Is This Website a Scam? 7 Warning Signs to Check

Found a great deal online but something feels off? Trust that instinct. Here are 7 quick checks to determine if a website is a scam before you hand over your money.

The 7-Point Scam Website Check

1. Is the Price Too Good to Be True?

Red flag: iPhone 15 Pro for $199. PS5 for $99. Designer bags 80% off.

If the price is significantly below retail (50%+ off), it's almost certainly a scam. Legitimate retailers can't sell below cost. No one is giving away products.

What to do: Search the product on major retailers (Amazon, Best Buy, official brand site). If the "deal" is way below everyone else, walk away.

2. Check the URL

Red flags:

• Misspellings (amaz0n.com, waImart.com with capital i)
• Strange domains (.xyz, .top, .shop, .store often used by scams)
• Extra words (amazon-deals-official.com)
• HTTP instead of HTTPS (no padlock icon)

What to do: Type the retailer's name into Google and click the official result. Don't trust links in emails or ads.

Use our [Website Scam Checker](/tools/website-scam-checker) to analyze suspicious sites.

3. Look for Contact Information

Red flags:

• No physical address
• No phone number
• Only a contact form
• Gmail or generic email address for "support"

What to do: Legitimate businesses provide real contact info. Search the address - does it exist? Is it a real office or a random location? Try calling the number.

4. Search "[Site Name] + Scam"

What to do: Google the website name plus "scam," "reviews," or "legitimate." Scam sites are often reported quickly.

Caution: Scammers create fake review sites. Look for reviews on independent platforms (Trustpilot, BBB, Reddit) not just the site's own testimonials.

5. Check Domain Age

Red flag: Website created in the last few months.

How to check:

1. Go to whois.com or who.is
2. Enter the domain name
3. Look at "Creation Date"

Scam sites pop up, steal money, and disappear. A site created last month selling big-ticket items is suspicious.

6. Examine Payment Options

Red flags:

• Only accepts wire transfer
• Only cryptocurrency
• Asks for gift cards as payment
• No credit card option

Safe payments:

• Credit cards (best protection)
• PayPal (buyer protection)
• Known payment processors (Stripe, Square)

If they avoid traceable payment methods, they're planning to disappear.

7. Look for Trust Indicators

Red flags:

• No return policy
• No privacy policy
• No terms of service
• No SSL certificate (no padlock, not HTTPS)
• Broken English throughout
• Stolen product images

What to do: Check the footer for policy links. Read the return policy - does it make sense? Reverse image search product photos to see if they're stolen from other sites.

Quick Decision Framework

Ask yourself these questions:

How did you find this site?

• Social media ad → Higher risk
• Unsolicited email → Very high risk
• Google search (organic) → Lower risk
• Direct referral from trusted source → Lower risk

What's your gut feeling?

If something feels off, it probably is. Our instincts pick up on small inconsistencies before we consciously identify them.

Can you afford to lose this money?

If losing this money would hurt, do extra verification. Small purchases might be worth the risk for a deal; large purchases deserve extra caution.

If You're Still Unsure

1. Wait 24 hours - Scams rely on urgency. Legitimate deals will still be there tomorrow
2. Search for the product elsewhere - Can you find it from a known retailer?
3. Pay with a credit card - If it turns out to be a scam, you can dispute
4. Don't create an account with your regular password - Use a unique password in case the site is harvesting credentials

The Bottom Line

Scam websites are everywhere, especially promoting deals that seem amazing. The best protection is a healthy skepticism:

• If the price is too good to be true, it is
• If the site looks off, trust that feeling
• If they want unusual payment methods, walk away
• If you can't verify they're real, don't risk it

Spending 2 minutes checking can save hundreds of dollars. When in doubt, buy from retailers you know and trust.

Use our [Website Scam Checker](/tools/website-scam-checker) to analyze any website you're unsure about.