About Paid Survey Scams
For many people, the Internet has opened up a vast pool of opportunity to work from home. Unfortunately, the Internet is also rife with programs aimed at scamming individuals out of their money, time and even their identity. Legitimate paid survey companies offer people money, items or entry into sweepstakes for completing surveys. Unfortunately, some paid survey opportunities are actually paid survey scams. By doing your homework before you sign up for a paid survey program, you can protect yourself from being scammed.
Other People Are Reading
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Guaranteed Income
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The old adage is correct, if something looks to good to be true, it probably is. People should be wary of paid survey sites that offer guaranteed money per month. Legitimate paid survey programs generally cannot guarantee a set dollar amount per month. These types of websites are usually scams, and will not, generally, disclose how many surveys are needed to reach the quoted dollar amount.
Pay to Participate
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If a paid survey site requires payment to participate in the program, the chances are good that it is a paid survey scam. With all of the money making opportunities available on the Internet, there is no reason a person would need to pay to make money filling out surveys. Many people who sign up for survey programs find that they are offered less surveys and make less money completing them than they paid for the membership.
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Personal Information
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There are legitimate paid survey companies that use the public to evaluate ad campaigns and products, but individuals should avoid companies that require more than basic demographic information when signing up for and completing surveys. Paid survey opportunities that ask for personal banking information or Social Security numbers are usually scams. These programs prey on unsuspecting individuals looking to make money online by stealing their identities or selling their personal information to third parties.
Sweepstakes and Points
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A person should read the terms of service before signing up for a paid survey opportunity to make sure they are being offered actual money to complete surveys. Many survey programs offer a chance to win money via a drawing from a pool of individuals. Other paid surveys offer points that may be turned in for cash or items. Some sweepstakes or point programs are legitimate, but many are paid survey scams. A person should read the terms of service laid out by a survey company and the rules pertaining to each survey to make sure there is a guaranteed monetary amount for completing the survey.
Avoid Paid Survey Scams
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To avoid paid survey scams, individuals looking for legitimate paid survey opportunities should evaluate each survey company before signing up for a program. The Better Business Bureau or other government reporting agency will list any complaints a company has received and offer information on how to avoid paid survey scams. Check what other people are saying about a paid survey opportunity before signing up as well. The Rip Off Report website allows individuals to report on their personal experiences with a company and whether or not they have been scammed.
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