How to identify a fake website
Online purchase scams maintained the top spot as the riskiest, according to the BBB Scam Tracker Risk Report in 2021.
Staying up to date with the latest trends and becoming an educated consumer is your top defense to avoid these scams, including how to detect a fake website.
Always look out for these red flags before entering your personal or payment information:
Look closely at the domain name
Fraudsters will use a domain name extremely close to a real business’ or organization’s, like two letters are swapped or it’s just slightly misspelled.
Watch out for tricky subdomains
Attackers hope you will confuse a subdomain with the real domain name of their website, like using netflix.com.movies.com when the accurate one is actually netflix.com.
Be careful with links in emails
Always hover over links in unsolicited emails and if the link doesn’t match the blue text or if it’s a short link and you can’t tell where it leads, don’t click it.
Better Business Bureau John Hessinger
Check the design quality
Low quality visuals, odd layouts, and poor web design can all be warning signs of a fake website, so make sure the quality measures up to the reputation of the business it represents.
Pay attention to contact information and shop policies
Legitimate online stores should provide you with a physical address and working phone number.
•Do a search for reviews and potential scams.
Type in the website name along with the word “scam” or “reviews” into your web browser. If other people have been victims of a fake site, you’re likely to find reports when you search for scams.
Try a fake website checker
Website checkers, such as Google’s Safe Browsing tool can also help you decide whether a website is safe to visit.
Yuma-based John Hessinger is community development director of the Better Business Bureau serving the pacific Southwest. Contact him at john. hessinger@bbbcommunity.org or 928919-7940.