Paid research is real. Research companies, universities and hospitals compensate volunteers for their time, travel and the inconvenience of study procedures. But anything that mixes "get paid" with "sign up online" attracts imitators. This checklist helps you tell a genuine study from a sales pitch or a scam before you share personal details or spend money traveling to a screening.
1. Find the study's registry number
Most clinical trials in the United States are registered on ClinicalTrials.gov, the public registry run by the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Each registered study has an NCT number: the letters NCT followed by eight digits.
- Ask the recruiter for the NCT number, or look for it on the ad or recruitment page.
- Search it on ClinicalTrials.gov and check that the sponsor, location and study topic match what you were told.
- Check the recruitment status. "Recruiting" means the study is looking for participants. "Completed", "Terminated" or "Withdrawn" means it is not.
Some early-phase studies are not required to post every detail, and some research sites advertise before a record is updated, so a missing number is not proof of a scam. It is, however, a reason to ask more questions.
2. Confirm who is running it
Legitimate studies are run by an identifiable organization: a research company, a university, a hospital or a clinic, with a physical address you can look up.
- Contact the organization through the phone number or website you find yourself, not only the one in an ad or message.
- Be cautious with recruiters you can't connect to a named research site.
- Research companies often list their current studies on their own websites. The Bored Studies company directory links to official sites so you can check there directly.
3. Expect informed consent before anything happens
Before any study procedure, a legitimate study walks you through an informed consent document. It explains the purpose of the study, what will happen at each visit, the known risks, how you will be compensated, and your right to leave at any time.
- You should get time to read it and ask questions.
- You can take a copy home.
- Studies involving people in the U.S. are typically reviewed by an Institutional Review Board (IRB), an ethics committee that oversees participant safety. The consent form usually names it and tells you how to contact it.
If anyone pressures you to sign quickly or skips consent, stop.
4. Know how payment really works
Compensation varies a lot between studies, and advertised amounts are usually maximums for completing every visit.
- Payment usually comes after visits are completed, by check, direct deposit or a prepaid card, sometimes in installments.
- People who are found ineligible at screening, kept as backups, or leave early are typically paid less, sometimes only for the screening visit.
- Research payments are generally taxable income in the U.S., and research sites often issue a tax form for larger amounts.
5. Red flags that should stop you
- You are asked to pay. Legitimate studies do not charge an enrollment fee, a "processing" fee or a deposit to participate.
- Guaranteed acceptance or guaranteed pay. Nobody can promise you will qualify; eligibility is decided at screening.
- Requests for banking details, card numbers or your full Social Security number before you have been screened. Sites may need tax information later to pay you, but that happens through the research site's own paperwork, not a stranger's chat message.
- No address, no named organization, no way to verify.
- Pressure to decide immediately or to keep the study secret from your doctor.
6. Questions worth asking before you screen
- What is the NCT number, and which organization runs the study?
- How many visits are there, and are there overnight stays?
- What is the total compensation, and what happens if I am a backup or leave early?
- Are travel or parking costs covered?
- Who do I contact if I have a problem during the study?
The bottom line
A real study can tell you who is running it, show you a consent document, and never asks you to pay to take part. Take your time, verify independently, and talk to your own doctor before joining any study. You can browse recruiting studies on Bored Studies, each linked to its official ClinicalTrials.gov record.
This article is general information, not medical, legal or tax advice.