Identifying scam survey sites.
How to find a legitimate survey site.
An option to generate extra income through survey companies may sound very appealing since it offers a way to make money from the comfort of your home. But as with every opportunity there are pitfalls and dangers that await you on your way to compensation for your opinion. In this case these pitfalls are scam survey sites or sites that request your personal information without any privacy policy on their pages, or for reasons they don't explain. They are designed to look like a survey site or promise you sky high rewards for your opinion by tricking you into giving them your personal information that is then sold to third parties, or used for other marketing purposes without your consent. Then there are sites that charge you for what is available for everyone at no cost. Sites that disguise themselves as online survey sites often use deceptive tricks and tactics. These are some of the red flags to watch out for:
Personal information request without privacy policy. Privacy policy is a must for a legitimate survey site. It outlines how your personal information will be used. Legitimate survey companies need to know your demographic information to conduct market research such as your age, geographical location, occupation, type of employment etc. At the same time they should supply a thorough description of how your information will be used. If it doesn't provide detailed description of personal information use or gives only general or blurry overview you should carefully think before joining their panel.
Request for a fee in exchange for a list of survey sites. While this is not illegal and may not be seen by some as unethical, they are selling you information that is readily available online at no charge.
If you are looking for some legitimate survey sites to join, the list of proven survey sites, provided absolutely at no charge to every visitor, can be found here: Be paid for your opinion All survey companies are free to join and conduct a real market research.
Unprofessional website design. If you would own a legitimate online business would you care for your business image? Of course, you would! A poorly designed site is a sign of negligence and/or unprofessional approach, and may indicate failed business or owner's questionable motives. A survey company that deals with businesses and has or strives for reputable and established clients will surely understand the significance of professionally looking website. However, a poor design doesn't necessary mean simple design. Vast majority of legitimate survey sites employ a simple site design that is easy to navigate. They will also display their contact information and openly disclose the nature of their company.
Poor or no customer support. Real businesses make sure it is easy to contact or find them, emphasizing quality customer service. Real businesses welcome feedback from clients and customers and don't shy away from communication. Legitimate survey sites are no different. They should have their frequently asked questions section or something similar, maybe a forum. They should make it easy to contact them through public display of their contact information in case if members have questions about the use of their personal information, need help completing survey, or if they experience difficulties using the company's site. Moreover, beside a site for survey panel members real survey companies very often have a separate page(s) or site(s) that cater specifically to clients or investors. You can learn a lot about a company just by reading information presented to their clients/investors.
It sounds too good to be true. Remember old principle: if it sounds too good to be true, most likely it is. Exercise caution if the site you are looking at promises you extraordinary amounts of money for taking short online surveys. Companies rewarding you for your opinion are here to make money, not to loose money, and they will be reasonable in distributing their compensation. If it was possible to make thousands of dollars per month just by filling out simple forms, it would be widely known by now and everyone would be in this line of work since long ago.
Negative public opinion. Do a search using search engines, Internet communities, groups or forums to find out what others say about a survey company you intend to join. Examine sites that someone else recommends and double check their recommendations with other users.
BBB. Finally, but not lastly, use Better Business Bureau to check, if there are complaints filed. However, filed complaints do not necessary indicate a poor business conduct. They can be results of poor communication or lack of understanding on user's part. Complaints similar in nature filed during a short period of time or consistent similar complaints throughout a long period of time can indicate questionable business practices. Thus, exercise your best judgment when evaluating those.
