The key to avoiding paid survey scams online is that you should never have to pay anything, and there are no get-rich-quick survey opportunities available. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. A reputable company will have its information available both online and over the phone, and they won't sound like an infomercial. Beware of any paid survey opportunities that have more hype than content.
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Difficulty:
Moderately Easy
Instructions
1
Look at the paid survey company's website. It should look professional, similar to any other business website. If it has huge text in varying colors, with blinking lights and multiple exclamation points everywhere, it's probably a scam.
2
Read all their rules for joining. There should be absolutely no fee for joining, or for "learning materials" to get you ready to use the site. Taking surveys is not difficult and does not require training, and you should never have to pay to take a survey, even if they offer to pay you when you're done.
3
Calculate how much you'll be making per survey or per hour, based on their estimates. Reasonable rates for paid surveys are somewhere between a few cents and $1, with averages around 25 cents. Rates of several dollars or more per survey are simply not sustainable for a survey company, and if they claim to offer that it's probably a scam. The only exceptions are specialty surveys that you may be invited to while taking a lower-priced survey.
4
Contact the company if you have any concerns. Avoid giving any of your personal information until you're sure they're legitimate. A representative on the phone who is overly pushy or refuses to answer simple questions is not a good sign.
