Clark Howard's Tips
Free iPods, vacations and more on your computer?March 18, 2008
Have you been enticed on the Internet with offers of free iPods, free computers, free flat-screen TVs and free vacations? If so, don't click through on those pop-ups or banner ads!
Online marketer ValueClick has been fined $3 million for ripping people off with these kinds of false Internet come-ons. If you did click through on such ads, you'd have to navigate through multiple screens of sales pitches and surveys. Some people fell for the promise of free goodies and purchased what was being sold -- all in the hopes that it might improve their chances of getting that free iPod or free vacation.
|
CLARK'S TIP TOPICS
Find more consumer advice in Clark Howard's book, "Get Clark Smart" |
Clark's producer Kim admits to having clicked through on these kinds of ads when she was enticed by an offer of an advance DVD copy of the third season of ABC's "Lost". She clicked through multiple screens for about 15 minutes and eventually just closed out of her browser in frustration.
Pop-up blockers have really helped to minimize the intrusion of these kinds of ads. But there are still embedded banner ads that tout this kind of stuff. Just before Christmas, the very popular Nintendo Wii seemed to be the product of choice for the scammers to promise you.
Just know this: When somebody touts something for free, it's probably anything but that.
