Scammers create fake websites that impersonate well-known brands and retailers, to deceive users and phish their sensitive personal or financial information. Look for telltale signs that a website could be fraudulent or a scam.
Signs of a fake website
- The site looks poorly designed or unprofessional.
- There are broken links.
- There are misspellings in the URL
- Their offers are too good to be true
- The website asks for money transfer or other unsecured and non-refundable forms of payment.
- Does not offer ways to contact them in case anything goes wrong.
- You discovered the website by clicking on a link in an email or message.
Best practices
- Always type the URL directly into your browser rather than clicking on a link.
- Read reviews from other customers.
- Look out for mistakes in grammar.
- Only make purchases from a store’s official website or through authorized sellers listed on their official website.
- Look for secure payment options such as PayPal or secure credit card payment.
- Regularly scan your device with antivirus software to detect malware.
- Before you click on a link, hover over it to reveal the URL.
