# Nordstrom gift certificate--fact or scam?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nordstrom-gift-certificate-fact-or-scam/285938>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [January 21, 2005, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nordstrom-gift-certificate-fact-or-scam/285938 "2005-01-21T17:32:04Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\
**Post date:** [January 21, 2005, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nordstrom-gift-certificate-fact-or-scam/285938/1 "2005-01-21T17:32:04Z")

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I got a link via email that opens a web page at [FillMyCloset.com](http://FillMyCloset.com). They are offering a $250 Nordstrom gift cert if you provide your email address and those of 5 friends.

My bullshitometer is off the scale. Anybody know anything factual about this offer?

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**Author:** ![Monstre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@Monstre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monstre)\
**Post date:** [January 21, 2005, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nordstrom-gift-certificate-fact-or-scam/285938/2 "2005-01-21T18:25:40Z")

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Looks like another of the typical variety of pyramid scemes going around.

Get a free DVD player. Get a free iPod. Get a free laptop. blah blah blah.

Notice that the page says, “If you COMPLETE AN OFFER” and your 5 friends do too. The “Offers” are usually things like signing up for credit cards, or signing up for purchasing clubs (book clubs, CD clubs, etc. etc.), or buying things.

I would guess that the larger the value of the “free gift”, the more “offers” have to be completed (by you and/or your friends).

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**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\
**Post date:** [January 21, 2005, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nordstrom-gift-certificate-fact-or-scam/285938/3 "2005-01-21T19:48:42Z")

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There’s a discussion of a similar scheme [here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=288459)

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**Author:** ![TJVM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b38774/32.png) [@TJVM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TJVM)\
**Post date:** [January 21, 2005, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nordstrom-gift-certificate-fact-or-scam/285938/4 "2005-01-21T22:19:49Z")

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I think Monstre is right. The FAQ section of that site says:

> [@](#):
>
> Is it really free?  
> Yes! In order to receive your reward, you must complete the registration process on [FillMyCloset.com](http://FillMyCloset.com). We ask that you “spread the word” to your friends, getting five to register for our site. Easy, right? As soon as you and your five friends **try out just one offer from our sponsors** (each) we automatically e-mail you a link to our redemption form, already filled out and ready for processing. By telling your friends, you’re reducing the amount of money we would normally pay for advertising our web site. This allows us to make a small profit on each gift we send out, and keep us in the business of giving away free gift cards!

So it’s not just a matter of giving them e-mail addresses; you and your friends will all have to buy something.