Offered a Free iPad? It's a Scam

If you spend much time on Facebook or Twitter, chances are you’ve been given the chance to get a free Apple iPad by signing up to test the product. And if you’re at all familiar with the Internet, you probably won’t be surprised to learn that it’s a scam. The con artists, Graham Cluley writes, are often trying to get you to add a premium cell-phone service—and sucker unwitting friends in, too.

Once you follow a Twitter link or become a fan of the Facebook offering, you’re often asked to give info on friends or get them to be fans, too, then redirected to something that looks Apple-y—a page quickly replaced by a pop-up. One thing leads to another, and pretty soon your mobile account’s getting charged $10 a month until you cancel … and you’re losing Facebook friends and Twitter followers.
(More scam stories.)