We all know the most common internet scams via emails, dating apps, social media, and shady websites spreading malware. What’s more difficult to avoid are scams that offer real opportunities to earn money, but with such conditions, it’s a waste of your time in the end.
Many of the strategies to avoid these scams are common digital literacy knowledge – protecting your personal data, using antivirus, updating your software, spotting deep fake content, and similar. Here, we’ll cover some of the strategies that can be applied exclusively to free money opportunities.
Wait, There’s Free Money Online!?
Methods to earn ‘free cash’ online have been floating around for quite some time. The first thing to know about them is that, ironically, they aren’t exactly free. You’ll still need to invest some time, skill, or personal data to get money on the internet.
They are called ‘free’ because your investment is so small you nearly notice them. A better name would be effortless money. But, the terms’ free money’ or ‘beer money’ have already been established in online communities such as Reddit. It’s too late to change it now, so let’s better stick to it.
Usually, it refers to small amounts you can earn every day for tasks that are extremely simple or ones you’ll do anyway. They include answering free surveys, testing websites, participating in cashback programs, playing games, watching videos, writing analysis, or clicking on links.
You Won’t Become a Millionaire
The next important thing to know about beer money earning is that it won’t make you rich. The idea is to have some small but steady income to supplement your grocery shopping or hobby spending. It’s not gonna enable you to quit your day job.
Any platform, newsletter, or social media channel that says otherwise is most likely a scam. Even worse, they often require you to invest a significant amount of money to start getting crazy high returns. These are called get-rich-quick schemes and should be avoided as a plague.
You must set realistic expectations even before starting to do anything to earn money online with free methods. Realistically, you can earn up to $50 per month, and that would be a huge success. Earning a couple of dollars weekly from unqualified remote work on your own hours is good enough.
Avoid Untrustworthy Channels
WhatsApp channels, Facebook groups, email lists, and other online places aren’t inherently bad, but they tend to attract crowds that like to scam people. The reason is that there’s little to no moderation, and there are no registered companies doing business to sue.
While anonymity online is generally a good thing, it’s a breeding ground for scams when it comes to anything money-related. Look for platforms that are transparent and have a good brand, website, or app. It will save you lots of hours of research.
You’ll still have to do your investigation based on the information you collect. Read feedbacks from past users to check whether the platform actually pays, how they pay, and whether it’s worth it considering your efforts. Channels that don’t provide you with information to start such research should be disregarded immediately.
Choose Platforms That Pay Instantly
There are a lot of tricks scammers take when it comes to paying for online work. The most common one is hiring online workers, asking for work, and then disappearing. More established platforms have enough trust to ask for work first, but you must ensure that you can get paid almost instantly.
For example, some survey websites use instant payouts through PayPal or gift cards. They ensure this with low payout thresholds. If you need to work for more than $5 to get money, it’s already a red flag. The only exception is if you trust the provider not to scam you for $5 worth of work.
Even worse is when platforms impose unnecessary wait times for your money to be delivered. Doing a job and then waiting for a month to get paid should not be acceptable. While it may not be an outright scam, it’s certainly something to avoid.
Never Pay For Participating
Pay-to-participate platforms are most likely to be an online scam. Often, they are framed as lotteries that can help you earn more on existing platforms or start your money-making venture on new ones.
Some platforms might also ask you to use the points or money you already earned on the platform to increase your gains. These ‘increases’ might be never-ending and designed to get you hooked. After some time, you might find yourself spending everything before you earn.
It does not take money to earn money with free cash platforms, so avoid paying at all costs.
Never Choose Unknown Payout Methods
Many people make the mistake of choosing unpopular cryptocurrencies or gift cards that aren’t supported in their countries. Often, this is justified by the fact that traditional bank transfers aren’t an option in their country or the transfer fees are high.
A good rule of thumb is to choose those methods of compensation you would use in everyday life. For example, if you actively use Bitcoins, performing micro-tasks for them can be a great way to earn.
However, if you don’t know what a crypto wallet is or how to exchange it for cash, it can be a mistake. The same goes for gift cards or discounts in shops. If only offers are stores you never visit, there is little reason for you to work towards them.
No matter how easy the tasks might be, if you ain’t gonna spend it, it is a waste of time to complete tasks earning them.
Conclusion
All these tips on avoiding free money scams have one thing in common – they require you to stay vigilant. Don’t trust the platform right away. Instead, build your trust in them with small earning milestones that reach your wallet instantly. After all, you exchange your time for money, which is the most valuable thing you have.