Okay, you can ask everyone who knows me pretty well - I almost never respond to emails that say that you can have "this great one-time deal", etc. - mostly because the majority are not true. Well, I couldn't pass this one up. Check out the following site to earn your way to your own free iPod! This has been at the top of my wishlist for quite awhile.

I've done the research & seems to be the real deal. I haven't read one negative posting about it & have read many of people who have received their iPods already. This is how it works ...

1. Click through this referral link: http://www.freeiPods.com/default.aspx?referer=7202140 to begin (this is my own account)

2. Sign-up for your own account (no purchase necessary) (don't use a Hotmail account - see UPDATE below)

UPDATE: There's been reports that signing up with a Hotmail account will not work correctly as HM will treat any emails from freeipods.com as junk email - meaning you won't be able to complete offers or verify your account. Yahoo offers free email accounts, though, that seem to work just fine. Sign-up for a free email account through them & use this when signing up.

3. Click on one of the fulfillment options ...

I chose the AOL option because you have I think about 50 days to 'try out' AOL before you begin being charged. You have to give credit card information (see UPDATE below) to sign-up for the AOL trial offer, but they do not charge anything until after the trial period is over. This is the same offer that new computer owners get (the little AOL icon pre-installed on their desktop) or if you were to use one of those million CDs you get in the mail. I felt comfortable signing-up for this one because I have signed up for 3-4 AOL trials in the past & had no problem cancelling before the trial cut-off date.

UPDATE: You don't need a credit card to sign-up for the AOL offer. When you get to the "Secure Your Free Trial Now" screen, scroll through the list of payment options & you can choose "Checking." Enter in the routing number & account number from one of your checks & click "Continue." That should do it. They won't charge you anything unless you fail to cancel the free trial before the 45 days are up.

4. Have 5 friends sign-up through your own referral link

These have to actually choose a fulfillment option (like signing up for the AOL free trial) before they are credited to your account.

5. Cancel your AOL trial (or other fulfillment option, if you chose a different one) after you get your iPod in the mail!

That's it ... seems worthy of a try on my part. Again, this seems to be a legit deal. I think they make up for the cost of the iPods from the tens of thousands of bonuses they get from signing people up for these offers. Give it a try!

Been reading more - actually saw screenshots of someone who got the iPod, so it is for sure legit.