An open letter to all TV and radio stations that run ads for paid surveys:
I recently responded to an ad that played on Fox News for SurveySpot, an online survey community that claims to allow an applicant access to paid surveys. I want to warn your viewers of this scam that has bilked me out of a comparatively small, but substantial amount of money.
Survey Spot requires an applicant to fill out a fairly detailed, lengthy registration form that indicates to them the types of surveys the taker may qualify for. These links then take the candidate to the websites of many companies that offer to either pay for or submit an entry for a sweepstakes entry (this composes most of the surveys I went to). All of these companies then require the survey taker to fill out extensive forms relating to shopping habits. During this time, it is required to register with a minimum amount of companies for free trial offers' that require their own set of information. Prizes are not awarded nor access to the surveys allowed until these offers are fulfilled.
The few surveys that I have taken have been tedious and time consuming. Those that I was able to access a little more easily paid a whopping. 50 cents. My real problem arose with my response to a trial offer for makeup, Mineral Elements, from Eden Cosmetics. This offer advertised a free trial of their all-natural mineral makeup introductory kit (A $75.00 value)! Shipping and handling were to be the only charge, with an automatic enrollment in their Beauty Club and repeat shipping of their product every 2 months. What was hidden in the terms was that this kit was not free. A charge of $69.40 showed up on my bank statement 11 days later. I regret not making a copy of the terms like I would normally do. A call to customer service was unresponsive to my request for a credit, though I explained to them my intention was to earn money, since I have been out of work for 6 months. I would never have agreed to the terms had I noticed this discrepancy.
I want to make it clear to consumers these paid surveys are a rip-off, and Eden Cosmetics stole my money as far as I'm concerned. This money is a weeks' worth of groceries to my husband and I. I am disappointed in myself, as I am usually savvier than this, and extremely angry at these companies that take advantage of consumers. Eden Cosmetics, in particular, is a dishonest and deceitful company to deal with. I will never make this mistake again. Please make you viewers and listeners aware of this scam so these companies make no more money in this manner.
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