Suspicious URLs, low-quality images, and deals that don’t make sense may be signs of a fake website. To find out if a website is real, you can use a website checker and look for security signs.
Examples of fake websites
PayPalsecurity.com is a fake site that looks like PayPal’s login page to get people to enter their account information.
PiloSaleLtd.com: For unknown reasons, someone set up a fake shopping site in December 2022.
PiloLtd.com is a fake shopping website that was set up in January 2023.
How to spot fake websites
• Domain name: Fake websites may have similar domain names that sound like genuine ones, or they may even use a legitimate URL in their name.
• Indicators of security: To find a safe link, look for a padlock or “https” in the address bar.
• Images: Images from real websites that are stolen are often of poor quality and have a lot of pixels.
• Text: Check for spelling mistakes, typos, and poor grammar.
• Offers: Deals that seem too good to be true could be a sign of a scam.
• Reviews: You can look for a site on the Better Business Bureau’s Scam Tracker website if it doesn’t have any reviews.
Making sure a website is real
• Check websites with a tool like Google’s Safe Browsing Site Status.
• Check for an “https” or padlock in the address bar.
• Look for an emblem that says, “Not Secure.”
• Look for weird payment processes.
• Check if the sitemap is too short or if the “About Us” part is missing.
• Check for social media links that don’t work.
When you enter personal information on websites that don’t have adequate security, you should be careful.