Is One Country a Scam?

If you’re thinking of trying One Country, you need to know whether it’s safe. Is One Country a scam? 

Below, we explain whether One Country is a scam and discuss some steps you can take to improve your safety while browsing this country-specific media platform. 

What Is One Country?

One Country is a country music culture and lifestyle-specific media company and giveaway platform. 

It is based in Rogers, Arkansas.

The platform features sweepstakes for prizes such as vacation getaways, vehicles, and country artist concerts, and also offers exclusive content on country music artists, including videos and podcasts. 

Users can buy country-themed merchandise and become paid members to get extra giveaway entries, exclusive content, and other perks (like surprise drops). 

One Country occasionally highlights charitable causes.

Is One Country a Scam?

No, One Country is not a scam. It’s a legitimate country-themed media platform. 

User reviews of One Country are mixed as of this writing:

• 3.8 out of 5.0 stars (from over 1,000 reviews) on Trustpilot.
• 4.6 out of 5.0 stars (from over 1,500 reviews) on Google Play.
• 4.8 out of 5.0 stars (from over 2,000 reviews) on the App Store. 
• 3.79 out of 5.0 stars (from over 200 reviews) on Better Business Bureau.

Negative reviews note the difficulty of canceling memberships, with some users reporting they were charged even after submitting a cancellation request. 

Others report that customer support is slow to respond or even completely unresponsive. 

Many customers say they had to block charges on their credit cards, PayPal accounts, or bank accounts. 

On the other hand, customers who successfully reached One Country customer support report receiving fast, helpful responses. 

One Country is Better Business Bureau accredited and holds an “A-” rating. BBB ratings reflect how the BBB thinks a business interacts with its customers.

At the time of writing, One Country has received a total of 36 complaints in the last three years, 3 of which have been closed in the past 12 months. 

The most common complaint involves the difficult cancellation process (multiple complaints allege One Country claims they never received cancellation emails), followed by refunds only happening after complaining on the BBB, and confusing sweepstakes rules.

One Country security 

In its privacy policy, One Country describes its security measures.

The platform uses encryption for sensitive information, firewalls, intrusion detection, and physical/administrative safeguards. 

Payments by card are processed via a third-party provider. One Country states that it does not collect/store/process credit card information.

One Country privacy  

One Country explains in its privacy policy the kind of data it collects, why, and with whom it shares it.

It collects both personally identifiable information (PII) and non-personally identifiable information.

PII collected may include:

• Name.
• Date of birth.
• Email.
• Phone number.
• Postal address
• Age.
• Zip/postal code.
• Shopping habits (if provided)
• Giveaway winner verification information (if you win), which may include W-9/SSN (for 1099 reporting), passport (non-US residents), and driver’s license (e.g., if a vehicle prize). 

It may also collect certain information automatically, which includes site activity details (pages visited and traffic data), approximate location/, and IP address, browser type, and operating system. 

The platform collects this data when you create a One Country account, enter a giveaway, join a mailing list, send a customer support request, leave a review or comment, participate in surveys, conduct a transaction, and browse the site.

One Country states it uses cookies (essential, analytics, functionality, and targeting) and notes that third-party advertisers/partners may use cookies/trackers for interest-based advertising and cross-site tracking. One Country says that it does not control those third-party technologies.

Social media integrations may share/collect data under the social platforms’ own policies.

The platform may also use other analytics providers and web beacons.

One Country may use your information to provide you with requested services or content, process payments and orders, operate and maintain its services, and administer and report giveaway results. Additionally, for research, analysis, and marketing communications with opt-out options.

The platform may share your information with subcontractors who help provide services, law enforcement when required or permitted by law, and acquiring entities in the event of a merger or acquisition. 

For certain giveaways, you may opt in to allow them to share your email with third-party advertisers. 

Giveaway winners’ names, photos, and likenesses may be disclosed publicly.

As a One Country user, you have certain privacy rights. For example, you can request access to your data, corrections, deletion, or opt out of certain processing. 

You can also unsubscribe from marketing emails via the link at the bottom of each email. For text messages, you can text “STOP” to cancel.

The privacy policy has detailed sections for residents of California, Colorado, Connecticut, Kentucky, Nebraska, Nevada, Texas, Utah, and Virginia, each outlining specific rights, such as opting out of data sales and targeted advertising, and how to submit requests.

So, Should You Use One Country?

Depends. 

One Country might be a good fit if you like country music content, understand that entering sweepstakes doesn’t mean you’ll actually win, and you’re comfortable sharing standard personal information. 

It may not be a good fit if you are uncomfortable sharing sensitive information (SSN/W-9, ID, etc.) if you win or if you’re considering a paid subscription but hate dealing with subscription cancellations.

How to Use One Country Safely and Privately 

• Be cautious with paid memberships. Many users complain about the difficulty of cancelling their membership, so avoid paid membership unless you’re comfortable potentially disputing charges later.
• Use payment methods with strong protections. Since many users report needing to block charges, consider using a credit card or PayPal rather than a debit card. Be prepared to dispute charges if cancellation doesn’t go through.
• Limit the personal information you share with the platform. One Country collects standard PII, plus very sensitive data if you win. To stay safer, don’t share your shopping habits or optional survey data unless you’re comfortable doing so. Understand that winning a giveaway may require SSN/W-9, ID, or passport information (decide in advance if that’s acceptable to you).
• Opt out of marketing and data sharing where possible. The platform uses cookies, analytics, and third-party tracking. You can reduce exposure by unsubscribing from marketing emails via the link in emails, texting “STOP” to cancel SMS messages, declining optional opt-ins that allow your email to be shared with third-party advertisers, and adjusting cookie preferences if prompted.
• Be mindful of social media integrations. If you connect One Country to social platforms, know that your data may be shared under those platforms’ policies, not One Country’s. Avoid linking accounts unless you’re okay with cross-platform data collection.
• Understand giveaway visibility. If you win, your name, photo, and likeness may be publicly disclosed. Make sure you’re comfortable with that level of exposure before entering a One Country giveaway.
• Exercise your privacy rights. According to the One Country privacy policy, you can request access to your data, ask for corrections or deletion, and opt out of certain data processing and targeted advertising.