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Don't Click Here For A Free iPod

Posted by timothy on from the scam-by-any-other-name dept.

fermion writes "Do you wonder what all those free iPods links are about? Do you wonder why apparently rational Slashdot users would use their .sig line to push an offer that seems little more than a thinly veiled pyramid scheme? Answers to these questions can be found in this NYT article (personal information, with no free iPod, is required). The plan itself seems simple. Rat out your friends to advertisers, and get a free gadget. The firm in question, Gratis, Inc, gets a bounty on each customer. The firm claims to have a revenue of $15 million in 2004. They claim to give away 500 iPods a week. If, as the article claims, each contact earns a bounty of around $50, we might presume that 1 in 12 contacts get a free iPod. This firm seem fairly upfront. Another firm mentioned in the article, Consumer Research Corporation, seems much less so. As always, read the fine print."

8 of 594 comments (clear)

  1. It works... by Jarwulf · · Score: 0, Troll

    They even showed it on techtv and I know several people who got their's... Shameless plug Now if anyone wants to refer me I'll give them 7 bucks through paypal!

    1. Re:It works... by Jarwulf · · Score: 0, Troll

      Forgot, here's my link http://www.freeiPods.com/?r=9026044

    2. Re:It works... by Jarwulf · · Score: 0, Troll

      Well, if they get too many requests then I guess they'll shut it down. The company has been thoroughly checked out and I don't use my personal information anyways. Many people I know HAVE gotten ipods through this offer. Whether or not people here can believe it does not change the fact

  2. I will remember to mod down those suckers by Zangief · · Score: 0, Troll

    When I see them.

    From now on , a sig with "Free xxx" == -1 Troll.

  3. I knew it. by flatface · · Score: 0, Troll

    Why do people bother asking me why I have this in my sig? Nobody seems to be able to put 2 and 2 together and see why I spend my mod points this way. So now, if you advertise your freeipod link, you're spamming people directly and indirectly.

    1. Re:I knew it. by flatface · · Score: 0, Troll
      Copy/pasted from the discussion I linked:

      I know that I can turn off sigs, but I'd also miss some good ones.


      I'm not going to get rid of everyone's sigs for that. I've tried once, but found myself turning it back on because of OT discussions about them. Plus, when I moderate I get to see who I should mod down. You might think that's stupid, but guess what: It's my choice to have sigs on or off, and it's also my choice to mod spammers down.

      It's a good thing you're one of my friend's foes (You should know who, he makes free*.com spammers his foes), so you already stand out.
  4. Comment removed by account_deleted · · Score: 0, Troll

    Comment removed based on user account deletion

  5. Re:Where this thread is going: by xlv · · Score: 0, Troll

    I totally agree with the parent poster, there's no way people would get as low as to post messages to this thread begging for references.