Windows 7: How 'free trial' web offers can be credit card traps

I have used trial software and services, and I have found that the truely reputable company/companies will not ask for credit card details before you can trial their software/services. These are the companies that let their products do the talking for them. They stand behind their product because they know it is good and have faith that if it works as the customer wants and needs it to, it will then be purchased.

Just my thoughts.

Would anyone here hand over credit card details to test drive a car that one is thinking of buying?

I often use cards that are about to expire so when free trial is over the card is no longer valid or if I think I've been stung or about to be I ring bank and ask for new card which turns up with new number voiding old one

To begin with, if we're speaking about a FREE trial, why should they ever ask for a credit card? If they're offering a FREE trial, then they have NO reason to ask for payment details or any other sensitive info, those data is needed only when you're going to actually make a payment for the full package, but if something is free and you give payment information, you're asking for trouble.

Those schemes are SCAMs, plain and simple. It's a very old trick that makes you become tied with a contract you don't actually want, where it's very easy to enter and almost impossible to get out.

And the number 1 protection against those scams is common sense. If you're going to take something free, there is no need to pull your wallet, period. If you do, you're accepting to give away some money, and that's not exactly free I think. But criminals, particularly online, take advantage of people unknowing such things.

Thanks for the tip Rich. I also am a Bank of America guy, but did not know about that. I will tuck that in my mind for future use.

Do any of you in the USA remember the "Video Professor"? He was on TV and had a lot of ads with CD's teaching Excel or what ever the subject might be. The ad said the cost was $6.95 for Handling. Of course you must pay with a credit card. The card would then get charged for $50. It was a big scam that went on for quite a few years. His "customers" had complaints all over the internet. I haven't seen him advertise in a few years now. I guess the law caught up with him.

Hi there
OT but pertains to the previous post.

There was an old "Get Rich Quick" scam a few years back - people never learn - just the Scam changes -- but the scam went "Want to make 1,000,000 Dollars quickly with No Money Down". -- Please send me 1.00 USD for my instructions on how to do it.

Back came an email to the suckers falling for this one. The email said "This is how I get rich and make my 1,000,000 dollars -- it's by taking 1.00 dollar from every poor sucker like you who sends for my "leaflet".

BTW Debt collection agencies (or DCA's) even in the USA have NO LEGAL RIGHT WHATSOVER

They can attempt to collect debts on behalf of 3rd parties and threaten various things varying from Court judgements to summary Execution by hanging but they have ZERO rights of visiting your property, visiting, communicating with or harassing your workplace, or even taking any court action whatsoever.

The best you can do with these vile scum (IMO they are the lowest lowlifes and vermin on the planet) is just to tell them that any further communication from them will be treated as harassment (for which substantial penalties in law are available even in the USA), you will report them to the relevant financial services regulatory bodies and you will be applying to have their company registrations cancelled and the directors barred from becoming company directors again for at least 5 years.

Also in no uncertain terms tell them to "Go and xxxk a Duck".

If you ever get these people chasing you -- deal with the ORIGINAL lender if you can -- NEVER EVER pay these vile scumbags.

Never also settle ANY debt or financial issue of this type by phone -- always tell these people to WRITE only.

The high cost of "Snail Mail" these days will soon drive them away -- what generally happens the collection agency passes the "debt" to a lower agency in the chain until the real bottom pond slime is reached -- this happens about 3 or 4 times before they give up and hassle somebody else.

I'm not advocating avoiding debts but NEVER deal with this load of filth.

(In the UK there are LOADS of these agencies having a rip roaring time because people don't read up on basic Law and over XMAS they have taken out loans from some of these really horrendous "Pay day Loan companies" who can still charge interest rates of over 3,500% (note that's three THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED percent) -- legal loansharking if ever I saw it. These companies were ejected from the USA where interest rates are capped.

I think even the Mafia offers cheaper loans --but you'd better make sure you pay them back on time. !!!!

The UK seems a bit slower of the mark. In Iceland , Germany, Belgium, France, Holland etc these companies activities are severely restricted and the top interest rate is capped to something like 27% --still high but definitely better than 3,500% !!/

Cheers
jimbo