Journal Entry #6: How to Spot a Fake Website

There are several things to look for when trying to identify if a website is a fake website or a true website that can be trusted. One thing to look for is the domain name. Does the domain actually say what it should, for example, google.com or maybe it is something similar like g00gle.com? A fake website might use a domain name that is similar to a real domain or actually contains the real domain name within its domain name. This is a very easy way to spot a fake website.

Another thing to look for is if the website looks fully completed. Are there several pages on the website with lots of information? Is there an about page and reliable contact information for the company? Does it look like the website has been well-designed and thoroughly put together? Or is it a bare-bones website with only a scant amount of information? Does the website contain lots of spelling and grammar errors? These can all be indicators that a website is fake.

Another way to identify a real vs fake website is to check for reviews. Real websites should have a lot of reviews, both good and bad, with some unique and specific information included. A fake website might have no reviews, the reviews are all positive, or the reviews all sound relatively similar. Additionally, a quick search on the internet might reveal complaints from other people that the website in question is actually a scam website.

It is important that people know how to recognize a real versus a fake website. Fake websites can con people out of large amounts of money, give criminals access to sensitive information, and even lead to issues like identity theft. People need to be aware of this and stay away from fake or risky websites in order to keep their money and information secure and reduce the risk of negative effects both presently and down the road.

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