Fake websites steal credit card numbers, passwords, and personal information from millions of people every year. They're getting harder to spot — scammers now create pixel-perfect copies of real websites. This guide teaches you the 8 essential checks to verify any website.
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Fake websites use URLs that are close to, but not exactly, the real domain. Watch for character substitutions (rn looks like m, 0 looks like O), extra words (amazon-deals-official.com), different TLDs (.shop, .top, .xyz instead of .com), and long subdomains (login.paypal.com.verify-account.xyz).
Focus on the domain name — the last two parts before the path. In "login.secure.chase.com.scamsite.xyz/verify," the real domain is scamsite.xyz.
HTTPS (padlock icon) means the connection is encrypted, but it doesn't mean the site is legitimate. Many phishing sites use HTTPS. However, a site without HTTPS that asks for personal information is almost certainly fraudulent.
Click the padlock to view the SSL certificate. Legitimate financial sites use Extended Validation (EV) certificates that show the company name.
Legitimate businesses display clear contact information: a physical address, phone number, and email on a contact page. Fake sites often have no contact page, display fake addresses (verify on Google Maps), or only offer a contact form with no other options.
Most scam websites are newly created. Use a WHOIS lookup tool to check when the domain was registered. If a site claiming to be a major brand was registered last month, it's fake. Legitimate businesses typically have domains registered for years.
Use IsThisAScam to check domain age — our domain intelligence layer does this automatically.
Scam sites often have missing, incomplete, or copied About pages. The Terms of Service and Privacy Policy may be absent, nonsensical, or clearly copied from another website. Check for inconsistencies in company names or details.
Search for "[site name] scam" or "[site name] reviews" before making a purchase. Check Trustpilot, BBB, Reddit, and consumer forums. Be cautious of sites with no reviews at all, or only glowing 5-star reviews that sound generic.
If a website offers luxury goods at 70-90% discounts, designer items for suspiciously low prices, or deals that no legitimate retailer matches, it's almost certainly a scam. If it seems too good to be true, it is.
Legitimate stores accept credit cards through established processors (Stripe, PayPal). Be wary of sites that only accept wire transfers, cryptocurrency, gift cards, or direct bank transfers — these payment methods are irreversible, which is exactly what scammers want.