Fact Check: Nielsen Ratings Is NOT Offering $2,000 In Financial Assistance To New Households; It's Not Nielsen, There's No Cash

Fact Check

  • by: Jennifer Dobner
Fact Check: Nielsen Ratings Is NOT Offering $2,000 In Financial Assistance To New Households; It's Not Nielsen, There's No Cash No $$$ Help

Is the television ratings and marketing company Nielsen offering $2,000 in financial assistance to consumers who sign up for downloads and survey participation? No, that's not true: The claim uses a domain address different from Nielsen's, and the link in the post that promises financial help does not lead to an official Nielsen website.

The claim appeared on Facebook on January 9, 2023, with the text "Nielsen is now back with a bang and offering Financial Assistance FOR SIMPLE DOWNLOADS AND SURVEYS." It is intended to look like a screenshot of an email. It opened:

AVAILABLE BALANCE : $2000

Here is how the post appeared on Facebook on the day of writing:

Screen Shot 2023-01-09 at 12.49.26 PM.png

(Source: Facebook screenshot taken Jan 9 at 19:49:26 2023 UTC)

The link in the claim contains "godaddysites," a domain given to anyone who creates a website on GoDaddy.com. GoDaddy has actively worked to shut down those accounts that are scams.

Lead Stories also found that clicking the post's link leads to an illegitimate landing page and a "Create Account" box that, when clicked, open a fake rewards page.

Here's how those pages appeared on the day of writing:

Screen Shot 2023-01-09 at 12.20.59 PM.png

(Source: Screenshot of nielsenpanelusa1.godaddysites.com taken on Jan 9 at 19:20:59 2023 UTC)

Screen Shot 2023-01-09 at 11.35.34 AM.png

(Source: Screenshot of djnl.topicbonus.com taken Jan 9 at 18:21:24 2023 UTC)

The real link to Nielsen's website and information about its consumer participation panels are here and here.

At the time of writing, Lead Stories could not identify any promotions being offered to would-be Nielsen household participants, including an offer for $2,000 in financial assistance.

Lead Stories reached out to a Nielsen representative and will update this story with any response.

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  Jennifer Dobner

Jennifer Dobner is a Salt Lake City-based journalist with more than two decades of reporting experience. Jennifer has worked as a staffer for The Associated Press, The Salt Lake Tribune, San Diego Union-Tribune and Idaho Falls Post-Register. As a freelancer her work has been published by The New York Times, Outside Magazine Online, Reuters, Cannabis Wire and others. Jennifer’s documentary film work includes the international award-winning 2018 film Church & State and 2021’s award-winning Anchor Point.

Read more about or contact Jennifer Dobner

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