Online paid surveys have become one of the pioneering ways to earn online and have been around in abundance longer than most online jobs today. Clearly, paid surveys have become one of the most successful ways to earn extra money online. Many people rely on paid online surveys and more and more people are also taking advantage of this type of online work.

For those of you who have been around the internet long enough to tell which are legitimate and which are scams, finding paid surveys could be a piece of cake. But for those whose online experience is still at the entry level, they are indeed at great risk of falling into the trap. The following are tips on how to avoid such scams:

• The first thing you need to consider on a paid survey site is their feedback. Most legitimate sites have reviews from their current or past members. Reading through pages and pages of positive reviews will help you determine if the site is really legit or not.
• Unfortunately, not all paid survey sites have reviews or comments. So the next thing to look for are the names of the companies that deliver the surveys. The largest companies are usually the ones that can pay for surveys. If you are not so sure, you can always check with the company itself if they are really paying for online surveys.
• There are many sites that help you find paid surveys online and by registering with them, it will be easier for you to search for available paid surveys. Legitimate paid survey sites are free to sign up for and do not require you to enter any payment information, such as your debit or credit card number. If you are asked for personal information, then start walking away from that site.
• Observe the web design of the site. Legitimate sites are very well polished and seem like a very good investment, with good money. Fraudulent sites are poor quality just because they have a site to show. Stay away from sites that don’t look half as presentable as the legitimate ones.
• Read the site’s privacy policy. When you register on the site as a member, you will be presented with a privacy policy clause to ensure that all the personal information you have entered is kept protected and only available to you and you alone. Read the footnotes and everything else you need to read. You never know what your line of protection will be.

Finding legitimate paid survey sites isn’t that hard once you’ve found your way around. As long as you pay attention to minute details and look at the big picture at the same time, there’s no chance you’ll get caught by a scammer. Always be alert and cautious not to waste your time answering fraudulent surveys.