Several people in Blaine County reported receiving invitations to take the Montana Opinion Survey, with a $5 gift card offered as remuneration. The solicitation asks participants to respond by July 13 to have their voices included.

The notice, sent through the United States Postal Service, indicates that responses are important and “will help us understand the views of people like you in Montana on a number of issues important in our community.” The Montana Opinion Survey claims to be a project of Sequoia Research, a limited liability corporation (LLC) in Rochester, Minnesota. Invitations are signed by A. Edward Wright, Manager, who represents the LLC

Although the survey claims to be "non-partisan," most of the questions inquire about political beliefs, religious beliefs, and feelings about current affairs. “Your VOICE Matters!” the organization insists.

After reaching out to the Montana Attorney General’s Office about the legitimacy of the survey and inquiring whether it is a scam to collect personal information, Blaine County Journal personnel obtained a response from Demerry Nielson, who works with the Montana Department of Justice for the Office of Consumer Protection.

Nielson thanked us for the information concerning the solicitation received and suggested that the information alerts the Office of Consumer Protection to a potential problem. “We have updated our files accordingly. I cannot validate if what you received is legitimate or not. What I can do is suggest that if you respond to the survey, that you do not send any identifying information. If you have any questions about Identity Theft, please visit our website at https://dojmt.gov/consumer/identity-theft/,” Nielson stated.

To avoid getting caught by scammers, Nielson offers the following suggestions:

• Scammers find you before you find them. If you did not initiate the contact and the person contacting you is demanding financial or personal information, DO NOT PROVIDE IT.

• Scammers pressure you to send money fast. Don’t be pressured. Before sending someone money, take the time to verify the recipient. Never send money to pay for taxes, fees, or to claim a prize.

• Scammers pretend to be trustworthy. Scammers pretend to be affiliated with the government or the IRS. They will pose as a family member, an online friend, or romantic partner.

• Scammers can fake caller-ID information. Just because a caller-ID phone number looks to be legitimate, it doesn’t mean it is. Scammers use online software to mask their true caller-ID information.

• Report suspicious activity to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) by calling (877) 382-4357.

Finally, Nielsen suggests that any individuals having concerns about solicitations should ask advice from family, friends, or the Office of Consumer Protection. To sign up to receive Scam Alerts or to report a future scam, people are encouraged to visit dojmt.gov/consumer/consumer-alerts-and-scam-alerts/. The Office of Consumer Protection can also be reached by phone: 406-444-4500 or 1-800-481-6896.