ALT-1 Are Paid Surveys a Scam
Paid surveys like any other online adventure have some scams. How can you avoid being scammed by survey companies? There are a few key elements to look for when signing up to become a panel member in survey companies. If you see these key elements you will want to proceed with caution and at your own risk. Here are the key elements you want to avoid when signing up with survey companies. If you see one or more of these elements you may be falling victim to a scam.
Many survey companies will promise you large amounts of cash for taking surveys for them. In most cases where large payment is promised a large fee is required to get a list of survey companies or to become a member. Never pay a fee to get a list of survey companies or to join a survey panel. You may have to do a bit of research and put some time in to find free panels to join but they are out there. If a company asks you for a fee this is a red flag warning that the company may not be legit. Survey companies want your opinion and do not charge any type of fee for getting it.
Survey companies that promise to send you large amounts of surveys so that you can earn hundreds of dollars within a short amount of time are generally scams. A legit company will not promise to pay you large amounts of cash. If it sounds too good to be true use good judgment before joining because most of the time it is not true. Companies that operate like this often sell your email and you end up with an inbox full of junk and not a single paying survey.
Any survey site that asks for a credit card, account number, etc should be avoided. Sites that ask for this type of information are often not even considered a survey company but a flat out scam. These type people operate as a legit company but take your information and use it for their own benefit. Never use a company that asks for this vital information unless it has been cleared by the Better Business Bureau (BBB).
Just as there are scam survey companies there are also some legit. The numbers of legit survey companies are much smaller than scams but they exist if you can locate them. If you want to find legit companies there are also some key elements to look for. A legit survey company will never ask you to pay a fee to join, never ask for credit, debit, or any other account numbers, and they never promise a large amount of cash for your time. A legit company will generally offer no more than a few dollars each time you take a survey. Many will not even offer a cash incentive but may offer a sweepstakes or some other type of chance to win.
Now that you know the key elements to look for to avoid a scam you probably want to know how to begin to find the legit companies. You can find legit survey companies by using search engines. There are hundreds maybe even thousands of survey panels available. It will take quite a bit of time to weed through all the companies out there but with knowledge of what to look for you know what companies to avoid. You can begin by signing up for a few each day or each week depending upon the time you have. Many of the companies will never send surveys so you will end up being a member of many. Be prepared to invest a lot of time in your new hobby because it will require it.
You can also learn the best sites to invest your time in by joining online forums that specialize in survey companies. One of the best forums I have found for online surveys is getpaidhwy.com. This site has many active and helpful members when it comes to understanding, joining, and even avoiding survey companies. Many areas offer referral links to join panels and hard to find information. This forum also offers an area dedicated to legit survey sites and their pay out history. Joining a forum can save you loads of wasted time from online searches.
The information contained in this article should have you well prepared to begin searching for survey companies that are legit. The information I have provided has been learned by experience. The answer to the question is paid surveys a scam is yes some are but not all. Knowledge and common sense are the best two weapons you have against becoming a paid survey scam victim. Use both and be weary if you second-guess a gut feeling.
