How Legit Are Sites That Give Away Free Stuff?

[lousith]

can anyone tell me about this console grab it looks like a scam to me but a few people have said its true have any of u done this? i also want to no cause my friend put some money init :(

[BoosterBronze]

The whole thing is a scam to trick us into using underscores. And you are already a victim!

[lousith]

im not a victim my friend is he refered me and when i saw it i though it was too good to be true

[Matt Algren]

The whole thing is a scam to trick us into using underscores. And you are already a victim!
You _can't_ be serious, Booster. There's _no way_ that's what thi...


Crap, he got me.

[Ed Cunard]

I don't believe in grabbing consoles without consent.

_________________For real_____________________.

[Stellar]

Wtf is a console grab?

[lousith]

its a site just type it in google

[Stellar]

Did you really think they'd be giving away free video game consoles? Most things on the internet that say 'FREE' really aren't.

[Matt Algren]

its a site just type it in google
Do you really think people are giving away $400 pieces of equipment just for the hell of it? While you're at it, why don't you forward an email to Bill Gates, cause I hear he's giving away Applebee's coupons.

[Stellar]

I'll have that Coke cold, thanks.

[Dreadstar]

In an effort to gain some context here:


How old are you, lousith?

[Shostie]

"For a free Xbox 360, select it below, complete an offer and get your friends to do the same.
We'll then send your console to you free of charge! "

Wow. This sounds somewhat pyramid-schemey.

[Sonicjuce]

"For a free Xbox 360, select it below, complete an offer and get your friends to do the same.
We'll then send your console to you free of charge! "

Wow. This sounds somewhat pyramid-schemey.

Yea that was my reaction. They never work and somehow place you in debt. Everything on the Internet is a scam if it says "free".

[Stellar]

In an effort to gain some context here:


How old are you, lousith?

This probably should've been our first question.

[lousith]

In an effort to gain some context here:


How old are you, lousith?

im 13

i didnt really believe it cause it looked to good to be true when my friend showed me it and when i said it looked like a scam he started showing me these people who said it was true and they got console's but i was still not sure so thats when i posted here.

[Albert]

Good for you.

In ten years when someone tries to get you to sell Amway, or anything with the words "multilevel marketing", just think back to this experience.

[beetheb]

im 13

i didnt really believe it cause it looked to good to be true when my friend showed me it and when i said it looked like a scam he started showing me these people who said it was true and they got console's lousith, here's a little advice to go off of for as long as you browse the internet (free of charge ;)): If it says "free", it always means "scam". (unless it's a free bookmark or something, that I might believe.)

You want an XBOX, you're going to have to come up with some hundreds of dollars, there really is no way around it, buddy. Sorry.

[lousith]

i got offered a xbox yesterday for not much by a family member so a few weeks and il get it so im not bothered bout that site anymore as for my friends still thinks he's gettin a xbox...

thanks for replys

lousith

[Reptisaurus!]

The way I heard it, some of those sites were legit.

Up to a point.

You have to sign up for a bunch of FREE TRIAL OFFER type things. If you remember to cancel each and every offer within the required date, you're golden and you get a free laptop or whatever.

If you don't and forget to desubscribe before the correct date... Well, they've got your credit card number and whichever sponsor will be milking you from now to doomsday.

Obviously this happens enough that these sites can still make money.

[hyzmarca]

Basically, these sorts of sites are are enticing advertisements. The companies that run the sites get commissions whenever they get someone to sign up for a free trial, which has a high probability of accidentally turning into a year subscription if you don't cancel in time. They're making a profit because the commissions generated by the required number of sign-ups exceed the cost of the console that they are giving away.

Often, baroque confirmation requirements can make it difficult to redeem a system.

[Kareem]

I can't prove it here but I knew a couple people who got free ipods though these kind of sites.

[Alex L]

I can't prove it here but I knew a couple people who got free ipods though these kind of sites.

I hear of those, too.

The catch is that you not only have to complete the offer, you have to find 3-5 new people to complete it, also.

Chances are a small percentage of people will be able to convince their friends to do it, and even if they do each person will have difficulty finding yet more people.

[Loren]

Good for you.

In ten years when someone tries to get you to sell Amway,

Just for the heads-up, Amway calls itself 'Quixtar' nowadays.

[Serik]

Some of these sites are legit, but they're either pyramid schemes or FREE TRIAL OFFER!!!1 clearinghouses. Several videogame deal communities have subforums dedicated to signing people up to your account so you can earn more points towards your free item.

Other schemes have you filling out surveys, some of which take 45+ minutes, and hoping they get accepted.

As always, the people running these things make a ton of money and pass some of it down to you, their slave laborers. Besides, I wouldn't trust these asshats with my credit card info. (And you'll probably be giving it away to lots of folks.)

Free stuff is nice, but my keeping my personal info out of marketers' grubby hands is too.