The iPhone 5 News Blog

As more and more iPhone 5 testing scams pervade the Internet, Google Search appears to be giving top rank to blogs featuring these scams.

There are some big stories on Google News today concerning an influx of sketchy iPhone 5 testing and giveaway scams. I know that I’ve personally received a couple of odd text messages promising me an iPhone 5. Now, there are tons of reports of these types of scams popping up everywhere — enough that the tech media is taking notice.

Gotta Be Mobile has a good story up about this today, wherein they explain a bit of what has been going on:  ”If you follow the links in the text message you will be redirected to a site that wants your email address and will potentially ask you for much more down the road. First off, Apple doesn’t allow the public to use their products until they announce the product, and even then, it wouldn’t be through a sketchy program like this.” InRumor is also covering the story, adding that “personal information is sold to spammers and other criminal organizations.”

IBT, however, is also focusing on how the iPhone 5 testing scam can be found simply by typing into Google Search: “Enter into a Google search “Product Gift Rewards iPhone 5 scam” and you will find multiple user comments on the ruse, as well as links to other fraudulent Web sites. Do not buy into this scam. Do not enter your personal information to unknown Web sites. The Better Business Bureau reported a surge in texting scams in November.”

This angle is particularly interesting since, at present, there are several iPhone 5-related blogs with high visibility in the “iPhone 5″ search results who are using their top Google ranking to perpetuate a purported iPhone 5 testing program. Dubbed “Test and Keep An iPhone 5,” the blog iphone5latest.com does not appear to be a Google AdSense customer, using contextual ads from media.net instead.

However, at the top of the website appears the prominent “Test and Keep an iPhone 5,” which when clicked leads users to a website called valuedopinioncenter.com.

In their fine print, they stipulate that “We also reserve the right, in our sole discretion, to change the methods through which future rewards are earned. This may include changing the approval requirements necessary to receive future rewards by increasing or decreasing the number of advertiser offers that must be completed to qualify, establishing or eliminating requirements, and adding or decreasing the number of steps to confirm that you have a legitimate account. We may also add or remove any product or service listed as a reward at any time. If we replace a reward, the new reward may not be of equal value.”

Considering that the iPhone 5 is not and never will be available for testing and keeping prior to its official release, it would appear that this program is designed to amass large quantities of e-mail address and contact information. Users are required to accept the terms of agreement, which also state that “You agree to receive promotional emails and special offers from trusted 3rd parties.”

The iPhone 5 News Blog was approached by a similar venture in 2011, but took down the ad after a couple of days once it appeared to be of a similar program.

The question remains how iPhone 5-related blogs that feature programs like these would be allowed to remain indexed by Google Search at all, let alone come to dominate high-value keywords like “iPhone 5,” especially considering that the current top-ranked blog does not appear to be a participant in Google’s AdSense program.

In any case, it goes without saying that all users should avoid these programs and websites at all costs since, as informed iPhone 5 enthusiasts, we know that none of them can possibly be valid.

By Michael Nace