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Wednesday, September 22, 2021

QUESTIONABLE SURVEYS

I’m always careful about entities that ask for me to fill out surveys. They may not want what the survey title seems to really ask. It may just be seeking personal information. Maybe that information is your email address or your phone number or other personal information. Maybe all it wants is just to know someone responds at this point of access.

For example, I'm a conservative. The Republican party sends survey requests. Since I am a registered Republican, they already generally know what my opinions might be. The survey questions seem to stroke for emotional responses like (and I exaggerate), "Do you feel the country is going in the toilet?", "Do you think every democrat ought to be replaced next election?" There is always a request for money contributions (the real reason for the survey). I am sure the Democrats to the same.

Other example are: Trump Haters and Trump Lovers. These sites are based on emotional opinions. These sites often want money. They often want your phone number. There is also a possibility they are being used by the opposite side to develop information to harass you. They could be digging for your personal information, phone numbers, addresses and other potentially harmful information that could be harmful.

I personally very rarely open a survey let alone fill out surveys. For one thing they rob me of my time. I stop filling them out as soon as I understand the real purpose is to get donations or to steal personal information. Keep in mind, they already know something about you. They know you have an interest because you contacted them. Whether by phone, or text or email or by your visiting their website they know how to contact you. I think it is best not to respond. If they show a form that asks you to “verify your phone number”, and you see your phone number is already there, it might be a trap. You may have enabled an “autofill” feature on your computer which automatically filled in the phone number field. By filling in the “verify your phone number” field you may be giving a criminal your personal information. Too bad if you have already spent a lot of time completing the survey; just let it go, delete the form, and go about your other business.