Mammoth AwardsHave you been a victim of fraudulent charges on your credit card or, even worse, identity theft? If not, then consider yourself lucky. And to keep it from happening in the future, you’ll need to be extra careful when hunting for freebies online.
Scammers use free offers to lure in people seeking no-cost bargains. If a person bites, the scammer can sell their stolen info, run up charges on their credit card, or steal their identity to make their life a living hell.
To keep such unfortunate events from happening to you, here are some questions you should ask yourself before submitting any info for a freebie you find online:
1. “Is this really free?”
As its name suggests, a freebie should be free. In other words, it should have no cost attached to it.
As such, you shouldn’t have to pay anything upfront, like a processing fee, to receive it. You also shouldn’t have to pay anything in the future, which makes a request for your payment info a huge red flag.
If the answer to this question is no, it’s time to find a better, more legitimate online freebie that’s worth your time.
2. “Is it too good to be true?”
Don’t fill out a form offering you a free car or house. The same holds true with any offers for gift cards in large amounts.
Nobody is going to give you something like that with nothing in return. Give them your info, though, and they will give you a headache via excessive solicitation, charges to your card, or identity theft.
3. “Am I comfortable with all of these questions?”
Some freebie offers will ask you questions because the company wants feedback or insight into their potential customers. This can help their marketing efforts.
Still, even though this is a legitimate reason to ask questions, you may not want to reveal all of your answers.
If you feel like questions are too personal or there’s info you don’t want to disclose, leave the freebie alone. Your peace of mind is worth more than some no-cost product that could lead to paranoia down the line.
Even if one question triggers your internal alarm, don’t hesitate to move on. And if two pieces of info should trigger anyone’s alarm, it’s requests to know your credit card information or your Social Security number.
4. “Is this website trustworthy?”
Getting a freebie from a retail giant like Walmart should put you in the safe zone, as they have the resources to do so. The same holds for small local businesses with solid reputations.
If you’ve never heard of a site, however, stay away. The last thing you want to have happen is to have your information stolen.
To be extra safe, you could search for the website in question online. Look for any comments on its legitimacy. If you see people saying that it’s a scam, don’t touch it.
5. “Is it worth it?”
When in doubt, always trust your gut. If you feel unsure about something or don’t think the freebie is worth your trouble, don’t be afraid to leave it alone. Just because it’s free doesn’t mean you have to have it.
