Have you ever been offered an opportunity to participate in a national opinion poll panel?

[Road Runner]

I just got an offer in the mail.  The company, SSRS, is a legitimate polling service which provides polling data to several mass media outlets and other institutions.  I get paid $5 for each survey I complete.  They said in the letter that my residence was chosen at random.  Sounded like a scam to me, but everything I have found on the internet seems to confirm that it is not. 

What do you think?  Have you ever gotten one of these letters? 

I was going to throw it in the trash without opening it because it was addressed, "Resident", but I decided to open it and found $1.25 inside in cash.  I guess that is supposed to entice me to go after the big dollars ($5) paid for completing the surveys.    

[Mr. Silly]

I got a letter asking if I wanted to participate in an anonymous survey.   It was scientific through a university asking about drug use along with other demographic information.  They paid me $50 cash.   

[Razors Edge ★]

2 hours ago, Road Runner said:

I just got an offer in the mail.  The company, SSRS, is a legitimate polling service which provides polling data to several mass media outlets and other institutions.  I get paid $5 for each survey I complete.  They said in the letter that my residence was chosen at random.  Sounded like a scam to me, but everything I have found on the internet seems to confirm that it is not. 

What do you think?  Have you ever gotten one of these letters? 

I was going to throw it in the trash without opening it because it was addressed, "Resident", but I decided to open it and found $1.25 inside in cash.  I guess that is supposed to entice me to go after the big dollars ($5) paid for completing the surveys.    

I did a Nielsen ratings thing last year and posted about it here.

[UglyBob]

I've done a few online surveys for a national company. I usually get the healthcare related ones. It takes me about 30 minutes to complete them and they send me $65 Visa gift card for doing it. 

[Road Runner]

Sounds like they are trying to rip me off with the $5 payment.  I should demand at least $50.  

The deal they are offering me is to become some sort of permanent (I think) panel member where they will send me an email asking me to complete whatever survey or poll they are currently working on.  Not sure how many surveys a year, but I supposedly get $5 for each one.  

[Razors Edge ★]

10 minutes ago, Road Runner said:

Sounds like they are trying to rip me off with the $5 payment.  I should demand at least $50.  

The deal they are offering me is to become some sort of permanent (I think) panel member where they will send me an email asking me to complete whatever survey or poll they are currently working on.  Not sure how many surveys a year, but I supposedly get $5 for each one.  

If you can pull of doing 20,000 of them next year, it will be a nice gig!  Don't let @donkpow worm his way in, though.

[12string]

Was the first survey question "How many scams have you previously fallen for?"

[Further]

5 bucks is 5 bucks, it ain't costing you anything.

[shootingstar]

6 hours ago, Road Runner said:

I just got an offer in the mail.  The company, SSRS, is a legitimate polling service which provides polling data to several mass media outlets and other institutions.  I get paid $5 for each survey I complete.  They said in the letter that my residence was chosen at random.  Sounded like a scam to me, but everything I have found on the internet seems to confirm that it is not. 

What do you think?  Have you ever gotten one of these letters? 

I was going to throw it in the trash without opening it because it was addressed, "Resident", but I decided to open it and found $1.25 inside in cash.  I guess that is supposed to entice me to go after the big dollars ($5) paid for completing the surveys.    

It sounds scammish, RR.  It could be another firm posing for the real firm.

Sorry, what type of marketing research are they doing?  

The only surveying done has been from real govn't authorities:  my municipality  and Statistics Canada.  Neither pay anyone anything.  They can't afford it.  For instance the municipality right on its public website page, has all its current projects where they are looking for public feedback.  For each project, the city gives project timelines, when data is gathered and when survey will be closed.  For Statistics Canada that was awhile ago and to my work address at the time.  We also purchased publications from Statistics Canada.