How to Know If a Website Is a Scam

Start with your gut feeling

I know, it sounds vague. But honestly, if something feels off—it probably is.
Maybe the design looks rushed, or the prices seem too good to be true. Maybe the wording just sounds… wrong.
Trust that little voice that says, “Hmm, this doesn’t feel right.”
Because usually, it’s your brain picking up on subtle details you can’t quite name yet.

Check the website’s address (the URL)

Always, always look at the URL before doing anything else.
Real websites usually use clear, simple domains.
Scammers often use misspellings or weird extra words to trick you—like amaz0n-shop.com instead of amazon.com.

Here’s what you can do:

• Look for HTTPS at the start of the address. That little padlock icon means it’s secure (though not always safe—scammers use it too now).
• Avoid websites with long, confusing addresses full of random letters and numbers.
• If the website claims to belong to a big brand, double-check by typing the real company’s name directly into Google.

Look for real contact information

This is a huge red flag area. Legit businesses always give you a way to reach them—like an email, phone number, or physical address.
Scam sites? Not so much.

If all you find is a tiny contact form and no company name or address, that’s a bad sign.
You can also try copying the address they provide into Google Maps to see if it even exists.
I once did that and found the “office” was literally a parking lot. So yeah, check it.

Check for grammar and tone

Most scam websites give themselves away through sloppy writing.
Maybe you’ll see sentences like “We are selling you best qualitys items for cheap price.”
You’ll notice it.
Real companies invest in professional writing because they care about trust.

Watch out for:

• Weird capitalization and typos everywhere
• Overly pushy or emotional language (“Hurry! Buy NOW or lose FOREVER!”)
• Descriptions that sound copied or repetitive

Search for reviews outside the website

Never rely on the testimonials a site shows you—they can be totally fake.
Instead, search the brand name on Google with words like “reviews,” “scam,” or “legit.”
See what real people are saying on trusted sites.

You can also check platforms like
Trustpilot
or
Better Business Bureau (BBB).
If a site has no reviews anywhere, that’s a yellow flag. If there are tons of negative reviews—it’s a red one.

Reverse search product or image photos

Scammers often steal images from other websites.
You can check by doing a reverse image search. Go to
Google Images,
click the camera icon, and upload or paste the image link.
If that same image appears on dozens of other unrelated sites—it’s probably fake.

Look at the website’s creation date

Here’s a sneaky trick: scammers constantly launch new websites and dump them when people catch on.
You can check when a site was created using
Whois Lookup.
If it was created only a few weeks ago but claims to have “10 years of experience,” yeah… no.

Check the social media links (if they exist)

Real companies link to active, real social media pages.
Scam sites often include fake icons that lead nowhere or go to random accounts with no followers.

Click them. See if they work. Look for regular posts, real interactions, and consistent branding.
If their Instagram has 3 followers and one blurry photo from two years ago—it’s probably not real.

Don’t fall for unrealistic prices or offers

This one’s simple: if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
Scammers know people love a deal. They’ll post $200 sneakers for $29 or promise free iPhones if you just “cover shipping.”
That excitement they trigger? That’s exactly what they’re counting on.

Legit brands run discounts—but they’re usually reasonable.
If you see 90% off across the entire site, hit pause and investigate before you buy.

Check the payment options

Another red flag: if a site only accepts payment through methods that can’t be reversed, like crypto, wire transfer, or gift cards.
Real online stores almost always use safe payment processors—PayPal, Stripe, or direct credit card payments.

PayPal even offers buyer protection, which means if something goes wrong, you can dispute the charge.
You can learn more about that on
PayPal’s official site.

Use official scam-check tools

If you’re still unsure, you can use trusted online tools to check the site’s reputation.
Try
Google Safe Browsing
or
ScamAdviser.
These sites analyze domain data and user feedback to give a trust score.

Pay attention to return and privacy policies

A real business will always have clear, detailed policies written in understandable language.
Scam sites often copy-paste vague templates or have pages that lead nowhere.
If you click “Return Policy” and it’s empty—that’s your cue to leave.

What to do if you already gave your info

Okay, so let’s say you already entered your credit card or personal details and now you’re worried. Don’t panic.
Here’s what to do immediately:

• Contact your bank or card provider right away and explain the situation.
• Change your passwords if you used the same one elsewhere.
• Report the website to
  FTC’s fraud report page
  if you’re in the U.S., or your country’s cybercrime unit.

Final thoughts — stay cautious but not paranoid

The internet’s full of amazing, legit businesses.
But there are also people trying to take advantage of that trust.
The goal isn’t to make you paranoid—it’s to help you stay aware.
If you take a few seconds to check before you buy, you’ll save yourself a lot of stress (and money).

I always say: pause before you pay. That tiny moment of checking could be what saves your wallet—and your peace of mind.