How to Make Sure The Paid Survey Website You’re Joining Is Safe?
Everyone wants to earn money online these days. Unfortunately, not everyone is born with killer coding skills or a sharp business acumen. Online survey forms are among the quickest and easiest ways to earn some extra cash for people who don’t have any special talent but a lot of time on their hands. All you have to do is answer a bunch of questions, tell the company what you like/dislike and get paid for it. Sounds easy right? Well, there are a lot of risks involved in the deal. For starters, not every paid survey website is an authentic and legally registered one. Many of them look pretty shady and ask for a hefty registration fee. Here are some quick tricks that you can use to weed out the fake sites and apply to the real ones.
What are Paid Survey Websites?
Paid survey websites are basically platforms where you get to express an opinion and get paid for it. Most brands indulge in sending out questionnaires to random people online from different market groups and locations so as to gauge the latest trends and tendencies of people. Once you’ve created an account and registered on the platform, you’ll be redirected to a page where you’ll have to fill out your credentials (location, income, age etc) This helps the company identify your market group and send you the survey forms accordingly.
There are tons of survey sites out there, and only a few of them are legitimate. And before you shun all survey platforms, let us tell you the authentic ones pay well and are backed by some major market research corporations. You just need to dig around the little to check just how credible they are.
It’s Not a Lottery Ticket
Let us clear some basic misconceptions about survey sites before we begin a discussion on checking their credibility. You don’t need any degree or technical skill to be qualified to fill out survey forms. Anyone and everyone can fill out forms so long as you fall under the required market group. Also, survey forms though easier and quicker earning solutions, do not offer instant cash. You need to be very patient, read and understand the payment policies before you register. Most companies pay weekly, others monthly. Also, you can join more than one survey platform as long as they are worth the time and legit enough.
Are You Eligible for It?
You are not eligible to fill out all survey forms, the company would first check your credentials and then send out questionnaires accordingly. The initial screening process includes questions about your demographics and the usage and preferences of products featured in the survey. It is only when your answers match their criterion that you get more work. All credible survey sites have an in-depth screening process that guides both the user and the advertising agency to a middle ground where both can meet and fulfill the demands of each other. However, beware of the websites that ask for overtly personal information like your bank account number or credit card details.
The First Rule: Never Pay
All survey websites are free, and if you come across one that’s asking for registration fees, it’s probably fake. In fact, this is the biggest red flag that users must look out for when checking the authenticity of the platform. Also, be wary of the “get rich quick” websites, survey websites don’t pay a lot of money. At most, they can be a decent part-time earning on the side.
The Source of the Survey Site
Most survey sites contact clients via emails because they’re faster and more convenient. Once you’ve joined a panel, you’ll receive offers, newsletters, and updates on your email. Also, note that you might not start getting survey invitations and forms immediately after you’ve registered. Survey sites might take up a few days to review your application and then send out forms to you accordingly. Ensure that the survey panel’s email is added to your sender’s list so that you get all the notification updates and the information is not lost as spam.
Check out the Privacy Policy
Another important hack that users can use to check the credibility of a survey site is by going through its privacy policy. Register only with those platforms that have a privacy policy and legal details on their website. Also, look for panels that are approved by the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and reviewed by TRUSTe. The privacy policies section must also feature WebTrust or the Online Privacy Seal of Assurance. Furthermore, try to look for any mention of reputable associations like CARSO (Council of American Survey Research Organisation) and AAPOR (American Association for Public Opinion Research).
Create a Separate Email Account
One of the easiest and most effective ways of getting immediate notifications from the survey sites is by adding them to your sender’s list. This reduces the risk of the mail being lost in your spam section. You can even set up a separate email account for sending and receiving the survey site related emails. This doesn’t just help you identify and organize your emails better, but also provides some degree of protection in case you register with a bogus survey site.
Legitimate Sites Provide Legitimate Information
Last but not the least, remember, a legitimate website would provide authentic information from verified sources. A credible survey invite would contain the purpose of the survey, its length, duration and incentives involved. Do not respond or click on emails that claim to offer “special offers and prizes” or ads to win cash or free products. Some research surveys might ask you to download an application to track your browsing habits. Ensure that you’re downloading this software from a credible source and that it is legally verified.
The Bottom Line
Online survey jobs offer great flexibility, you can work from any time, anywhere at your own convenience. Sure, there are a few risks involved, but it’s nothing a thorough background check and a few precautionary measures can’t take care of.