If something feels too good to be true, it usually is.
Last year, I had purchased one of the popular smart home vacuum bots for the home. It was a little expensive but apart from the cost I didn’t have any major complaint. It was mostly fine and I was content with the purchase. Few months after the purchase, we received a phone call, the person claiming to be calling on behalf of the bot company. They asked us to post a review of the product on Amazon within a certain time window and we were promised that if we posted the review, we would be getting a smart home camera in return. They were not really particular about the kind of review they wanted me to post and they hadn’t really asked for a glowing 5 star review. So I didn’t feel queasy about posting a review with my actual review. I posted a 4 star review mentioning all the pluses as well as the minor complaints I had had for the product. And as promised, we were sent the smart home camera. The camera came with its manual. I thumbed through the manual looking for the setup instructions. It said I needed to download the mobile app for setting up the camera and there was QR code given with link to App Store. And this is what I got when I scanned the QR code with my phone
The app required to set up the camera is not available in my country or region. Without the app, the camera cannot be used at all. There is no alternative setup method.
At this point, the situation becomes clear. While I did receive a physical product and did not lose any money, the camera is effectively unusable for me. I can only use the camera as a paper weight now. The promotion was presented without any disclosure that the device depended on a region-restricted app or that it might not work on iOS in certain countries.
I cannot verify whether the caller was officially affiliated with the brand they claimed to represent, and I am not making any accusations of intent. I am only describing what happened and the outcome.
The takeaway is simple. Be cautious of unsolicited phone calls offering free products in exchange for reviews. Verify app availability and regional support before accepting connected devices. Free hardware is not free if it cannot be used, supported, or trusted.
P.S. And because not everything in this story was frustrating, here is the video I originally uploaded with my Amazon review. Lady Falooda was far more interested in supervising the vacuum than I expected.