How to Tell when Free Stuff Is a Scam
Look for the company's main website., Find the "about us" page for the company., Consider the price tag of the item., Use a credible free stuff website., Avoid free stuff blogs.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Look for the company's main website.
Most businesses offering free stuff are doing so to promote their website.
If there is no main site then chances are the company does not exist and this could be a phishing scam. -
Step 2: Find the "about us" page for the company.
If they have an address and phone number, cross reference those with online phone books and Google maps.
Many times a "business" is located at a non-existent building or floor. , Often times big ticket items are the perfect draw for scams.
Especially if you have to "complete partner offers". , There are many sites that offer free stuff.
But websites that do this in a well rounded way often check the legitimacy of the freebies before posting them.
That saves you a lot of the work. , While they appear chock full of free stuff, they are often run by people with little knowledge of the web on the whole.
These blogs account for the majority of scam free stuff getting spread around.
This is because they feel pressured to post a new free thing everyday.
This pressure and their daily journal style pushes them into offering often questionable freebies.
The pressure is on when it comes to blog posts.
Since they must have a free offer for that day, they feel a lot more pressure to post something that may not be real or is simply outdated.
This means more scams and wasted time.
It is also not uncommon to see a blog re-post an expired freebie to make you feel like you missed something that day, even though it was not available. -
Step 3: Consider the price tag of the item.
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Step 4: Use a credible free stuff website.
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Step 5: Avoid free stuff blogs.
Detailed Guide
Most businesses offering free stuff are doing so to promote their website.
If there is no main site then chances are the company does not exist and this could be a phishing scam.
If they have an address and phone number, cross reference those with online phone books and Google maps.
Many times a "business" is located at a non-existent building or floor. , Often times big ticket items are the perfect draw for scams.
Especially if you have to "complete partner offers". , There are many sites that offer free stuff.
But websites that do this in a well rounded way often check the legitimacy of the freebies before posting them.
That saves you a lot of the work. , While they appear chock full of free stuff, they are often run by people with little knowledge of the web on the whole.
These blogs account for the majority of scam free stuff getting spread around.
This is because they feel pressured to post a new free thing everyday.
This pressure and their daily journal style pushes them into offering often questionable freebies.
The pressure is on when it comes to blog posts.
Since they must have a free offer for that day, they feel a lot more pressure to post something that may not be real or is simply outdated.
This means more scams and wasted time.
It is also not uncommon to see a blog re-post an expired freebie to make you feel like you missed something that day, even though it was not available.
About the Author
Patrick Collins
Patrick Collins has dedicated 13 years to mastering businessservices. As a content creator, Patrick focuses on providing actionable tips and step-by-step guides.
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