Is this Website genuine? Beware of cloned websites

February 24, 2025

Learn how to tell if a website is genuine and safe.

Scammers create fake websites that look legitimate to steal personal and financial information. Here’s how to check if a website is genuine and safe before you interact with it.

1. Check the URL Carefully

• Look for HTTPS – A secure website should have “https://” at the beginning of the URL. However, HTTPS alone doesn’t guarantee legitimacy.

• Avoid Lookalike Domains – Scammers use similar-looking URLs, such as:

• www.amaz0n.com (instead of www.amazon.com)

• paypal.verify-account.com (instead of www.paypal.com)

• Use Google to Search for the Official Site – Instead of clicking links in emails or messages, search for the business on Google and access their official website.

2. Look for Contact Information

• Legit websites provide real contact details, including a physical address, email, and phone number.

• Be cautious if there’s only an email form with no direct contact details.

• Call the company using a number from an independent source (e.g., Google, official documents) to verify authenticity.

3. Verify Website Authenticity

• Check the Domain Age – Use tools like Whois Lookup to see when the website was registered. Scam sites are often very new.

• Look for Spelling & Grammar Errors – Poorly written content and bad formatting can indicate a fake site.

• Check Reviews & Reputation – Search for the website’s name + “scam” or “reviews” to see what others say.

4. Analyse the Website’s Design & Functionality

• Legitimate websites have professional designs and properly working links.

• Fake websites often have broken links, missing pages, and poor-quality images.

• Check the “About Us” and “Privacy Policy” pages – Scammers often have vague or missing information.

• Legitimate websites have professional designs and properly working links.

5. Avoid Suspicious Payment Methods

• Legit businesses offer secure payment options like PayPal, credit cards, and established payment gateways.

• Avoid sites that demand – Gift cards, wire transfers, cryptocurrency payments

6. Watch for Pop-Up Warnings & Redirects

• If you get sudden pop-ups demanding payment or claiming your device is infected, it’s likely a scam.

• Avoid clicking random links in emails or pop-ups that redirect you to another site.

7. Check for Trust Seals (But Verify Them!)

• Legitimate sites often display trust badges, like Norton, McAfee, or BBB accreditation.

• Verify the trust seal by clicking on it—fake sites use copied images that don’t link to actual certification pages.

8. Use Website Safety Check Tools

Scan the URL with:

• Google Safe Browsing

• ScamAdviser

• VirusTotal

9. Be Wary of Too-Good-To-Be-True Deals

• Scammers lure victims with prices that seem unrealistically low.

• Compare prices with other reputable sites—if the discount is extreme, it’s likely a scam.

10. Trust Your Instincts

• If something feels off—such as pressure to act quickly or strange payment requests—exit the site immediately.

• When in doubt, stick to well-known and reputable online stores or service providers.

One of our contributors reacted to a Facebook Ad promoting bargains at a closing down sale. It was fake and whenever she contacted via the email address, she received what looked like a perfectly reasonable reply

Read our post on Financial Scams and how to spot them