Some Information Concerning Free GC Offers [Read 1st post]

[Summertide]

Space Jew

Summertide

Space Jew

INSERT TERRIBLE IDEA HERE

This is inappropriate. It is harassment and identity theft. I'm going to report this post to see if I can get it removed.

Go ahead, it's perfectly legal.

But honestly, don't you think rapists and child molesters deserve a lot worse than being bombarded with spam?

Actually, I feel very strongly that it is not my place to punish people who have already served their prison terms or punishment. While I may not think that people who commit violent sexual crimes should get out of prison easy, or even out of prison at all.. I don't feel it is appropriate to harass someone from the sex offender registry by taking their personal information and signing them up for stuff that could be further detrimental to their lives.

I think you should also take into account that the sex offender registry is not only full of rapist and child molesters. It's also full of people who sold inappropriate things to minors, people who got caught pissing in the bushes, and people who were charged with statutory rape. Not every sex based crime is a violent crime, and not every person on that registry really deserves to be there. Justice is kind of a big blunt weapon, but that is how it has to be, unfortunately.

As a normal citizen of the US, it isn't your job or right to mete out justice as you see fit. So in conclusion, get out of my thread unless you have something actually intelligent and relevant to say regarding the situation. Using other people's information to complete this stuff is MALICIOUS and I won't tolerate the suggestion.

[astro villain]

Out of all the 20 offers I did, I only got paid 4 times. Talk about a waste of time. mad

[YoukaiFang]

Lanzer and the other people who set this up claim that they made this site all about the community, but now they're all about the money. For shame, guys. You're going to kill your own site. I haven't even been on this site long, but I have quickly lost my respect for this place and all it claims to stand for.

I'm sure that all of these offers you've been giving lately, and all the commercialism you've applied to this site as it's grown has and WILL drive away all but your most stupid and gullible users. I suggest that you cut back on this crap if you wish to retain any sense of the dignity with which you started this site.

[-I- Purity in Training-I-]

THANK YOU! I thought that the gaia cash offers looked a bit fishy, but I wanted an evoving item for a dream avi so I was about to click on one I thought was safe, but then I found this thread! SOMEBODY SHOULD RECCOMEND THIS GAIA! I might actually do that, if I'm brave enough to stand up to the website.

I support this greatly and I worship those who started this and figured out all the information at their computer's risk.

[aeoro]

Everyone should see this!

Thanks you! I'll be adding a banner to my signature to help spread the word!

[IrishDeer]

Definitely putting a banner in my sig.

[Disobedience]

Malignant Virus

Yes please.

This needs to be a sticky. In every forum.

It needs to be stickied to every morons forehead so they don't actually take up those scams. It used to be that when Gaia had a promotion or offer going, it was pretty safe.

Used to be. ('04 here.)

Now I don't click on any of the offers or links. Pretty sad that a barely-making-it forum like this is turning corp. on us.

[Kira Sunfire]

Thanks for posting this information. Although at first glance I could see that many of these ads were fishy, it's good to see that you have more solid information from the BBB. Just a few things to add:

To everyone who has earned this "free" cash already, I would continue to warn against filling out loads of these offers, particularly the mobile ones. Many of the mobile offers, like the ringtones or Crush Calculator, will charge $10 or more to your cell phone bill, just by confirming your cell number. While you may be able to cancel this service later, the initial charge will be virtually impossible to remove. And these services are auto-renewing, continuing to charge you every month unless you call a number where you will likely get a foreigner who barely speaks English and will make it very difficult for you to cancel. I know that many of you don't realize this yet since you didn't see an immediate charge or give out a credit card number. But I expect more outcries throughout the month as members or their parents begin to receive outrageous phone bills.

Other offers are "free" only because they have sold your personal information to numerous other shady businesses! Trust me, once your information is on the market like that, it is very difficult to have it removed.

And a final important rule that I think can never be emphasized enough: NEVER EVER GIVE OUT YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER! I have heard some of these offers require one, but it is a surefire way to identity theft. The only person you should ever need to give that to is a legitimate government employee, and none of these offers are anywhere close to that.

The few legitimate companies may have offers that are worth it, but I would advise to only sign up for things that you really want, not things you will try to cancel the second you sign up. You could easily find yourself with many hidden charges.

[iChocoholic]

Results of one download from the Gaia Cash Offers: 15 Grayware/Spyware Detected

I'm definitely supporting this forum now... And thank you for the links, they're helping so far. I'm nearing the end of the guide to cleaning all the malicious software out.

I am whole-heartedly supporting this forum. heart

[1wolffan]

Even the few that may be legit, like Starbucks. Are only gifts to you through a company that, in it's own privacy policy, state that they will be selling your information. That's a good way to get yourself on mailing-lists, and in spammer accounts. Which is also a good way to get viruses in your email and such.

[Krystalinn]

I tried a couple of the "survey" offers. Like the "Big Mac or Whopper" one. I entered valid information, but I entered my secondary email address that is reserved for spam now, and I didn't receive any GC. I'm not sure if that will cause me to not receive anything. We'll see.

[Kira Sunfire]

One additional comment. Although you have researched many of the individual companies BBB ratings, it might be helpful to note that Gambit (getgambit.com), which is the overhead company promoting most, if not all, of these advertisements, has a Better Business Bureau rating of F.

A quote from the getgambit.com blog:

Quote:

It’s true that instead of paying with money, a lot of “free” offers will require the user to pay with their time, their personal information, or both. Common free offers include poll-submits (e.g. “Home Depot or Lowes?” or “Who makes the best pizza?”), which require submission of a poll answer, the user’s e-mail address, mailing address and telephone number (which, because no one ever reads the Terms of Service or Privacy Policy statements, users consent to have shared with third-parties upon submitting).

[-I- Purity in Training-I-]

are any of the free offers safe? Trust me, it's not worth getting 1,500 gaia cash and then trying to remove the virus. I'm not sure if I trust gaia now. Thank you again to those in this thread.

[YuYuChan777]

Quote:

Which Restraunt Satisifies South of the Border Appetite - survey + GC
Gaia Cash: 394
BBB Rating: I don't know what company operates this.
Scam Info: This HAS awarded Gaia Cash, but it also asks for real personal information. This information can be sold or given away to 3rd parties. Please be sure to read the fine print on this to see what they do with your personal information, even if this seems legit, please be careful.

Not true, I went through the survey myself to verify. It's not legit at all. At the end of the survey they require you buying something by giving out you credit card number/unformation. Often times asking for more money then you would be receiving of Gaia Cash.

[Summertide]

Kira Sunfire

One additional comment. Although you have researched many of the individual companies BBB ratings, it might be helpful to note that Gambit (getgambit.com), which is the overhead company promoting most, if not all, of these advertisements, has a Better Business Bureau rating of F.

A quote from the getgambit.com blog:

Quote:

It’s true that instead of paying with money, a lot of “free” offers will require the user to pay with their time, their personal information, or both. Common free offers include poll-submits (e.g. “Home Depot or Lowes?” or “Who makes the best pizza?”), which require submission of a poll answer, the user’s e-mail address, mailing address and telephone number (which, because no one ever reads the Terms of Service or Privacy Policy statements, users consent to have shared with third-parties upon submitting).

I'm going to quote this and add it to the first post. For some reason I didn't think of looking them up even though people have been talking about how many of these offers are through them. Thanks!