I want to encourage you to be a discerning freebie finder. Don’t ask for every single free sample offer you come across on the internet! I list a lot of good ones here, but please only ask for the ones where you are interested in trying the product and you have a use for it. Even some of the offers I list on my blog may not come to your mailbox, for various reasons – but as I become more experienced at my job as a blogger I become more selective about what I post.
I wanted to share a list of questions to ask when you see a freebie offer elsewhere on the internet. I hope this helps you avoid some scams (& spam) and avoid the disappointment that comes by asking for things that you will never get.
1. Who is offering the sample? Is the offer from the company that makes the product or a well-known marketing entity like StartSampling?
2. Have you heard of it? Have you heard of this product before or is it available at a store near you (try to look for a “store finder” on the product’s website).
3. Any ads on the page? Are there Google Ads on the free sample request form? This is a red flag that this request form may be bogus and set-up exclusively to attract “hits” to generate ad income and to collect personal information for spammers to spam you.
4. What does the URL look like? Look at the URL, try backing up to the root and check out the home page. If you see what looks like someone’s email address in the URL that means it was an offer exclusive to one individual and can not be shared across the internet with others.
5. What links are on the request form? Look at the links on the sample request form – do they take you to the official product home page? If they take you to Amazon.com – then that’s a red flag that it is a bogus offer.
6. Does the offer seem too good to be true? Question it further.
7. Do you have to “qualify”? Are you asked to “complete a qualifying offer” before you can get the free sample? Don’t do it!
8. Are you asked to submit a code? This may indicate this free sample offer is for a selected audience that was given the code (although I have seen offers where they list the code right on the website, so it depends).
This is my advice – but I’d love to hear yours! And always feel free to email me any time you find a free sample offer that you think sounds fishy – I’d be happy to give you my opinion.
cant wait to get my freebies
Response to Comment #9 – Please read First Time at Freebies 4 Mom?.-HeatherFreebies 4 Mom
im trying to join and get the free stuff but dont know how
great
Thanks for the information! I always had trouble with those offers you have to qualify for. I also heard about you on Inside Edition. It is great to have someone to give us advice Thank you so much!!!
Thanks for the tips…I heard about you on Inside Edtion. This website is AWESOME…Ive been getting free samples its Great. Thank-You Heather.
I do not recommend filling out long surveys in order to get a free sample. I do make a few exceptions if I know exactly who the survey is from (usually the company that manufactures the product) and what the benefit is of me completing it. But in most cases, I avoid anything beyond the typical few questions that you see with many free sample request forms.-HeatherFreebies 4 Mom
When I try to get some freebies they always send me to a survey that seems to go on forever. What is that all about.
I set up an extra email account to use for my “freebies”. This way I can keep the accidental “spammer” from bombarding my regular email address. Not to mention I can keep track of what freebies I have registered for and be a little more organized with it all. Thanks for all the tips!
You’re welcome, Kmom3! I love to share tips with others, I hate to see people tricked by free sample offers that are bogus.
Thanks for the tips! I was just telling my husband how I appreciate your site and others who let us know about legitimate freebies. I have already found out for myself how tricky some places can be!Thanks for all of the great info you provide!