At the fair, carnival tricks of entirely different sort

Hidden among the many cattle, food vendors, racing pigs, and the trapeze act was an enticement. It probably didn’t look so scary to most people. Not so many people go to events with the idea in the back of their mind that at least someone is there to take something from them - not counting overpaying for fried dough.

So, if that notion was absent and you aren’t equipped with a serious dose of skepticism, you were a target. Indeed, you might well have been among the hundreds (or more) to fall for it.

Under a huge sign proclaiming that I could win a $5,000 gift certificate lurked this evil. It was a small piece of paper marked “Registration Form.’’

It wanted your name, address, home, work and cell phone numbers, occupation, age group, household income, and marital status. Don’t provide all the information and your entry doesn’t count. To seal the deal, you have to sign it.

A skeptical person might wonder why a contest would need to know all of this stuff. You don’t have to give up all those details to compete for many other giveaways. So, what’s up with this?

All that information is valuable to people who want to sell you things. And your signature just gives them the green light to do that - and permit them to override any “Do Not Call’’ list or request made to be removed from one of their solicitation lists.

To these salespeople, the information you just divulged is valuable, not just for selling what they want to sell you but also for reselling your information as someone vulnerable to a sales pitch.

On the flip side of the entry form is this line: “I understand by entering the giveaway I am giving (a series of company names follow) and affiliates permission to contact me about this and other exciting vacation offers by phone or e-mail.’’

Do yourself a favor the next time you see one of these contest entries: Walk the other way.

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