May 21, 2007
Is free really free?
I came across some great examples of 'free' services that I would avoid like the plague. "Create free forms online", "Schedule your appointments online", and over 10 more of the same kind of 'free online services' are listed at the bottom of these pages. Why should you pass up a free service? Look at the site(s) more closely:
- Site Design: Seems slapped together without much professional care
- Contact Us: No real contact information, except an generic email address: info@...
- Header/Footer: No company name shown anywhere
- Terms & Conditions: There is an agreement document that outlines the 'Terms of Service', but is it valid? With whom do I agree or disagree?
- Checking the page source: No comments that give a clue, extremely basic programming
- Checking the domain registration: All of these domains are registered to the same company "Centranet On-Line Services Ltd.", through godaddy.com. All detail information such as address or phone numbers are blocked
- Search Google: Google shows no result about Centranet On-Line Services Ltd. A company that offers all these online services and doesn't have a corporate website? A ghost company!
- That can't be it, can it?: Google does show one result for CentraNet (Online Banking) Manager offered by the Central National Bank in Waco... But that seems to be a whole other story... Really, does this banking site imbue you with confidence, would you actually want to bank there, online yet?