Finding Paid Surveys

With so many paid survey “opportunities” on the Internet, the trick becomes distinguishing the legitimate opportunities from “opportunities” that are really just scams. The first step is to look for recommendations on websites that rate these sites, my favorite is 10xmore.com. Also read through forums and blogs about surveys and look at the comments left at the end of articles about paid surveys. You can also Google different terms to come up with paid surveys. There are many different combinations of terms that sites use. Some you can try are “paid surveys,” “focus groups,” “market research,” “research groups,” “market survey,” “Research panelist,” etc. Once you are signed up for one or more survey sites, take note of the surveys they send you. At the top of many surveys will be a research or marketing company. Search for that website on the Internet and visit their site to see if they are accepting panelists.

When you do come across a site that you think may be legitimate, double check it against sites that list known scams, the best one I've found so far is SurveyPolice.com, it’s one more step but could save you a lot of time in the long run. The next best way to determine if an offer or opportunity is legitimate or if it’s a scam is to read the fine print, there are many indicators of a scam in the Terms of Service (TOS) and User Agreement documents. Things to keep an eye out for are red flags such as the site’s ability to change the rules at any point for any reason, agreeing to receive email and offers from affiliates, the term “as-is,” and minimum participation or “offer” requirements. These are indications that the site may not be legitimate. Stay away from ads on the Internet, television or newspaper. Legitimate companies do not need to advertise, word of mouth produces plenty of panelists for these companies. Also, never pay for any lists or programs. Legitimate companies do not charge you, they pay you.

While you are searching for paid surveys, you are likely to find other paid opportunities online as well. If you are interested in finding other paid opportunities online, try typing “paid to” in your search engine and see what comes up. You’re likely to find things like voting, shopping, surveys, games, jury duty and more. Whatever opportunities you come across, the same rules apply for these programs and sites as do for surveys. Check the fine print, read the Terms of Service and User Agreements and do not ever pay for anything.