Online surveys are a great way to make easy cash without much effort.
However, there are several dangers associated with paid online surveys, and it’s important to know that you can get easily scammed.
Paid online surveys seem straightforward, but in reality, there are many online scam artists and unscrupulous middlemen out there who will promise you a sweet reward for filling out an online survey.
And according to Suvey Legend, there were 5.7 million scam reports in 2021, of which 49% was for fraud and 25% for identity theft.
Majority of people do not realize that they are being scammed. So, how would you know if an online survey is legit or a scam?
In this guide, you will find everything you need to know about scam-paid survey sites and give some tips for avoiding scam-paid survey sites and middlemen.
What is an Online Survey Scam?
A survey scam is usually an online survey delivered to you via phone, email, or online communication methods and collects your personal information or installs malware on their computers.
They tempt their potential victims to fill out a survey and win exciting rewards in return, like a cash prize, gift card, coupons, and other deceptive formats to give the impression of legitimacy.
How do Scam Survey Sites Harm Users?
Many of the scam survey sites are usually run by middlemen who are paid commissions from the survey companies for referrals or selling the personal data of the people to a third party, which then uses it to attempt anything from identity theft schemes to credit card frauds.
The damage done by the scam survey sites varies greatly depending on the nature of the scam, the target, and the scammer’s particular goals.
Here are a few ways they can harm the users:
- Increased Nuisance Calls
- Compromised Online Accounts
- Identity Theft
- Selling your info to third-parties
- Fines for TCPA Violations
How to Spot a Scam Paid Survey Sites?
Here are some red flags that will help you identify if a survey is likely to be a scam:
- Ask for Money Upfront
If an online survey site asks you for money upfront or pays a membership fee to get the information of all the latest and upcoming surveys, they are most likely to be a scam.
Some may also try to lure you into buying their training kit to learn how to fill online surveys, that are filled with URLs easily available on Google.
- Offering Too Much Money
If a survey site offers too much money or uses dubious payment practices, it is probably a scam.
For example, many scam online survey sites offer participants up to $25 per survey, but that’s not true.
According to Scambusters, there is not a single survey platform that offers even $10 an hour.
- Pre-Qualification
Many scam survey sites require you to fill out a pre-qualification questionnaire to determine whether you fall into their targeted demographic.
These questionnaires consist of hundreds of questions, some of which ask for your personal information. After completion, you will learn that you do not qualify for the survey.
- Rely on the Clickbait
The scam survey sites typically rely on clickbait like “Win an Amazon Giftcard” by completing the survey to entice users.
Meanwhile, they steal your data, and you don’t even have a prize to show in the end.
- Using Phishing Surveys
Scammers use phishing surveys to trick people into giving their personal information.
These surveys appear as display ads on social news feeds or websites and require your username, social security number, credit card details, and passwords to access your email, bank, or other accounts. 1
How To Determine If a Paid Survey Site is Legit?
Scammers try their best to fool people into a paid survey scam.
However, there are ways in which you can determine which survey site is real without wasting too much time. Here’s how you do it:
- Check online reviews: Check online reviews of survey sites on platforms like Google reviews, Trustpilot, BBB, etc., to determine what people who have already used the survey site are saying. This will help you in saving yourself from scam survey sites.
- Do not share your confidential information: A legit survey site will not ask you to share confidential details such as your SSN, bank account number, credit card details, driver’s license details, etc. If a survey site asks for such information while signing up, do not proceed with them.
- Read their privacy policy: Read the privacy policy of the paid survey site before signing up. The privacy policy will tell you if the site will sell the information submitted by you to spammers.
Top 5 Legit Survey Sites
Where Can I Report a Paid Survey Scam?
If you have been scammed by a survey site or know someone who has been, then you can report the same to Federal Trade Commission (FTC) by calling them at 877-382-4357.
Apart from this, you can also report the same to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center and to BBB’s Scam Tracker. 2
Wrapping Up
Not all Survey sites are legit and some of them will eat away your time and will offer you nothing. So be aware of such scams.
In this guide on How To Watch Out For Scam Paid Surveys Sites, we shared with you some tips on how you can protect yourself against such scams, tips to spot a legit survey site for money, and more. We hope this was helpful.
FAQ
Which are the best survey sites for money?
Here is a list of some of the best and high-paying survey sites for money:
Are all survey sites for money legit?
No, not all survey sites for money are legit. There are a lot of scam websites that would make you complete a survey but will pay you nothing in return.
Ensure you follow the tips shared in the guide above to avoid survey scams.
Amit Gupta is the founder of National Planning Cycles, a company that helps startups, individuals, and small businesses with their financial planning. He has a vast amount of experience in the finance sector, having managed Google Play accounts for some of the world’s most successful unicorns. Amit is an expert in his field, and he uses his knowledge to help others achieve their individual goals.
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