Fake websites heavily contribute to cyberattacks such as phishing and malware attacks. It is important that we educate and arm ourselves with tools on how to identify a fake website. Clicking on a fake website can cost individuals their identities, money, and even destroy devices. According to Nobles ninety five percent of cyber incidents are human enabled. Fake websites and phishing attacks capitalize on human error. There are a few key things to check when distinguishing a suspicious website for a legitimate one. First, check the URL, it should include https://, the s at the end of the http indicates if the site is secure. Also, near the Https:// keep an eye out for a padlock. The padlock ensures that the site connection is secure. The padlock also confirms that the site has a trusted certificate with a trusted authority. This mean sensitive information like credit cards and passwords will not be intercepted. URL should include second and top-level domain, as well as a subdirectory to let the user know where they are within the site. Often URLS are altered to trick the online user into trusting the site because they are a widespread practice. Check for spelling errors within the URL and on the website to validate it. Often fake sites are filled with spelling in grammar mistakes. It is important to look at the formatting, indentations, and paragraph structures. A reliable organization would avoid having errors, as it decreases the trust of its users and overall looks unprofessional. URL spoofing and typo squatting have tricked many users into clicking fake buttons unleashing a virus. Before entering any payment information into a suspicious site, I would recommend calling the company first to confirm if the email was valid. It is not common for a trusted organization to request payment via email. Lastly, if the site does not have a user agreement be cautious.

References

Drapkin, A. (2021, February 14). How to spot a fake website by reading the URL. Proprivacy. Retrieved October 14, 2022, from https://proprivacy.com/guides/identify-fake-websites

Nobles, C. (2018). Botching human factors in cybersecurity in business organizations. HOLISTICA – Journal of Business and Public Administration, 9(3), 71–88. https://doi.org/10.2478/hjbpa-2018-0024