How to Avoid Survey Scams
Don't pay to play., Watch out for phishing., Look for a privacy policy., Don't get tempted by outlandish rewards.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Don't pay to play.
A legitimate survey site won't ask you to pay them to take a survey--so they can pay you.
That's just passing money back and forth, and it's not a legitimate business model.Even if it seems like an obvious point, it needs to be made.
People fall for this type of scam every day.
At best, the scammer will take your money and flood you with a deluge of 1000 question surveys you get paid a dollar to complete, counting on you to get tired and quit, never recouping your money.
At worst, they'll just take your money and run. -
Step 2: Watch out for phishing.
If you receive an unsolicited email inviting you to take a survey in return for compensation, don't take it.
It's most likely a phishing scam."Phishing" is a term for a scammer trying to get your personal information in order to steal your identity.
They'll either get it by installing malware on your computer (the malware's embedded in the link you followed), or simply by getting you to enter it so you can take their "survey."
All legitimate survey companies have a privacy policy.
If you can't find a privacy policy, you should assume the survey is a scam.If you see a link to a privacy policy, make sure to click it.
Clever scammers will sometimes add what appears to be a link to a privacy policy, but when you try and follow the link, you find out it leads nowhere.The same goes for an "about" page.
Reputable companies have no interest in keeping their identities a secret.
If the site you're on on doesn't include an "about" page, stay away., Nobody's going to become a millionaire sitting around the house taking internet surveys.
You probably won't even be able to support yourself on the proceeds.No one is ever going to pay you $200 to take an internet survey, and if anyone promises to, they're just trying to scheme a way to get your personal information, like credit card numbers, your Social Security number, and you bank account numbers. -
Step 3: Look for a privacy policy.
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Step 4: Don't get tempted by outlandish rewards.
Detailed Guide
A legitimate survey site won't ask you to pay them to take a survey--so they can pay you.
That's just passing money back and forth, and it's not a legitimate business model.Even if it seems like an obvious point, it needs to be made.
People fall for this type of scam every day.
At best, the scammer will take your money and flood you with a deluge of 1000 question surveys you get paid a dollar to complete, counting on you to get tired and quit, never recouping your money.
At worst, they'll just take your money and run.
If you receive an unsolicited email inviting you to take a survey in return for compensation, don't take it.
It's most likely a phishing scam."Phishing" is a term for a scammer trying to get your personal information in order to steal your identity.
They'll either get it by installing malware on your computer (the malware's embedded in the link you followed), or simply by getting you to enter it so you can take their "survey."
All legitimate survey companies have a privacy policy.
If you can't find a privacy policy, you should assume the survey is a scam.If you see a link to a privacy policy, make sure to click it.
Clever scammers will sometimes add what appears to be a link to a privacy policy, but when you try and follow the link, you find out it leads nowhere.The same goes for an "about" page.
Reputable companies have no interest in keeping their identities a secret.
If the site you're on on doesn't include an "about" page, stay away., Nobody's going to become a millionaire sitting around the house taking internet surveys.
You probably won't even be able to support yourself on the proceeds.No one is ever going to pay you $200 to take an internet survey, and if anyone promises to, they're just trying to scheme a way to get your personal information, like credit card numbers, your Social Security number, and you bank account numbers.
About the Author
Virginia Turner
Creates helpful guides on organization to inspire and educate readers.
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