It can sometimes be difficult to tell the difference between fake and legitimate websites, but certain strategies can assist us with this. Fake websites will often try to replicate the qualities of real websites or even try to imitate the websites of other companies to get you to enter sensitive information. The first indicator of a possible fake website would be the number of advertisements you see. While some websites do use advertisements, fake or dangerous websites may often have very flashy advertisements that ask you to download various shady services, such as file cleaners or free antivirus software. While advertisements can be a decent indicator of fake websites, another indicator is the address bar that lists the name of the website and if it is secure or not. Hackers can add subdomains to the URL that can list the website as something other than what it really is, but the actual domain will tell you what the website actually is. By paying attention to the words right before the “.com” portion of the URL, you can see if a website is really what it claims to be rather than being a phishing scheme or fake website (Nohe, 2021). You should always check what websites you’re inputting your credentials into before doing so and ensure that the website is the actual one used by the company. A third way to check if the website you are using is real and secure are indicators such as the padlock icon and the EV name badge/green address bar at the top of the website. Both of these indicate that the website utilizes the HTTP protocol that the internet was built on, which all websites use, and either SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) or TLS (Transport Security Layer) security protocols. This means the website uses HTTPS, meaning the information you input cannot be intercepted by anyone other than you and the website, whereas HTTP websites are insecure. Sensitive information should never be entered into HTTP websites, so ensure the website you’re using has the padlock icon or the aforementioned EV name badge to guarantee your information’s safety (Nohe, 2021). Chances are if the website you’re using doesn’t utilize SSL or TLS, it’s either an outdated, unsafe website or some sort of scam looking to take your information.
Works Cited
- Nohe, P. (2021, June 10). 5 ways to determine if a website is fake, fraudulent, or a scam in 2018. Hashed Out by The SSL Store™. Retrieved October 15, 2022, from https://www.thesslstore.com/blog/5-ways-to-determine-if-a-website-is-fake-fraudulent-or-a-scam/