3 On Your Side: Money Making Apps
By Jim Donovan
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- It's the newest, high tech way to make extra cash. Using apps that offer to pay you for doing tasks. But just what could you be trading, even risking, for those extra bucks? 3 On Your Side Consumer Reporter Jim Donovan takes a look.
From uploading pictures of her grocery receipts for cash, to watching videos on her phone to earn gift cards, Nicole McDonald says she makes about a thousand bucks a year using money making apps. She says, "I like using apps that pay me cash and rewards because it's a super easy way to get some extra income."
ReceiptHog is the app Nicole uses to upload sales slips, but the app also pays her to take short surveys.
The shopkick app rewards you with gift cards when you visit recommended store, scan items and buy products.
With the Clashot app you can upload photos, and if they're "liked" by another user you can earn money.
Plus apps like CashPirate pay you to play games.
But cyber security expert Gary Miliefsky finds some apps could be cashing in on your privacy too! He reviewed some of the top money-making apps and found buried deep in the fine print some admit they:
- Modify or delete contents of your USB storage.
- Download files without notification.
- Take pictures and video and even record audio.
Miliefsky says, "I think that the behavior in most of these reward apps is creepy and inappropriate. Yes, they need to monetize you and ensure that you're located where you say that you are, but they're collecting way too much information."
Experts say if you're going to use a money making app:
- Review its privacy policy and what information the app accesses.
- Don't download any app that pops up as a link in an text message.
Tech expert Jennifer Jolly says, "For the most part these apps are fairly safe. If you download them from the iTunes store or Google Play Store you have a few more built-in security measures."
McDonald says she's never had a problem with any of her money making apps and she's fine trading some of her privacy for a little extra cash. She says, "I don't think you could make a living off the apps but I think it supplements your income very well."
Some apps transfer payment to you via PayPal, others send e-gift cards. Others pay you in points which you can redeem to buy other apps from your phone's app store.
For more information visit:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ayet.cashpirate&hl=en
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