While there are some legitimate sites that pay a few dollars to take a ten minute survey, there are others that are not legitimate. Many of these sites simply exist to gather your personal information and sell it to telemarketing companies. A few of them are downright scams that require a “sign-up” fee in exchange for the privilege of working from home.
One of the sites I’ve run across is workfromhome4dollars.com. This site not only offers you “up to $75 an hour” for completing surveys in the privacy of your own home, it also advertises just about every “work from home” scam there is. Most of these schemes are aimed at women who are trying to make a few extra dollars while staying home with the kids.
I’ve written many articles about paid surveys and was happy to find that there are some legitimate companies out there on the internet. But I’m halfway intelligent and can usually smell a scam from a mile away (two miles on a clear day). And as soon as I clicked on workfromhome4dollars.com, the stench overwhelmed me.
P.T. Barnum said there is a sucker born every minute. Unfortunately, he was spot on in his assessment of human nature. Sadly, there are many predators out there who are only too glad to take someone’s hard-earned money with the promise of a “get rich quick” scheme.
Workfromhome4dollars is only too glad to hook you up with surveys that promise to pay $5-$75 an hour. For $34.95, the site will direct you to a survey site where you can participate in surveys. What workfromhome4dollars.com doesn’t tell you is that these sites can be accessed by any individual with internet experience without paying a dime.
In addition to offering “opportunity” for paid surveys, workfromhome4dollars.com offers other “opportunities” such as “typing from home,” “medical transcription from home,” “data entry from home” and other schemes aimed mostly at uneducated women. All of these “golden opportunities” cost the participant anywhere from $35 to $75 to enroll.
The site is merely a money making portal. Of all the sites on the internet I’ve investigated while researching this topic, this is the worst. I implore anyone who is interested in participating in paid surveys to beware of the following:
– Do not give out your credit card number, social security number or bank information to any online site.
– Beware of any site that promises “thousands of dollars a month” for working from home. I’ve done a lot of research into paid surveys; if it were that easy, no one would work outside the home.
– Do not pay “upfront” for the privilege of doing a survey. Legitimate companies will not ask for a fee.
– Paid surveys are a way to make supplemental income; not a living. You can expect to make maybe $200 a month doing this.
– Before signing up for any online survey site, do a little bit of research. The honest ones will tell you that you won’t make a lot of money and will have stringent privacy policies.
– Do not, under any circumstances, ever participate in any survey about health insurance. I made this mistake once and now get about five calls a day from people trying to sell me health insurance.
– If you are participating in a survey and are directed to another website, do not feel you have to answer any questions on that site. Many times there will be “fine print” that charges your telephone number for trying a product. In addition to this, keep close tabs on your telephone bill.
– Each time you log on to your computer, clear your cookies.
Participating in paid surveys can be a fun way to earn a few extra dollars, gift cards or discount certificates. Do not expect to “get rich” doing this. And under no circumstances ever pay for the “privilege” of doing a survey.