It's essential to know that the vast majority of online surveys are run by reputable businesses and that your interest in them is critical – and that online surveys can also be a great way to win prizes and cash. Here are some guidelines to help you identify a legitimate and reliable online survey.

Legitimate survey companies will:

• Have contact details on their website, as well as a representative who may answer questions or address concerns.
• Ask participants to answer screening questions to see whether they meet the demographic criteria for their study sample.
• Set a limit on how many surveys you can participate in.
• Reward you for taking the time to complete a survey by providing small incentives like coupons or a gift card.
• Have clear terms and conditions as well as a privacy policy.
• Comply with your request to stop sending you survey invites by email or to exclude you from their online survey panel.

Tips:

Read the terms and conditions as well as the privacy statement: This document should outline how you win the prize or monetary reward. Understand what is required of you in order to receive the reward – how long would it take you to finish the survey? Is the survey spaced out over a long period of time in many parts? Can you refer your friends? Make sure to not skim through the survey rules because you may be disqualified for not meeting them.

If you're entering personally identifying information on a website: Check for the "https" designator in the URL (web address) to ensure it is secure.

Create a separate email ID for surveys: This will ensure you don’t miss important survey-related emails.

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