Internet surveys

Occasionally I have participated in in surveys on the Internet. I think I have learned my lesson and will do it no longer.

On one survey I was asked to reply as to whether or not I was a diabetic. I answered yes which was a big mistake. Before I even completed the survey I received a phone call asking if I wanted a month's supply of free test strips for my blood sugar meter. I thought while free is free so why not. I told the man exactly what test strips I used and what make meter I used. Well I found out why not. After talking to the gentleman for a period of time he conned me into giving him my Social Security number and the name of my endocrinologist. I should have known better. The next thing I knew I received a package in the mail with a different kind of blood sugar meter and a month's supply of test strips. When I talked to my endocrinologist he said the meter was all the same quality that I could buy at Wal-Mart for eight dollars and there was no way for him to get to his computer to look at my blood sugar readings for the past several months. So I did not use it but before long found out that Medicare had paid for the meter and the test strips except for a copayment which they wanted to Bill to my insurance company. I contacted them on the telephone and told them I did not want the meter or the strips and they said fine, just send them back.

I didn't get around to it right away and the first thing I knew I received another package with test strips for the meter I didn't want to use. I called them again and then again suggested that I return them. But, by that time I found out that Medicare had already paid for them. I decided I could be as unresponsive as they were and told them that I would not give them the name of my insurance company and if they wanted a copayment for these supplies they were out of luck. Then I received another package with another month's supply. These were also billed to Social Security.I decided that if another package came I was simply mark it refused and return it in the mail. I talked to the post office and found out that that's all I had to do to get these returned but I didn't know at first that social security and Medicare were being billed for them.

For a number of months after that I received bills from the company, which I will not name but I wrote them back pointing out that I never did order of a meter and that the survey prompted a man to use fraud to get my social security number and doctors name. After a few months they quit billing me but I do not know yet whether this appears on my credit report. I intend to check that soon.

I won't explain how I got hooked into the mystery Guild which is a book club. I made four purchases from them which was what I was required to do but apparently one of the purchases did not qualify because it was not of a sufficient amount. I have now paid them about $150 for hard cover mystery books which I did not want and may never read. I still have to pay for one more book which I hope will be of a large enough cost to fulfill my obligation.

I resolve that never again will I try to gain anything free on the Internet. But so many free things are offered I'm afraid I may be tempted again. Does anyone reading this have a different experience?