Tempting isn't it? The idea of sitting back with a mug of something hot and delicious, and simply answering questions to make money online. Extra cash is always good to come by and by providing survey companies with information they find quite valuable, you can have just that. Sometimes the rewards are discounts, vouchers or products but what you get obviously depends on what you go for.

The process
When you register with a paid survey company you'll need to fill out personal details so they know which surveys can be filled out by you. The more detailed your member profile is, the greater the chance you will be sent surveys. Sometimes there is a sign-up fee. This does not necessarily mean the website is fraudulent. The survey available to you might be limited depending on the website you use. Surveys could be delivered online, via email and sometimes prior product testing will be required. But don't worry, any products should be sent to you free of charge and they should pose no risks to you.
Cashing out your earning depends on the website too. Occasionally, you may be required to earn a minimum amount before withdrawing it.
   Before signing up for a survey program you might want to check on their processing speed and payment efficiency. That is, how long will it take for the merchant to realize you've filled out a survey, to credit you for it and finally to pay you when you reach minimum cashout.

Survey scams
As you already know, the internet is one of the easiest ways to seduce people into being scammed by promising money but taking it away instead. This can also be done through paid surveys.
There are also paid survey sites that simply refuse to pay you anything for the information you give them, which is pretty unfair considering how much they need the data. Also, certain sites may just 'steal' your email address to dump spam into it because they get paid to do so. What do you receive? Severe irritation and the need to change your email address altogether.
You can spot the scammers by being on the lookout for:-

• Offers that are too good to be true, such as $100 surveys. It's astounding how many people are still blinded by dollar signs fluttering in their eyes.
• Lack of a money back guarantee.
• Asking for a registration fee. This isn't a rule though. Some legitimate survey sites so impose a minimal fee.
• Asking for credit card details.
• Survey filled with yes/no answers and basic 'favorite product' questions. This is not how market research works!
• The lack of contract information to use when you encounter problems.

It will also be well worth it to go through the survey website's Terms Of Service. Keep an eye out for any clauses which benefit the survey company only. Here are a few TOS red flags:-

• The reception of emails from affiliate and partner sites
• Reserving the right to change, deny or discontinue rewards.
• Minimum participation requirements inside a given time frame
• Confirmation of your participation and the responsibility of the website to report this. It's quite convenient for the survey merchants to 'forget' you ever filled out their surveys.

SurveyPolice is a website which reports survey scams. If you don't want to waste time answering questions for zero reward, skim through the site.