Taking online surveys means sharing your opinions and earning rewards over time. Keep your account safe from unauthorized access with a few simple steps, from setting a passkey to checking your payout details.
Welcome to the Reward Hours blog. We regularly publish guides to help you get the most out of your time in our research community. Today, we are looking at the steps you can take to secure your account details.
You spend time sharing your thoughts in surveys and focus groups. Over weeks and months, you earn points and build up a balance in your Reward Hours account. It makes sense to keep that balance safe. If someone guesses your password, they could log in and request a reward using your points.
A few minutes of checking your settings can prevent this. We are a market research panel, which means we maintain a community of people who agree to take part in studies. Because we hold your account details and reward balance, we offer several tools to protect them. You can read more about How online survey panels work, and where your answers go to understand how we manage your information.
Remember that surveys are a way to share your opinions and earn some rewards, not an income. However, the points you earn still have value. This quick checklist will help you lock down your account today.
Many people use the same password for their email, social media, and survey accounts. If one small website has a data breach, bad actors try those same passwords everywhere else. This is called credential stuffing. It is a very common way for people to lose access to their favorite accounts.
To stop this, use a password that you only use for Reward Hours. A password manager can help you remember it. Password managers are apps that generate and store long, complicated passwords for you.
Even better, you can set up a passkey if your device supports it. A passkey lets you log in using your fingerprint, face scan, or screen lock. It is much harder for anyone to steal or guess. You can usually find the passkey option in your account security settings.
Add extra security. Two-step login means you need two things to access your account: your password and a temporary code.
We highly recommend turning this on for your Reward Hours account. When you log in from a new device, we will send a short code to your phone or email. You type that code into the website. Even if someone finds out your password, they cannot log in because they do not have your phone.
You can also use an authenticator app. This is an app on your phone that creates a new code every thirty seconds. It works even if you do not have a cell signal or an internet connection on your phone. Taking one minute to turn this on provides a massive boost to your account safety.
You should regularly check the contact details saved in your profile. Start by looking at your email address. Keeping your email address current helps us contact you if we notice unusual activity on your account. If our system detects a login attempt from a new country, we will send an alert to that address.
Next, review your payout details. When you request a gift card or an online payment, we send it to the details on file. Make sure your payment email or account number is correct. If someone gained access to your account in the past, they might have changed this information.
Checking these details takes only a few seconds. If you see an email address you do not recognize, change it back and update your password immediately. It is a good habit to check these settings every few months.
If you need to review your past redemptions for your records, you can download your history from your account dashboard. We offer general information on Survey rewards and taxes: what records to keep, but please consult a qualified tax adviser for your specific situation.
You might take surveys on a computer at the local library, a university campus, or a shared family tablet. It is easy to forget about security when you are in a rush. When you finish taking part in a study, always click the log out button. Closing the browser window is not always enough to end your session safely.
If you stay logged in, the next person who uses that device might open the browser and see your account. They could access your personal details or spend your reward points.
Sometimes, scammers send emails that look exactly like they come from Reward Hours. This is called phishing. They want to trick you into clicking a link and typing your password into a fake website. They might use our logo or copy the design of our regular survey invitations.
We will never send you an email asking for your password. We will never ask you to pay money to receive a reward or take a survey. Real survey panels reward you for your time, not the other way around. You can learn more about Who pays for market research, and why your opinion is worth money to understand how the process works.
If you get an email that seems strange, do not click any links in it. Check the sender address carefully. If you are unsure, open a new browser window, type in the Reward Hours website address yourself, and log in there. You can always contact our support team to report a suspicious message.
Taking paid online surveys should be a safe and pleasant way to share your opinions. By following this short checklist, you protect the points you earn over time. Set a reminder on your calendar to check your security settings twice a year. You might also want to review your profile information at the same time to ensure you receive the most relevant study invitations.
A few minutes of prevention will give you peace of mind. It allows you to focus on giving your honest feedback in studies, product tests, and focus groups.
If you are ready to share your thoughts and join our community, you can create a free account today. We look forward to hearing what you have to say.
You can reset your password by clicking the forgot password link on the login page. We will send an email with instructions to the address registered to your account. Make sure to choose a completely new, unique password when you reset it.
No, each person must have their own individual account. Sharing accounts can cause issues with your demographic profile and survey answers. If your family members want to take surveys, they can sign up for their own free accounts.
Official emails will always come from our registered domain name. We will never ask you for your password or request money from you. If an email looks suspicious, go directly to the Reward Hours website in your browser instead of clicking any links.
Privacy and safety
Global Privacy Control is a browser setting that tells websites not to sell or share your data. Find out how it works, which browsers support it, and how to protect your privacy online.
Privacy and safety
Discover how survey panels use pseudonymized data to protect your identity. We explain what happens to your personal details when you share your opinions.
Privacy and safety
Learn the exact steps to close your survey panel account, what happens to your earned rewards, and how we handle your personal data afterward.
Points for your profile, cash for every survey, and instant pay when you qualify for a study.
Create my free account