As of 2021, officially retired Need for Speed: Carbon along with several other older titles. This means:
When searching for "free downloads," you will encounter many third-party "abandonware" or repack sites. Use extreme caution: need-for-speed-carbon-game-free-download
Many sites claiming to offer "Full Version Free Downloads" bundle malware, adware, or miners with the game files. As of 2021, officially retired Need for Speed: