; these ordinary sense rules are a good place to start.
Let me repeat that age old saying - if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. The reason you have heard it so many times is that it almost always comes out that way. Think about the motive that businesses give away free things. Businesses aren't doing it to lose money. They want you try to their products in the hope that you will come back to them as a paying customer in the future, and they're doing it to build good will for their company over all. They're positively not doing it go in debt.
So think about if the free offer you just saw now makes sense. Does it make sense that a business will give you a free bag of their new flavor of chips or a sample size jar of their new face cream? Obviously, because if you like it, you may purchase these products in the future. Does it make sense that a company will give you an all benefits paid, two-week first class trip to Bali for you and ten of your friends? Not so much. So don't waste time on free offers that look too good to be true.
By the same standard, the more eccentric an offer sounds, the more you have to be on the lookout for the small print. Clearly, maybe the hotel chain is willing to give you a free staycation in their beachfront hotel. The details in the offer might say that you have to settle to spend 10 hours a day at a sales seminar or that the free weekend is yours after you pay for a two week stay. One actual airline ran an offer for a free coach class airplane ticket from New York to London. The small print said you had to buy two, full price first class tickets on that same route before you could get the free one at a cost of around $8,000 per ticket. Before you jump, make sure you get all of the specifics.
Free offers that in point of fact require you to shell out some money are signs of a con. Sometimes they are real, after all, if you are used to paying full price first class airfare, a free coach class ticket can be a real score. But mostly, paying for something to get something else for free means you're about to get conned. You should never send money, even for postage, to a company that you don't know. Also, keep an eye on the costs for things like postage even if you do know the company name. If they're asking for $25 for postage to send you a free periodical, then you know something is up.
Lastly, beware giving out too much private information. There is no logical reason that company would need your bank account number. Protect your personal info and if you're unsure, move on to the next freebie offer.
by: Brice Hubbard
That's why it is so important to know how to stay safe from predators when looking for free stuff online. There are some things you can do to make sure you freebie hunting only brings you first-rate items; these ordinary sense rules are a good place to start.
Let me repeat that age old saying - if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. The reason you have heard it so many times is that it almost always comes out that way. Think about the motive that businesses give away free things. Businesses aren't doing it to lose money. They want you try to their products in the hope that you will come back to them as a paying customer in the future, and they're doing it to build good will for their company over all. They're positively not doing it go in debt.
So think about if the free offer you just saw now makes sense. Does it make sense that a business will give you a free bag of their new flavor of chips or a sample size jar of their new face cream? Obviously, because if you like it, you may purchase these products in the future. Does it make sense that a company will give you an all benefits paid, two-week first class trip to Bali for you and ten of your friends? Not so much. So don't waste time on free offers that look too good to be true.
By the same standard, the more eccentric an offer sounds, the more you have to be on the lookout for the small print. Clearly, maybe the hotel chain is willing to give you a free staycation in their beachfront hotel. The details in the offer might say that you have to settle to spend 10 hours a day at a sales seminar or that the free weekend is yours after you pay for a two week stay. One actual airline ran an offer for a free coach class airplane ticket from New York to London. The small print said you had to buy two, full price first class tickets on that same route before you could get the free one at a cost of around $8,000 per ticket. Before you jump, make sure you get all of the specifics.
Free offers that in point of fact require you to shell out some money are signs of a con. Sometimes they are real, after all, if you are used to paying full price first class airfare, a free coach class ticket can be a real score. But mostly, paying for something to get something else for free means you're about to get conned. You should never send money, even for postage, to a company that you don't know. Also, keep an eye on the costs for things like postage even if you do know the company name. If they're asking for $25 for postage to send you a free periodical, then you know something is up.
Lastly, beware giving out too much private information. There is no logical reason that company would need your bank account number. Protect your personal info and if you're unsure, move on to the next freebie offer.
by: Brice Hubbard
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