There are a ton of websites that claim to offer you paid surveys, but really connect with paid offers. They claim that you can make $25-$75 per survey completed, while actually allowing you to get paid this much only when you sign up to buy something. Here are my definitions of each:
Paid Survey: A paid survey asks a person for their opinions on a topic and rewards them for their time. The reward may be cash, prizes, or a chance to win a prize. The survey taker is only rewarded for their time and opinions, and not for signing up for any product or service.
Paid Offer: A paid offer rewards a person for signing up for a product or service, often on a “free trial basis.” Common paid offers include applying for a credit card, switching to satellite television, switching mobile phone providers, switching long distance providers, and enrolling in a music or movie club.
It is my opinion that paid offers should be avoided as they typically attempt to funnel you into purchasing items you may not want or need. After signing up for trial offers, it is often nearly impossible to cancel without accruing charges.
If you are interested in getting started with paid surveys, please check out my list of paid survey sites.