Are paid online surveys a scam? This question has two parts. The first part are market research companies that have been in business since the 1920s. When the Internet came along in the 1990s, it transformed the industry into a more online presence.
Before the Internet, companies used market research firms to use surveys by going door-to-door, mailing them out, using the telephone to take them, and in face-to-face groups.
Once the Internet came along, it totally revamped the industry. Now companies can send paid surveys directly to an email inbox. This invention created even more businesses that operate primarily online and added another element and workforce to existing market research firms.
The online companies that were created are not scams. Existing businesses that were around before the internet came along are also not scams. Market research companies are very generous and go beyond the scope of what exists on the internet today when it comes to making money online. Most companies want to extract some form of payment from people. The opposite is true with paid market research companies. They pay you to sign up and may even offer a sign-up bonus just for joining. What appears to be a scam is actually a legitimate way of doing business.
The second part of the question is paid online survey scams, are the actual websites that are scams and use the nature of free paid online surveys as a way to lure people into the scam.
People looking for survey websites to join or trying to earn some money online may come across a website that appears to be a real survey that promises them some reward such as devices or cash at the end.
The scam is that people end up paying some kind of price for a product or service. The unsuspecting party may also find themselves with an endless loop of websites with advertisements on them. Another scam may try to get you to enter an email so they can spam your email with ads and offers. At worst, they steal your credit information, ruin your credit, and steal money from you.
These are just some of the real scams out there. Scammers use a paid survey front because they are free to join. Anytime a program is free to join to make money, it will attract visitors. Unfortunately, scammers will use this great way to make money and turn it into a way to commit fraud to unsuspecting parties.
The best way to avoid scams is to check the about us pages. They may have a phone number and/or email on the contact page so you can ask questions before joining. Also check with the Better Business Bureau to find out if they are registered and qualified. Another great way to find legitimacy is to check if they have accreditations on the site. Usually at the bottom of the website they will display a certified label such as the TRUSTe Certified label.
For the most part, online paid surveys are real and legitimate. Market research companies have been in business for over 60 years and are now using the internet as a way to help people make money online without having to pay anything. Companies spend billions on market research each year and you will find that many companies pay millions to their members as a reward for completing paid surveys with them. Unfortunately, scams really exist to harm you or your computer.
