Aura’s app keeps you safe from scams, fraud, and identity theft. Laws and regulations require most companies to provide basic legal information on their websites, such as a privacy policy or data collection policy. Links to these policies often appear at the bottom of every page of a website. They also suggest that thanks to the trend towards improving organizational security, hackers will be more inclined to attempt to exploit vulnerabilities like network appliances and VPN gateways.
If you receive a link from someone you don’t know or a site you regularly visit is functioning differently than normal, check the URL to ensure you’re on the right site. If you’ve stumbled onto one of these false domains, close the window and clear your history and browsing data to keep you from ending up there again. Report the suspicious website if you believe it is running a scam. If your browser didn’t provide you with a warning about a site, but you still don’t feel great about sharing your information or making a purchase, you can double-check it using a site checker.
However, scammers will often make mistakes when it comes to the text and functionality of these sites. Most websites have privacy policies due to legal requirements, but it’s also the fastest way to learn about what information a site can collect from you and how they use it. You can usually find the privacy policy linked in the footer at the bottom of the website or via a site search. Install Norton 360 Deluxe to stay safer when browsing and shopping online.
Look up and review the company’s social media presence
Some fake websites trick victims by changing the order of the domains, such as in Microsoft.fakewebsite.com (in this example, “Microsoft” is the subdomain, not the official domain). Others use official-looking domain names that are altogether different from the official organization, but most people just don’t know enough to question the authenticity. Fake sites can steal your information and your money or infect your device with malware. To stay safe, you need to know what these sites look like and how you can avoid them. One way to tell if a website is real or fake is to check how long it’s been active by using the Whois Lookup domain tracker.
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No one can prevent all identity theft or monitor all transactions effectively. Further, any testimonials on this website reflect experiences that are personal to those particular users, and may not necessarily be representative of all users of our products and/or services. We do not claim, and you should not assume, that all users will have the same experiences. In an effort to look more legitimate, scammers often post fake reviews on their websites. But at the same time, real customers (who might have gotten scammed) can also write reviews warning you about their experiences. With Chase for Business you’ll receive guidance from a team of business professionals who specialize in helping improve cash flow, providing credit solutions, and managing payroll.
Phishing links attempt to trick users into clicking links in order to disclose sensitive information, such as login credentials or financial details. They may use tactics such as impersonating trusted entities, creating a sense of urgency or fear, or promising a big reward to manipulate the user’s emotions. To check if a link is safe, you can use online link scanners such as Norton Safe Web, which can check a link against multiple antivirus engines and security databases to detect potential threats. In theory, you should be able to click on the trust seal and see if you can verify it. In practice, a trust badge doesn’t tell you anything about that site’s reputation or security practices.
Search for user reviews and potential scams
To see if a site uses HTTPS, are public limited companies in the public sector check for the padlock in your browser’s navigation bar. If you see it, the site you’re on is using a trusted SSL digital certificate to protect your connection to it. To quickly check if a site is legit or a specific URL is safe, use a website safety checker like Google Safe Browsing.
Scammers set up fake sites to mimic familiar login pages, online shopping sites, and information or payment request forms. Links to these pages are included in scam messages or even posted online to trap unsuspecting browsers. Award-winning identity theft protection with AI-powered digital security tools, 24/7 White Glove support, and more. This method is expedient for scammers largely because URL content filters don’t recognize the link, and it can thus bypass the filter easily. Importantly, shortened URLs often don’t ‘look’ fraudulent to both untrained eyes and those well-versed in online scams – so they can target anyone. All the URLs in this article (apart from the ones in pictures) have been created/invented to make some sort of point about URL scamming.
- There isn’t one single payment red flag that every fake website shares, so you need to be on the lookout for as many warning signs as you can.
- If you use the tips above, you’ll become a pro URL checker in no time.
- In the past, simply looking for the lock was enough, but with the increase of online fraud you need to look deeper than the padlock to verify a website.
- For all the internet’s merits, one of its major pitfalls is the ease at which scams and fraud can be committed.
- Report the suspicious website if you believe it is running a scam.
And thanks to the development of drive-by-download techniques, sometimes you don’t even have to click on anything to get infected — simply landing on the page can be enough to compromise your security. Any of these signs mean the website is not safe to visit, and you should find a legitimate site instead — especially for online shopping. As this example proves, there is a constant need to protect yourself against scammers online, whether you are a business, a corporation or an average person looking to transact or browse the internet. Fraud is on the rise and is predicted to only grow over the next decade. There isn’t one single payment red flag that every fake website shares, so you need to be on the lookout for as many warning signs as you can. If you question a website’s legitimacy, try searching for it on sites like Trustpilot, Better Business Bureau (BBB), and Reddit to see if there are any negative reviews or scam warnings available.
These aren’t safety guarantees, however, as many fake sites have SSL certificates as well. Unfortunately, scammers have started to use SSL certificates to fool you into thinking their fake sites are genuine. If you’re unsure about a site, click on the padlock and then check any additional information about the security certificate.
Learn the obvious signs that a site is fake
Be cautious if you run into multiple generic reviews that are unusually positive and lack accurate descriptions of the product experience. Alternatively, use the Wayback Machine to see archived versions of the website and determine if it’s been used for multiple purposes. Chase gives you access to unique sports, entertainment and culinary events through Chase Experiences and our exclusive partnerships such as the US Open, Madison Square Garden and Chase Center. Check out the Chase Auto Education Center to get car guidance from a trusted source.
The easiest way to tell that you’re on a fake website is when the domain name doesn’t match the official website for the company. For example, scammers often use domain names that are similar to — or even contain — the official URL within the fake domain name. In this guide, we’ll explain how scam websites work, how you can identify a fake website (with examples), and what to do if you accidentally visit or enter information on a scammer’s site. Chase serves millions of people with a broad range of products.