Warning Amid Concern For Free Offer Scams

Bargain hunters are being warned be on their guard against a growing number of scam offers on the Web.

According to freebielist.com, a website specialising in free stuff within the UK and around the world, more sites than ever before are collecting personal data using a variety of dubious techniques, not limited to enticing users with fake freebies and offers.

The area of most concern has been via giveaways where a user is offered an item or prize in return for submitting their personal details. Such sites often insist visitors to subscribe to other partner offers, thereby increasing the risk of spam, phishing and potentially, identity theft.

Warnings have also been raised over scams on social networking sites, such as Facebook and Twitter. Fake free trials and other bargains can quickly go viral, impacting hundreds of users within a matter of hours.

Andy Varley, founder of freebielist.com, said:

It is important to know the difference between legitimate offers and a bogus ones. As a general rule of thumb, if something looks too good to be true, it usually is. So giveaways offering high value items such as games consoles and smartphones invariably have some form of catch.

However, really good deals can still be found online and free offers are especially popular. Legitimate freebies from household brands asking users to try before they buy tend to be the safest option. Free samples of toothpaste, food and drink, cosmetics and other household items fit into this category.

However, caution is still advised:

When submitting your details to any website on the Net, it is important to read the fine print and do some research beforehand. By referring to a sites Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy pages, users can quickly see how personal data will be used, said Varley.