We take our first look at “Free for Seniors,” a book and e-book being sold through various outlets. The quick version: I wouldn’t buy it. The longer version: I would not buy it even if I were a senior.
A reader wrote to ask us about a book advertisement that recently appeared in the “Lebanon Daily News.” The book is called “Free for Seniors” and the ad apparently included this image. (That’s the only size we have.)
The ad was a mail-in form so that you could buy the book for $14.95 + $4 shipping and handling. You can also buy an ebook of the same title for $17.77. We don’t know if it’s the same book just made digital.
The Cautions
Something doesn’t smell quite right here. First, if the book being sold is the one shown in the image (Is the author “Murray L Broach?”), the book was written in 1977.
Second, the book has several other incarnations: Free Stuff for Seniors, by Matt Lesko and Mary Ann Martello (1998); Free Stuff for Seniors, by Frank Wood (2000); The Book of Free Things for Seniors, by Linda Kalian (2002), and more. What this duplication suggests to me is that the books are cobbled together from readily available, public, free information.
Third, reviews of this type of book at Amazon.com are mostly negative and claim that you have to live in very rural areas or have special needs to qualify for the free government stuff. They also say that the information is freely available online.
To be fair, there are also a couple of positive reviews. Read the good and bad for yourself here.
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4 Responses
You can get the free stuff for seniors book at the library for FREE.
I sent for the book and never received it. Wish I had saved my money.
i live in columbus ohio and i sent a check to get the free for seniors book. from a add out of the columbus dispatch paper. its been a month no book.i would like to get it soon or i will contact the BBB thank you
I sent in for the book in mid-Dec. To date, my check has not been cashed. If this is fraud, why doesn’t someone tell the magazines who advertise for the book?? Why doesn’t someone say something?