Free iPods Website...probably the only way I'll ever get one

[robotech_master]

So, I happened to read this article on Wired about a site called FreeiPods.com. Unlike those fraudulent offers you see on eBay, though, this one appears to be legit...just a fancy version of those "try X and we'll send you a free widget!" offers that have been around through the ages. You go through a trial offer (usually a free and easily-cancelled thing), they send you a free iPod, either a 20 gig version or a 4 gig "miniPod," your choice. (I can't see why anyone would pick the mini, but who am I to say?) If you already have an iPod, they'll give you a $250 iTunes Music Store gift certificate instead.

Offers include things like 45 free days of AoL, a 99 cent trial month of the RealRhapsody music service with 5 free burns, a $20 minimum order from an on-line pet supply store (and I needed to get some more Frontline anyway, soooo...), Columbia House DVD and BMG music clubs, a GM credit card

The catch is that, in addition to participating in the free offer, you have to get five of your friends to sign up for a free trial as well in order to qualify for the iPod. Uh-oh. I'm somewhat hesitant to expect that I can talk even one of my friends into trying something like this, let alone five.

But, what the heck...it's probably the only way I'll ever end up getting one. I went ahead and created a disposable email address on my domain to use for the service (it'll also be an interesting experiment to see if I get any spam from it, since I don't intend to post it anywhere in public).

So if any of you-all would care to try it, and thus act as one of my referrees, just click the link to get started.

(Anyone? Please? :)

Comments

Randy said it best....

[dvandom.livejournal.com]

http://www.freeikicks.com/

[wesmills.livejournal.com]

Be very careful .. There's rumors going around Fark.com and other places that the company behind this pyramid-scheme^Wsuccessful promotion has run out of victims^H^H^H^H^H^H^Hprospects and is now not "validating" the fifth referral you need to get the iPod shipped out. If you have a PayPal account, I'd advise signing up with a virtual debit card number from there, instead of an account you care about.

[robotech-master.livejournal.com]

It seems odd they'd do that right when Wired posts an article publicizing them. I'm a bit disinclined to believe "rumors" in the absence of proof.

Anyway, the particular offer I signed up for was just placing a single one-time order from a company, and it was something I had been planning to purchase anyway. And I used a disposable email address from my terrania.us webhosting account to sign up. So even if I don't get all the referrals or it turns out to be some kind of scam, I at least haven't lost anything—I've placed an order from an e-tailer for supplies I needed anyway, and that's all.

Besides, they never did ask for a credit card number of any kind. (The pet supply company did, but that's just 'cuz they're an e-tailer that sells stuff, like the Frontline I bought from them.)

[wesmills.livejournal.com]

Oh, I wasn't criticising using them, I'm just advising caution, because I'm a notoriously paranoid person. :) There was once a time that the only information the State of Texas had accurate on my driver license was my birthdate, and I didn't go out of my way to correct them. Please, let me know if you get an iPod out of the deal. I don't have use for one, and the freeipods.com links has been circulating around all the groups I'd ask to do referrals anyway, so I haven't worked up the energy to do more than look at it.

[nervestaple.livejournal.com]

i've gotten 2 people to sign up to be my 5th referral and it hasn't validated either of them.

[robotech-master.livejournal.com]

You think you've got it bad? I've gotten thirteen potential referrals so far...and it's been three weeks and only four of them have completed. It's maddening. I'm going ahead and putting my own referral request back into my conga line in the hope of getting another one or two people to sign up who'll give me that final referral so I can get the 'pod.

My freeflatscreens referral seems to be doing better; it's just been about one week and now I'm up to 17 potential referrals and 3 actual completions. I feel a little guilty about soaking up the extra potentials, but considering the rotten record of my iPod, I'm pretty sure at least half won't complete.

[nervestaple.livejournal.com]

I'm talking about people who I KNOW have completed their offer, and yet freeipods.com hasn't validated it.

I mean, I came over to their house, sat there and watched them sign up for AOL and RealRhapsody, and it's been a month and still nothing.

I am finding it very suspicious because they were both going to be my 5th referrers.