Gratis Internet is a Washington, D.C. based company which has often
been accused of operating primarily on pyramid schemes
...it has launched a number of websites offering free merchandise, most
notably iPods, to users who register and complete membership
requirements. Although the word "free" is used prominently, wouldbe
members seeking to complete an offer to qualify for the free
merchandies are often given a number of options, some of which involve
signing up and paying for a service or subscription.
...offers typically consist of trial memberships, service subscriptions,
credit card applications and the like; some require credit cards
during registration, and a few involve payment of some kind, causing
critics to claim the "free" label a misnomer
....required to refer a set number of people
.....advertisers pay Gratis for the referral, between $25 and $90
...members of Gratis's programs have posted much spam on bulletin
boards and chat rooms violating policy
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gratis_Internet