Prompt: How can you spot fake websites? Compare three fake websites (don’t access those sites, of course) to three real websites. What makes the fake websites fake?
Fake site 1 (https://www.dhmo.org/):
While the design of this website appears old, it uses a lot of technical languages that may make it seem that the site’s owner is a knowledgeable and trustworthy source. Chief among this jargon is the term “dihydrogen monoxide,” which the site outlines the plethora of negative outcomes associated with it. However, this site preys on the fact that many likely do not know that dihydrogen monoxide is simply the chemical name for water (H2O). Knowing this fact explains why dihydrogen monoxide is so pervasive and makes it obvious that the claims made on this site are simply fear-mongering. It is also a red flag that the homepage prominently features links that can be used to purchase merchandise. Additionally, the homepage implies that the website is associated with an organization called the United States Environmental Assessment Center (EAC). However, some research using Google suggests that the EAC is fictional and non-existent.
Real site 1 (https://www.fda.gov/):
The FDA’s website is a reputable place to find up-to-date information on risks pertaining to the safety of ingredients included in foods and pharmaceuticals. Having a “.gov” top-level domain (TLD) provides confidence in the accuracy of the information provided because “.gov” TLDs can only be used by US government agencies, public entities, or approved government officials (CISA, n.d.).
Fake site 2 (suewhitehurst.shop):
This website has a professional design that looks similar to other reputable e-commerce websites, which likely lures in customers and gives a false feeling of authenticity. One notable sign this site is likely illegitimate is that it prominently uses Nike’s logo and branding but is not officially affiliated with Nike (Raath, 2023). Additionally, a Google search for “Sue Whitehurst” does not return this website or people named “Sue Whitehurst” who are associated with footwear. It is also suspicious that it uses a “.shop” TLD instead of using a more common TLD. Other issues with this site include having contact information, a newly registered domain, and poor customer reviews (Raath, 2023).
Real site 2 (https://www.zappos.com/):
In contrast to suewhitehurst.shop, Zappos is a well-established shoe retailer owned by Amazon that has been around for years (IWD Agency, 2020). This assures customers that Zappos is a legitimate business that does not sell counterfeit merchandise.
Fake site 3 (https://theflatearthsociety.org/):
One major flaw of this website is that in most of the articles and blog posts where the authors make claims to prove the earth is flat, they either omit references altogether or do not pull from scholarly sources. The website’s authors also do not include any citations for the claims made in the FAQs. Additionally, the “About Us” page discussing the Flat Earth Society’s leadership does not show actual pictures of the people. Instead, they use generic stock images. Furthermore, the biographies underneath the leadership’s names provide limited detail and lack information about their qualifications to make authoritative claims about earth science. Finally, the website seems unprofessional and lacks attention to detail in specific aspects, such as missing favicons on tabs and having tab names like “Team :: concrete5”.
Real site 3 (https://www.nasa.gov/):
Compared to the Flat Earth Society’s website, NASA’s site is more professional and has considerably more attention to detail in its design. When making specific claims in articles with detailed scientific information, NASA provides reference lists with many scholarly sources. This article about measuring global sea-level rise is an example of using quality citations to back claims.
References
CISA. (n.d.). Sign up for a .gov domain: Information for election officials. https://www.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/2022-11/DOTGOV_Domain_Fact-Sheet_508_0.pdf
IWD Agency. (2020, June 8). How Zappos went from an unpopular idea to $1.2 billion in just 10 years. https://www.iwdagency.com/blogs/news/zappos-success-storyRaath, S. (2023, March 11). List of scam websites in 2024: 25 suspected fake shopping sites. ExpressVPN. https://www.expressvpn.com/blog/list-of-scam-shopping-websites/
Raath, S. (2023, March 11). List of scam websites in 2024: 25 suspected fake shopping sites. ExpressVPN. https://www.expressvpn.com/blog/list-of-scam-shopping-websites/