Top 10 Warning Signs Of A Fraudulent Website

People can have sensitive information stolen by scammers in a variety of ways, including through fraudulent websites, emails, phone calls, and text messages. Scammers deceive their victims by mimicking legitimate, reputable companies to steal information or money or spread malware.

Continue reading to learn the top 10 warning signs of a scam website and find out what to do if you fall victim to a scam.

Warning Signs Of A Scam Site​​​​​​

Fake websites are growing in number and getting more sophisticated and harder to identify, but there are certain indicators to look out for that signal a scam.

1) Spelling Errors In The URL

Many scam sites have URLs that are very similar to their legitimate counterparts, but if you look closely, you’ll see that a fake site’s URL will contain slight variations or spelling errors. An example of this is a site that imitated PayPal by replacing the lowercase l in “paypal.com” with an uppercase L.

To help you determine if a URL has been spoofed, copy and paste the URL into a plain text editor to make errors more noticeable.

2) A Subdomain That Looks Legitimate But Isn’t

Every website has a primary domain name (such as amazon.com) and an extension of the primary domain called a subdomain (such as advertising.amazon.com). Some fraudulent websites change the order of the domains, like in the example microsoft.fakewebsite.com, in which Microsoft is the subdomain instead of the primary domain. Other fake websites use domain names that look official but are completely different than the official organization they are trying to imitate.

Be sure to search Google to confirm the company’s real primary domain and subdomain before you click or submit anything on a website.

3) Missing Or Weak Security Certificate

Most trustworthy sites have Secure Sockets Layer/Transport Layer Security (SSL/TLS) certificates that ensure a secure and encrypted connection between the device and the server. Not every website is required to have an SSL certificate, but they are mandatory for online stores and retailers as a way to protect customers’ financial and personal details.

If a site has valid security certificates, the URL will contain “https” instead of “http” and you will see a clickable padlock icon in the address bar. Clicking on this icon will show you more information about the type of security certificate the website has. Domain Validation (DV) certificates are often used by scammers because they are anonymous and cheap. Organization Validation (OV) and Extended Validation (EV) certificates cost more to obtain and require additional information about the company or organization, so they are more commonly used by reputable websites.

4) Fake Links From Spam Emails And Text Messages

Fake email accounts and text messages contain fake website links. The safest way to make sure you are visiting a legitimate site is to Google the correct address and link or type the URL yourself.

Avoid clicking on links in emails or text messages from people or companies you do not recognize. To make sure the sender is trustworthy, pay close attention to the sender’s email address, signature, and contact information. For example, an email that appears to be from Amazon but is sent from a Gmail address is a scam.

5) Low-Quality Design Or Photos

Scam websites usually do not look as well-put-together as legitimate sites. Messy design elements, pixelated images and photos, and simple website templates that do not function or navigate properly are all indicators of a fake site.

Do not give personal or financial information to websites that have broken links in the website template or sections of a site that do not work properly.

6) Inconsistent Domain Age And Ownership

If you are using a reputable company that has existed for years but the website you find yourself on is only a few months old, you are likely on a fake site.

You can use Domain Tools’ Whois Lookup to find out more information about the domain age and ownership by entering a domain or IP address.

7) Missing Or Sketchy “About,” “Shipping,” “Privacy Policy,” and “Contact” Pages

If the About section, privacy policy, shipping information, return policy, or contact information are incorrect or lacking detail – or are even absent from the website – do not engage further with that website.

Use Google Maps to verify the physical address of the company or call the provided phone number to make sure it is correct before doing business with the site.

8) Lack Of Online Presence Beyond The Website

In this day and age, most companies that are reputable have an online presence on social media sites. If you Google the company and they are not mentioned on other websites or if they provide links to fake or outdated social media accounts, it is probably a scam.

Check the links to social media accounts and keep an eye out for press releases about the company. If there are none, stay away.

9) Lack Of Offsite Reviews Or Other Users Have Reported A Scam

Although online reviews are not the best way to gauge a company’s reputation, there are some things to look for when it comes to online feedback from other users or customers. If the only reviews or testimonials you can find about a company are on its own website, or if there are an overwhelming number of positive or vague reviews on third-party sites like Amazon and Yelp, this is a red flag. These reviews are likely fake, posted multiple times, or exaggerated.

You can also check the Better Business Bureau (BBB) website, Reddit, and Trustpilot to see if there are any scam warnings about the company.

10) Offering Unusual Payment Methods Or Unbelievable Deals

There are many payment red flags to be aware of, as not every scam site uses the same tactics. Among the most common indicators are allowing customers to pay with generic gift cards or cryptocurrency or offering deals that are too good to be true.

Trust your gut instinct. If a price seems too good to be true, it probably is. Don’t take the risk of getting scammed out of money or personal information.

What To Do If You Fall Victim To A Fake Site​​​​​​

If you ever find yourself fooled by an illegitimate website, taking immediate action can minimize the damage done to your identity and finances and help protect you from similar scams in the future.

Steps you can take:

• Check your social media and online store accounts to make sure you still have access and see if there are any recent password reset requests or unfamiliar login attempts that were not initiated by you.
• Check your bank accounts and credit cards for unauthorized charges and verify that your contact information is correct and has not been changed by a scammer.
• Tell your bank and credit card company about the issue so they can close your account and open a new one to give you a safe, fresh start.
• Change all your passwords (not just the affected account) and enable two-factor authentication (2FA) for extra security.
• Request a credit freeze with all three major credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion) so that no one can access your credit score – not even yourself – until you manually unfreeze your credit.
• Use an antivirus program on your devices to find and get rid of any malware installed by the scam site.
• Submit a fraud complaint to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) or submit an identity theft complaint to IdentityTheft.gov.
• File a police report with local law enforcement or submit a complaint to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3).
• Report the scam website to Google for phishing and malware or use your browser’s Help Menu to report page issues.

Anti Fraud News Can Keep You Informed About Fraudulent Websites

Anti Fraud News is a blog that informs readers about internet scams and fraud. We provide knowledge about advanced fee fraud, check fraud, employment scams, phishing, romance scams, and other types of fraud and scams. We strive for transparency and online safety, so we make our anti fraud resource material known. Let us help you learn how to avoid scams and fraud.