How to spot a legit survey site: a practical checklist

Why a checklist helps

Most survey sites are real businesses, but the category also attracts copycats and outright scams. The good news is that legitimate sites tend to look alike in the ways that matter, and so do the bad ones. A few minutes with the checklist below will tell you a lot before you hand over any personal information.

The checklist

Before you join any paid survey site, check these six things:

• You never pay to join. A legitimate survey site pays you for your opinions. Membership fees, "starter kits" or paid upgrades are a red flag.
• The payout rules are clear. You should be able to find, before signing up, how much you need to reach before you can cash out, which reward methods are offered and roughly how long payment takes.
• There is a real company behind it. Look for a full company name, a street address and a phone number you could actually call, not just a web form.
• There is a privacy policy you can read. It should explain what information is collected, why, and how you can ask for it to be deleted.
• It never asks for your banking details or your SIN. A survey site has no reason to need your bank account number, your credit card or your Social Insurance Number to pay you in gift cards or through PayPal.
• The earnings claims are realistic. Surveys pay small amounts, occasionally. Promises of hundreds of dollars a week, or of replacing your job, are a warning sign.

A few extra warning signs

Also be careful if a site pressures you to act immediately, asks you to recruit others before you can be paid, sends you a cheque and asks you to send part of it back, or contacts you out of the blue from an address that does not match its website. When in doubt, search the company name with words like "complaint" or "review", and contact the company directly using the details on its own website.

How EthnicPath measures up

We think any survey site should be willing to be judged by the same list, so here is ours, point by point.

1. Free to join

Joining EthnicPath is free, and there is never anything to pay. New members receive a $5 welcome bonus once they confirm their email address.

2. Clear payout rules

Rewards are counted in points, with 100 points = $1. You can redeem from $20 (2,000 points) for an Amazon.ca gift card, delivered by email within one week, or PayPal, sent within two weeks. You can redeem one reward every 7 days. Every survey shows its reward before you start.

3. A real company you can reach

EthnicPath Research has been running surveys since 2016. You can reach us at:

• 20 Bay Street, 11th Floor, Toronto, Ontario
• Phone: 1-888-464-1513
• Email: info@ethnicpath.com

4. A privacy policy in plain view

Our privacy policy is linked at the bottom of every page. It explains what we collect, why we collect it and how to reach us about your information.

5. No banking details, no SIN

We never ask for your bank account, your credit card or your Social Insurance Number. Gift cards are sent by email, and PayPal payments only need your PayPal email address.

6. Honest expectations

Most members receive a few survey invitations a month, and most surveys pay between $1 and $5, with longer studies paying more. That makes EthnicPath a way to earn extra money in your spare time, not an income, and we say so openly.

Trust, but check

Please do not take our word for it. Use the checklist on any site you are considering, including ours. If something about a message claiming to be from EthnicPath looks off, contact us directly at the phone number or email above and we will tell you whether it is genuine.

Is it normal to pay a fee to join a survey site?

No. Legitimate survey sites are free to join, because they pay you for your opinions. EthnicPath is free and never asks you to pay anything.

Should a survey site ask for my SIN or bank account?

No. There is no reason a survey site needs your Social Insurance Number or banking details to send you gift cards or PayPal payments. EthnicPath never asks for them.

How can I check that EthnicPath is a real company?

EthnicPath Research has been running surveys since 2016. Our office is at 20 Bay Street, 11th Floor, Toronto, and you can reach us at 1-888-464-1513 or info@ethnicpath.com.

What should I do if I get a suspicious message claiming to be from EthnicPath?

Do not click its links or share any information. Contact us directly at 1-888-464-1513 or info@ethnicpath.com and we will tell you whether it came from us.