NEWSbank: Is this a Scam?

Amazingly, freeiPods.com isn't a scam, rather an interest-performance acquistions examiner. FreeiPods.com is owned by Gratis Internet, a D.C. based dot-com company, which concentrates on online advertisements. In addition to iPods, Gratis offer getting free CDs, handbags, and desktop PCs. Here's are a few media outlets that back up the story:

____________ - Wired Magazine
____________ - Better Business Bureau
____________ - G4tech TV
____________ - BBC Video

The gist of the deal is for you to sign-up with one of the free offers form reputable companies (really no cost to you but these offers require a credit card) and then get 5 of your friends to follow your led. Only once the site has confirmed that you and your 5 friends have completed an offer each, they will send you a completely free iPod (free shipping too) to the mailing address you provided at registration. You're probably asking yourself, how does freeiPods make money? They rely on the fact that most people do not fully complete the required referrals (i.e. getting only 4 friends to complete their offers), so Gratis makes a profit from those sign ups without sending any iPods to the unfinished referrers. Even when Gratis sends iPods, they still make profits.

Getting Started:

Step 1 - Determine which email address you are going to use. This email address must not be a free email from services such as Gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo, etc. If you wish to create a new email for this offer you may do so at places such as: BigPuns , SpyMac , or BlueBottle . While these are also free to use, they will still work with FreeiPods.com.

• Step 2 - Click Here , select the iPod of your choice, and scroll down to where it says "Start Here" and asks for an e-mail address and password. Enter your e-mail address and a password. Click on "Next Step".

• Step 3 - Fill out the form with your correct information and click "Continue".

• Step 4 - A stream of, what seems to be endless, survey questions will appear. Click "No Thanks" for each one.

• Step 5 - When you get to the e-mail referral page, click "Skip this Step".

• Step 6 - Now comes the time to choose an offer. Our suggestion would be to do the RealRhapsody offer as it only costs $0.99 to signup. Other offers that are commonly suggested are the Ancestry offer and the Video Professor offer. Important: Click Here to Read Complete Costs and Explantions of Offers (know which to avoid)

• Step 7 - After you determine which offer you want to complete, click on the link for that offer. Two new windows will open, one will be further instruction from FreeiPods and the other will be the offer from the company you choose. Complete the offer according to the instructions that were given.

• Step 8 - Once you have completed the offer it will show up in your status page as "offer not completed". Don't worry, some offers will instantly be credited, while others will take some time.

• Step 9 - It is now time to get your 5 referrals. Go back to freeipods.com and click the Refer Friends link at the top of the page. Look at the bottom of the page for a URL. This is your referral link.

• Step 10 - Send this link to as many people as you wish, and try to get them sign up and complete an offer. Other ways of getting people to use your referral are to post it in message boards, ask your friends, or create a web site just like this. Remember that they must complete the offer for you to receive credit. Also remember that if the referral is not unique, you will not receive credit.

Once you have 5 people complete an offer using your referral link, you will be able to order your FREE iPod.You will be asked to confirm your shipping address (no P.O. Box's) and the status will then change from pending, to in progress, to shipped. Once you iPod has been shipped, you can email them to get a tracking number.

Read Sucess Stories & Reviews:

- Nilay Shah's Photo Gallery

- John's Success Story

- Neil's World