Why you shouldn't use a free VPN service
A Virtual Private Network or VPN offers multiple advantages which makes it such a popular tool among everyone who uses the internet extensively. It helps keep your device and data secure and allows you to access contents that you wouldn’t have been able to access otherwise due to regional constraints. For instance, if you are from Taiwan and want to access content blocked in your country, here is a list of the best VPNs you can use. To summarize, VPN adds a layer of security and anonymity to your device and data while you are browsing the internet.
As such, it feels like common sense that you need to invest in a VPN if you haven’t already. But with a lot of free VPNs available, one might be tempted to go for them instead of paying for a service. Who doesn’t love free stuff? But just like with everything, free VPNs also come with a catch. They can be dangerous in many ways. This article is all about the potential dangers hidden behind a free VPN service.
They may come with activity trackers
Anytime you invest in a free VPN service, you should ask the question - ‘how does the provider profit from this?’. Most of the times, with free VPNs, they come with online activity trackers which will track your browsing activity. Free VPNs make money from advertisements. Hence, such providers use the tracked activity to recommend ads you might be interested in. In the end, instead of protecting your privacy, the VPN itself will be the medium which steals your information. This is one of the dangerous scams that you may be privy to with a free VPN.
Selling your bandwidth
A lot of free VPNs come from reputable providers but with limited bandwidth. But these can be trusted. Some non-reputable providers will also follow the same method but instead, they auction off your bandwidth and sell your data to cybercriminals who perform botnet attacks with your device as a weapon, without your knowledge. Therefore, make sure to read the privacy policy and terms and conditions of the free VPN service before you decide to start using it if you don’t wish to be a cyberattack victim.
Inclusion of malware within the VPN
This is ironic considering the fact that VPNs are intended to protect you from malware attacks and cyber threats. A lot of free VPNs come with malware installed within them. Using such VPNs will cause your device to be a victim of malware attacks and data breach. This malware can be used for any purpose from data theft to making your device a medium for large scale cyber-attack. While most of the time malware was installed to understand your ad preferences through your browsing activity, you never know when you will be in the middle of something even more serious until it is too late.
Final thoughts
Free VPNs do exist and some of them are actually trustable and offered by reputable providers. They make their revenue by offering limited bandwidths or through ads. Usually, these free services are only available for the trial period though. But a lot of free VPNs are actual traps that are used for purposes opposite of what they were intended to do. They leak your data and ruin your privacy. Hence, it is always better to invest in a premium VPN from a trusted provider which comes with unlimited bandwidth, malware protection, is void of trackers and perfectly safe.
