Online Surveys Scam

Get paid for your opinion!

The scam here may not be what you’re expecting, and it isn’t necessarily a scam. It depends on your research abilities and how much time you want to spend. However, due to the exaggerated income claims many companies make about online surveys, caution is certainly warranted.

Companies making these claims are generally offering a list of survey companies. It is possible to find these same lists for free; however, it is not impossible that you may consider it worth the money to save the research time, and that is a personal choice.

However, most people will earn very little with online surveys, despite the claims. The high-paying surveys are exceptionally rare, and most survey companies pay in points or chances in a drawing, not cash. In addition, if you aren’t in the demographic they’re looking for, you can’t take the survey. Surveys may take anywhere from a few minutes to a half hour or more of your time, making the low pay quite unappealing.

Don’t join any survey that requires you to pay to participate, and think carefully before paying for a list. I offer a free list here on this site of online survey companies for those who are still interested.

If You Get Scammed

First try to clear it up with the company. If they are uncooperative, let them know that you will be contacting officials about the matter. Then do it.

• If you found out about the company on a website, let the site know so that they can take it off their site.
• Post your story on the Ripoff Report, so that others can see your story.
• Contact the Attorney General in your state or the state the company is in.
• Contact the BBB, both your local office and in the company's state.
• Contact the National Fraud Information Center if this was a "get rich quick" or "easy money" scheme.
• Your local Consumer Protection Offices.
• The Postmaster if you recieved the offer in the mail.
• The Federal Trade Commission. Although the FTC does not handle individual complaints, they are on the lookout for patterns of deception and unfair practices. To register a complaint, write to: Correspondence Branch, Federal Trade Commission, Washington, DC 20580.

 

Tweet

More Articles on Work at Home Scams

5 Steps to Guarantee You Fall for a Work at Home Scam
C'mon, you can do it! Fall for that scam now! All the cool stay at home moms and dads are doing it.

Envelope Stuffing
Another of the classic ways people want to earn money at home. You always see the signs for this along the sides of the road. Does it work?

Mystery Shopping
Earn money while you shop! Sounds like a dream come true.

Reshipping
Recieve a package someone else bought, then forward it on. What could possibly be wrong with that? Plenty!

Copyright © 2003-2012 Stephanie Foster unless otherwise indicated