Free VPN Service Scams

Free VPN Service Scams

People who go online to search for a VPN service or proxy server may wonder why some of them are "free" while others cost money. Well, the old saying "nothing in life is free" applies here. Whenever a company is offering a free service, it is important for consumers to stop, use some common sense, and ask themselves "what is the company getting out of it?" Chances are they are getting more out of it than you realize.

There are several reasons why companies or individuals might give a Free VPN service They either want to pack on the advertisements which generate them money, they scan and track your data for direct advertising purposes, they install 'hidden' adware that monitors your online buying habits deriving commissions from the sales they can intercept, or finally, they can install malware to steal personal information directly from your system. One way or the other, a service that costs money to provide must come from somewhere, and likely this is your personal information and browsing habits being sold.

In all of these instances, the user is being exploited and the cost to fix these problems greatly surpasses the price of a reliable, dependable VPN service. People are tempted to take all kinds of short cuts when they see the word "free" attached to a product; however, it is important to be extremely wary of these types of promises. To be on the safe side, do not use a free proxy server when your computer's security and your personal identity are at stake.

If you have been a victim of Internet fraud as a result of one of these scams, follow these steps:

• Report the incident immediately.
• Cancel your credit cards and change your bank account numbers, even if they haven't been used yet.
• Invest in a VPN service that will actually protect and secure your data.