Remember The Meaning Of FREE!!

A few days ago, the Celcom Broadband agents came to my workplace. “Free Modem, Free Modem!,” said one of them as they were making ways towards my desk. I still remember the way the girl waved that modem, as if she could just throw it away and didn’t care a bit. Since I am currently using Digi Broadband, I saved them time from giving me long lecture. I said, “I know it all already. Plus, I’m using Digi now.” I remember talking to a few agents at a shopping mall just to make sure I am making the better choice by picking Digi. “But we are giving modem for FREE now!” They insisted to be given the chance to speak and maybe make me change my mind. The word FREE is very soothing to my ears. “Okay, tell me what you mean by FREE.” I was trying to find out if we were talking about the same kind of FREE here.

“This modem is usually very expensive. Now we are giving it for free. You only need to pay RM100 for the registration and only pay for RM68/98 monthly for the usage,” the girl explained as the guy standing up nodding whenever I turned my face at him. “Oh, so this modem is mine if I pay RM100?” I asked curiously. The guy answered, “Yes, BUT you have to use this service for at least 1 YEAR then only the modem is yours. If not, you have to return the modem back.” I almost laughed. “So do you mean this modem is NOT FREE?” They both trying to snap and said, “It’s free. We are giving it for free now without charge.” I said, “That is still not free if I am tied by a “hidden” contract that I must use this service for 1 year then only this modem is mine.” They went silent. I know some customers are as cruel as I am. They are being very difficult. I understand what they mean and what’s the advantage of the new promotion. The older customers have to pay more than the monthly usage if they want to buy the modem separately. Ok, I know all about it. But I was purposely being difficult because I hate how these salespeople have misled those who buy the magic word “FREE” at first hand. As a matter of fact, in that case of Free Modem, I already caught them red-handed. When I first registered with Digi, I paid exactly the monthly fee of the first month since I bought the modem separately. I am bound by no contract. I can stop using if I have failed to pay the outstanding balance of maximum 2 months. But with this new so-called Free Modem by Celcom promotion, I have to pay RM100, which is already extra to any plan whether it’s 68 or 98. With the little different there, most of you would snap at me, “Hey, they are doing business ba 256, memang la ba macam gitu. Manada mau kasi betul2 Free ba.” EXCUSE ME. If it’s not FREE, then don’t claim that it’s free. We all know how business works. But to LIE or NOT is still a choice to make. An extra of RM1 will automatically nullify the meaning of FREE. So do you still want to tell me this is not misleading?

I remember when my mom was approached by a few agents at a shopping, about doing a lucky draw. So my mom did it was they said she was VERY LUCKY because her prizes totaled at least RM2K. They were some mini theater and other expensive electrical appliances. Anybody would be happy to be in my mom’s place that time. So they were actually trying to lift up my mom’s delight by emphasizing that “You have just won yourself these gifts.” Do people who get gifts take out money to pay for the gifts? No, right? If it’s not FREE, it’s not GIFTS. Agree? But then my mom was told that she MUST BUY any of the electrical appliances they are selling and then ONLY she can entitled to receive the gifts. Any item would cost around RM2K also which was Very Expensive but then she can pay in installments. My mom was about to agree because they agents were all set to bring all the gifts to the car if only my mom decided to do the purchase. Luckily my sister saved her from getting CHEATED. "Something is not right." Recently, my cousin spoke of the same thing to me how she was approached and being VERY LUCKY to be entitled to receive expensive gifts but she could only get them IF she purchases any of their products which also cost more than RM2K. I shouted at her, “DON’T!!!!!! Are you silly ka?” She found out that she doesn’t need ANY of the electrical goods that are listed as the prizes, and also any of the items that she can choose to buy before she receives the goods. “You gonna pay for the stuff you thought are gifts and you don’t even need any of them and you use extra RM2K just to make a purchase you don’t plan for the things that you don’t need. OMIGAWD…CAN’T YOU THINK??” it’s NOT FREE for heaven’s sake!!!

Just now I received a STUPID SMS about winning a competition – and my number was picked as the lucky winner. I was furious…so dead furious. I wanted to SMS back and say something bad because I read from the newspaper how this girl lost almost RM9K because she believed what the SMS was saying about her winning something. And she contacted the number and was asked to bank-in money just so she could receive the prize and she did exactly that. I would like to scream at the girl so that she can get back her senses, “IF YOU HAVE TO PAY FOR SOMETHING BEFORE YOU GET YOUR GIFTS, THAT IS NOT GIFTS, U UNDERSTAND ME?????”

You people must remember that GIFTS means FREE so if you have to fork even a sen from your purse, you’re officially being CHEATED and you ALLOW it to happen before your eyes. If you keep in mind what FREE means, maybe you will know how to protect yourself from scams. COME ON PEOPLE, WE HAVE TO STOP THIS!! Know what you are paying for. If you allow them to use FREE with another definition, FINE, that’s your choice. But NEVER FORGET what FREE really means cos if FREE has a new meaning, I am quite worried we don’t have another word to really replace what “COSTLESS” means.

If any of these salespeople come to you and can’t even be true about the word FREE, I can’t imagine they are being honest about the rest of the deal. Yeah, call me CRUEL. But maybe these people can use their cunning mind to make money WITHOUT cheating people with the word FREE. Gimme a break. You Should be smarter than that.