A lot of people have been scammed online due to ignorance or probably looking for a quick way to make money. You've probably ended up on a fake website unknowingly.

Fake websites are an important part of the so-called Phishing attack where fraudsters aim to misguide you into giving out sensitive data such as credit card details or account passwords.

I get a lot of fake links been shared on whatsapp in which many people always fall victim. So I have decided to write out what is real and how to check the legitimacy of a website.

Here are 8 tips to check website's legitimacy.

1. Pay attention to the URL
The first thing you need to check is https:// at the beginning of the address bar. The 's' in the HTTPS signifies secure which means the website uses encryption to transfer data protecting it from hackers. If the site uses HTTP without the 's', that doesn't mean it is a fake website, but it is something to watch out for.

2. Check the domain name
Beside HTTPs, check the address next to HTTP. Some scamers of fake website usually mimic those of large brands. E. G www.g00gle.com is a wrong domain, www.jumia.com.discountedclothe.co used a subdomain to mimic Julia.

3. Watch for grammar and spelling
If the website contains numerous blunder and grammatical errors, probably it might have been put up by scammers to making quick profit. Legitimate companies will ensure quality content. Spelling mistakes, broken English, low-resolution images indicates that a website went up quickly with illegitimate intent.

4. Ignore deals that are too good to be true
Be careful of deals that are too good to be true. It is impossible to get money for doing nothing. Any website that puts u on time pressure, special low low discount valid for the next 5 min e. T. c. Some website can even promise free BTC after sign-up.


5. Take a look at contact us section
How much information is provided? Is an address supplied? What about phone number? Does the line connect to the company. A legitimate website with business in mind should have a physical address on its website.

6. Check the WhoIs lookup
The whoIs domain look-up can let you know the owner of a website, what email is registered on it, how long it has been active. You can also run a quick check on similarWeb.

7. Check whether the site has a social media presence
A company or at least a business website will have a social media presence built around it. click on any social link to see if it's linked to real account.

8. check for online reviews
Reviews are important because they build trust. You can Google Search "brandname"+review to see what people are saying about them. If no review, you should take caution.

Of course there are other ways to check for fake website. But these are obvious signs to watch for.

I hope this post is an eye opener and it's helpful. Have you ever been scammed online before? Share your experience.

Source: https://teetaryo.com/how-to-identify-fake-websites/