Are Paid Online Surveys Scams? This question has two parts. The first part, which are the market research companies, have been in business since the 1920s. When the Internet came into existence in the 1990s, it transformed the industry into a more online presence.
Before the Internet, companies used market research companies to conduct surveys by going door-to-door, mailing them, using the phone to conduct surveys, and in in-person groups.
Once the Internet appeared, it totally revamped the industry. Now companies can send paid surveys directly to an email inbox. This invention created even more companies that operate primarily online and added another element and workforce to existing market research companies.
The online businesses that were created are not scams. Existing businesses that existed before the internet appeared are not scams either. Market research companies are very generous and go beyond the reach of what exists on the internet today when it comes to making money online. Most companies want to get some kind 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-in 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 online paid 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 rewards 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 come across an endless loop of ad websites. Another scam may try to get you to enter an email so they can spam your email with ads and offers. The worst case scenario is that they steal your credit information, spoil your credit and steal money from you.
These are just a few of the real scams out there. Scammers use a paid survey front because they are free to join. Every time a program is free to join to earn 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 consult the pages about us. 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 rated as yours. Another great way to find legitimacy is to check if they have accreditations on the site. Typically, 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 now use the Internet as a way to help people make money online without paying anything. Businesses spend billions on market research each year and you will find that many businesses pay their members millions as a reward for completing paid surveys with them. Unfortunately, scams really exist to harm you or your computer.