The “Free VPN” Trap: Dangers, Realities

Using a free VPN at first glance may seem like an extraordinary idea. It promises to offer the anonymity you so long for online, access to regionally blocked content, and gives you the feeling that your data and searches always remain safe. And all this without the need to spend a single penny.

But as usual, cheap is expensive and nobody offers a free service without getting anything in return. Free VPNs are a clear example of this.

You may be reading this article because after doing a little research on the benefits of VPNs , you decided to download a free one. Before doing so, we recommend that you think twice before venturing with a free VPN since we are not kidding when we say that they are potentially dangerous for your computer and the security of your data. You do not believe it?

Today we are going to talk to you about the deception of free VPNs and how behind their promises of anonymity and access to geo-restricted content is a real trap for your privacy . We hope it helps you!

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Why using a free VPN is dangerous

Free VPNs may seem harmless, and if you’ve tried one in the past, you may have fond memories of it and don’t understand why we say they are so dangerous. Under these lines we are going to list the main dangers behind them.

1. Your PC may be at the hand of hackers and malware

Hacker using a laptop

VPNs (Virtual Private Networks) are mainly used to create secure work environments where you can surf the Internet without fear that your data may be intercepted. Free VPNs promise to offer this but actually provide a completely different experience.

A recent security study analyzing 283 free VPNs revealed that 38% of these were infected with malware . This malware is usually advertising type and is introduced both on your computer and mobile device in order to monetize the VPN. And it is that it promises to be free but gets its income from the installation of malware .

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But malware is not the only danger of a free VPN. If you have been investigating them for some time, you will surely remember the Hola scandal . This seemingly innocent VPN allowed you to surf the Internet anonymously and access geographically restricted services with no limits … and all without paying a penny! However, what users did not know is that by using the service they had agreed to transfer their bandwidth to other people and even become part of a botnet without even knowing it.

2. They keep records of your activity on the Internet

Person using a laptop

This may surprise you since one normally uses a VPN to surf anonymously and prevent their activity from being tracked. A recent study concludes that 72% of free VPNs track all the activity you do online and collect your data to be able to sell it to third parties. In this way the VPN can be offered for free and then get benefits thanks to your data.

If you find it difficult to believe this information, we recommend that you read the fine print of the vast majority of these VPNs as they admit that they collect and process your data to be used by both them and third parties.

3. They are not reliable to access GEO blocked content

If you were thinking of using a free VPN to access the full catalog of platforms, we are sorry to say that you will not be able to. It is true that years ago this was possible, but currently there is none with which you can constantly enjoy this advantage.

TV and devices with Netflix

4. They decrease your connection speed

A paid VPN offers servers that not only manage to match the connection speed you normally have with the Internet, but sometimes increase it. However, the free ones have the opposite effect. These offer a minimum data transfer speed with which you can hardly browse the Internet.

It is true that there are free VPNs with good speed, but these are those that limit the amount of data that you can use without paying anything. Once you exceed that amount, you will need to purchase a subscription to continue using the service.

5. Fill your PC with ad 

As we have already mentioned, a free VPN may not directly request money to use it, but it manages to make a small fortune thanks to the ads that are displayed on your computer. These usually appear in the form of annoying pop up every time you connect or hide them within its interface to take advantage of a clueless user ending up clicking on them.

Bored woman looking at a screen

In addition to being extremely annoying, the ads displayed by free VPNs decrease your connection speed and make surfing the Internet a real pain. Also keep in mind that if you use the VPN on your mobile, the ads will gobble up your data rate in no time.

But the worst is yet to come. And it is that these ads that show the free VPNs are usually linked to malicious pages and end up installing malware on your computer. This in turn will not only further slow down your computer, but will jeopardize your privacy and data.

6. They can sell your bandwidth and even get you involved in criminal acts

As surprising as it may seem, some free VPNs are able to sell the bandwidth of your Internet connection to third parties. At the beginning of the article we told you about the famous case of Hola , in which the company took the bandwidth of the users of the free version and offered it to third parties through the Luminati brand. The scandal jumped into the media with a crash as Luminati was used to carry out a botnet attack on 8chan  and the computers of all Hola users were unintentionally involved in it. That is why using a free VPN you can never be sure that your computer does not end up linked to a criminal act through the Internet.

Is it worth using a free VPN?

Absolutely NOT . The drawbacks and pitfalls of using a free VPN exponentially outweigh its pros, if any. In fact, a user is more protected surfing the Internet without a free VPN than with it. That is why it is more than recommended that if you want to use a VPN, do not be stingy and spend a few euros a month to get all the advantages of using a private network.