Every time an internet phenomenon becomes popular, particularly when it involves money changing hands, a few people will seek to exploit the trend for their own gain. That’s why there are so many scams and dishonest tactics surrounding the growth of online surveys.  

Since the internet is still extremely difficult to regulate, a climate of lawlessness prevails. And the worst part is that if you fall victim to a scam, there is likely nothing your local or national law enforcement can do about it. Some scams are based in far-away countries or are not traceable at all, and there’s no law enforcement body equipped to take care of your relatively small complaint.  

In the end, we each have to be in charge of our own internet security. By arming yourself with knowledge and smart browsing practices, you can prevent yourself from being taken in by scam online survey sites.  

Here are a few things to watch out for.  

Payment requests.  

99.9% of the time, you should not have to pay to participate in online surveys. Think of yourself as an employee, and the companies conducting surveys are the employers who need people to work for them. For you to pay them would be backwards. To protect yourself, keep your distance from any survey site that asks for money, and don’t give out your credit card information for any reason. Internet scammers are always looking for ways to take people’s money for phony products and services that they never deliver.  

Asking for too much information.  

For most surveys, it’s essential that the companies know a certain amount of information about you. In order to get accurate consumer information, they may ask for your age, gender, income, ethnic background, your postal code, and even things like your political and religious beliefs.  

However, if a survey site begins to ask you for things like your tax file number, your home phone number and address, or any other information that you feel may compromise your security, don’t give them that information. Even if they say that they are an ethical company who will not use your information for nefarious purposes, they’re not to be trusted. It’s easy to lie, and it’s not that hard to create a legitimate-looking website designed to steal money from people.  

In less serious cases, dishonest websites may take your email address and give it out to companies that send out large amounts of spam. That’s why we recommend using a special email address for survey sites.  

Poor website design.  

If a website is not designed well, is difficult to navigate, or looks like it hasn’t been updated in many years, it’s probably not going to be able to hook you up with good survey offers. However, also be aware that some scam companies use very sophisticated web design.  

Unrealistic hopes.  

Poorly run or scam survey sites have a bad habit of promising large amounts of fast cash for taking surveys. If you see this, be on guard. You will not be able to make a full-time income from taking surveys online, and anyone who says otherwise is lying. Use caution when approaching websites that make these claims.

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