NordVPN,ExpressVPN dubious free offers

Questions
1

Hi.

I don’t know if you are aware of rakuten.ca, rakuten.com and topcashback, but they will offer free yearly sub to NordVPN,Express VPN, PIA…

I know that dubious, but what do you think goes behind the curtains ?

For example, how does NordVPN spy on the traffic of only the users that went through thoses 3rd party vendor ?

Or do we have proof that NordVPN (or other) sell traffic data of all of their clients ?

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2

Providing access to their services is very cheap and this cost will be easily offset by the percentage who either forget to cancel or willingly allow an autorenewal. These autorenewals are often $100+.

Those customers who got it for free will also sometimes be referring other friends/family who will pay full price.

I think its as simple as that.

These offers are only available to new customers, but many people try to game the system by pretending to be new users in order to earn cashback. Some do a bad job of pretending to be new and the cashback is declined, allowing the provider to keep the money.

If you are using these cashback offers be sure keep autorenewal enabled until cashback is paid out. I’ve heard stories of people having their cashback declined if they cancel prematurely.

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3

Business.

Typically there are affiliate referral links so that NordVPN can pay out the affiliate according to their arrangement, but that links your client to that affiliate as a result.

None that I am aware of.

4

If it’s too good to be true it’s usually because:

  • you will have a hard time canceling/opting-out
  • some thorough KYC will be needed
  • marketing rules and they will offset the money down the road
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