Free mobile rentals?

Anyone have experience with these sites. Promising free 12-month cell phone rentals on 12-months contracts with free phones. They supposedly send you a cheque for the full amount.

Are they reliable? there are so many of them, I'm leery of it as a scam and it looks too good to be true.

andy in Devon

Hi there,

No direct experience myself but here's something you should read

http://boards.fool.co.uk/Message.asp?mid=10595575&sort=whole#10718996

Basically, choose a 'reputable' promoter of these deals and you'll see your money back, else you run the risk of being fobbed off and possibly reduced payouts etc...

overall these schemes do work, but they mean extra vigilence on your part - any slip up can be costly..

Read that thread in it's entireity!

Hope it helps!

Cheers! DtM! West London & Slough UK!

I have no experience of these but if it requires you to pay up and then they'll pay you back later I'd forget it. 

Hi Britwife!

I see what you mean, but the reputable companies who offer 'cashback' like this do work. My bro had a 'Mercury 121' when they came out in 96ish (anyone remember them?!!) and they offered free calls to mobiles on the same network and then bought out a buy the phone now and in 18 months if you still have the line we'll give you back all your money. no hassle no problems, we got a cheque back from them as described !

Nowadays though, it's best to do yer homework of course, theres now more less reputable suppliers out there who try to wangle out of paying - hence me putting the link up !

Cheers! DtM! West London & Slough UK!

Oh ok, well if it's one of the big companies it might be worth a go.  I suppose with  all the competition that's around now they'll do anything to get new customers.

There was a bit in the paper about Click Mobile, which offered cashback deals as a "third party" retailer.  Third party retailers are not regulated by Ofcom, nor can the industry's ombudsman investiage complaints about them.  So if they close up shop - as Click Mobile has - you're left hanging.

I would be very wary of any cashback deals if they are not DIRECTLY through the actual provider, i.e. Orange, O2, Virgin, etc.