Freebies – Worth Your Time?

August 5th, 2009 • Related • Filed Under • by tisha

Many companies offer freebies, such as mugs and t-shirts, just for signing up for their newsletter or other services. While these may seem like a great deal, when you break it down, they may not be worth your time.

Spam Mail: Many of these companies sell your information to third-party companies. You may be excited to receive a free pen and paper set, but soon you will be receiving tons of different advertisements. Some of these advertisements may even lead to phishing websites. These websites are dangerous, and can steal your identity with just a few clicks. While the free things may be a cool treat, weeding through 50 emails asking you if you want to sign up for something is more of a pain than it’s worth.

Quality of Products: Sometimes the word “free” can lead you to sign up for something you really don’t need. Just because someone is giving away a free sample of dog food doesn’t mean you need it. Especially if you don’t have a dog! Plus, when will you ever use that free vodka label?

Fake Promotions: Some websites are set up specifically to steal your information under the pretense of “free” things. These sites can be very dangerous. If your information gets into the wrong hands, your identity could be stolen, or you mailbox could be full of different catalogs for things you will never need.

While there is a downside to searching for freebies, there are ways to protect yourself, and gain some cool items.

Sign Up For What You Need: Don’t just sign up for something because it’s free. Find things that you could actually use, like samples of laundry detergent, and only get those. That way, you don’t clutter your mailbox with junk, while you still get to enjoy something for free.

Double Check Websites: Make sure the freebie is connected to a legitimate website. Some freebies link back to nothing, or their URL is spelled incorrectly. “Gain detergent” could be missing a letter. If it is, the site is most likely a fake.

Use Fake Emails and Phone Numbers: In order to avoid annoying telemarketers, or loads of spam mail, use a fake number (555-3475), and create a junk email. That way any spam mail will be sent there, and your personal email can stay nice and clear.

If you follow these tips, you can stay safe online and enjoy freebies without going overboard!