Is It an Outright Scam?

The first thing to look at when selecting a survey site is its reputation. They might have an excellent minimum payout, they may give you surveys every day... but they might just be scams.

Some websites offer proof that their website is not a scam. Don't change your mind just because the website says it's not a scam! Use third-party sources (next section). This "proof" sometimes includes:

• Fake testimonials
• Payment proof. These are easily doctored.
• Promises of $75 - $200 per hour or the like

To test whether a survey site is a scam:

• Try a website like Ripoff Report
• Try the Better Business Bureau. Remember that just because the BBB doesn't have a complaint (yet), some bad eggs go unreported.
• Try forums. Be aware that some scammers do go onto these forums to hype up their survey site (or present "proof" that their survey site is legit). Be careful!

What is The Reward for Completing Surveys?

If the reward for completing surveys is a chance to win a prize or an entry into a monthly sweepstakes, don't join the program. Rather, join a program that lets you get outright cash (e.g. $1 per survey) or points which can convert directly into prizes or cash.

What's The Minimum Payout?

If the minimum payout for a survey program is over say, US$20, don't even think about joining the program. It might even go belly-up before you even have a chance to cash in.

There are a couple of exceptions. PureProfile requires a high minimum payout (it varies by country) but you'll reach that amount quickly. Check forums.

Does It Require a Fee to Join?

Legitimate paid survey sites never, ever request a fee to join. Survey sites that require a fee will probably take your money and not send you any surveys or simply ignore you.

How Does The Site Pay You?

This all depends on where you live. If the site pays cheques (and only cheques) in US dollars and you live in the UK, your bank might charge you a "foreign currency fee" to process the cheque (which may be more than the value of the cheque itself) and it might take months to process.

Use PayPal. It's the best way to go. To circumvent PayPal fees, set up a "Personal Account" separate to a "Premier" or "Business Account" if you have one solely for receiving survey payments. You won't be charged anything.

How Long Has The Site Been Up?

You're going to want a long-standing site like Global Test Market. Don't join the new start-ups.

There you go! Six questions to ask before signing up to an online survey site. Happy earning!