I just don't get, I guess when I grew up the word free seemed so easy to understand and grasp the meaning. Now days it seems free stuff has some strings or conditions attached. Why is free in the ads or emails, yet when you read the fine print, call the number or give an email address, it turns out to be not really free at all. You have to pay or do something in return. Falls right up there with the newspaper sale ads for items showing sale prices. But reading the fine print you find that that price is show after MFG rebates or store coupons. Almost seems as if the old bait and switch scheme.

I know you seen the internet ads and emails, asking for you email address or in some cases your credit cards to verfiy who you are to get free stuff. Don't do it. Largest per centage of these have other ideas of how they can use this for marketing or in few cases rip you off.

And as I'm sure you must realize if you been around the net for awhile, don't beleive everything thing you see or read. Some are in error and some are out right lies. At least take a few basic steps and cross check with other sources.

Not only free stuff but what about these sales with big ads showing prices only to find in small print with rebates. And even then conditions to rebates. Thought idea behind a sale was to get a discount not let them use my money for who knows how long. On at least two in my experience took over three months to get back. In the mean time they had the money. And in one case only after repeated letters was I able to get it back. Seems like they were hoping I wouldn't bother. I my mind this is nothing more that a scam thinking that you will not bother or will give up trying. What the heck why can't these folks get it right. A sale is a sale and a rebate is a rebate.

With the Holidays on us you can bet we will see even more of this to get you in the stores or online only to find they are a rebate or out of stck and for rebates no rain checks are offered., Also if you decide to do shopping in store like Circuity City the will not honor rebates offered by competing stores..

How many of you have read the ads for free stuff just send address or Email? And did you really get aqny thing of value? Just another ploy to rip you off or was it a real offer? I can beleive just how easy it is to get sucked in, it's sure happened to me. May just being old fashioned and tend to try and beleive in people I guess. Wouldn't be nice to really get what they claim?