While Facebook games like Farmville and Mafia Wars can be superb distractions from a boring day at the office or a lazy Sunday afternoon at home, experts say that calculation and greed lurk beneath this relaxing facade. The danger, it is said, appears when special offers are advertised next to games on social networking sites like Facebook and MySpace or elsewhere online. These offers promise “free” advancement in the game in exchange for the victim’s phone number. The victim is then unwittingly signed up for a service costing $9.99 per month, which they won’t be aware of until their next cell phone bill appears. a recent blog post on website Tech Crunch sparked an acrimonious confrontation between consumer advocates and online marketing companies, culminating in Offerpal CEO Anu Shukla responding to a question with a profanity-laced tirade. (Shukla has since stepped down.) Facebook game players should be safe enough farming their virtual fields, but should watch out for special offers promising free rewards. The old saw still applies: If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

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