We have all been exploited in one way or another. Whether it’s being scammed when making an online purchase or paying more than expected for a service, these experiences leave us feeling uneasy and vulnerable. It is essential to ensure that the website you use is safe and secure. In this article, we’ll share 8 useful tips that will help you recognize a scam site, so you can regain your confidence and avoid any potential risk the next time you browse the Internet.
Tip #1: Check a site’s URL.
To detect an illegitimate website, it is essential to pay close attention to the URL of the site. Fraudulent sites often use variations of legitimate URLs and create a fake online presence that can be used to steal personal information. Also, URLs with “https” are generally more secure than those without, because the “s” indicates that the website has been verified and has a secure socket layer (SSL) certificate. .
Tip #2: Find contact information.
If the website has contact information, do some research before contacting them. Check social media accounts and see if any complaints have been made about the company in question. Legit websites usually list valid contact information easily accessible on their site, while fraudulent sites often provide false information or none at all.
Tip #3: Beware of offers that are too good to be true.
If you come across a website offering products or services at prices well below their market value, it is probably a fraudulent site that is trying to trick unsuspecting consumers into giving up their personal information in exchange for fake products or services.
Tip #4: Analyze user feedback.
A simple Google search for product reviews can identify potentially fraudulent sites more quickly, as users are quick to post warnings when they have been scammed by a retailer malicious online. Authoritative user reviews can also help distinguish real businesses from fake ones, as real businesses usually have many happy customers who leave positive reviews on various review sources such as Google MyBusiness, Trustpilot, Verified Reviews,…
Tip #5: Check payment methods.
Before entering personal data or credit card numbers on a website, take the time to check the payment methods accepted by the company in question. Legit businesses accept secure payment options like PayPal, credit cards, and debit cards, while scammers only accept payment through other methods like money orders, wire transfers, prepaid cards, etc
Tip #6: Review privacy policies and terms of service.
Legitimate companies usually provide detailed policies on how customer data is collected and stored. It is important to read these documents so that you know exactly what type of data is collected and what happens to your personal information once it has been transmitted. Fraudsters don’t always offer detailed privacy policies; it is therefore prudent to check everything before communicating sensitive data such as your credit card number, your address, your telephone number, etc.
Tip #7: Analyze the legal notices.
When you visit a website in France, it is important to ensure that the site displays legal notices. According to 60 million consumers, in accordance with article 19 of the law for confidence in the digital economy and article L.221-5 of the consumer code, these mentions must be openly and clearly visible on the page. legal notices. If this information is not present, beware. In order to check whether a website is legitimate, one should look for information such as:
- A statement of professional identity.
- A registration number in the trade and companies register.
- The company name.
- its legal form.
- Its VAT identification number.
- The postal address and email address of the head office of the company in charge.
The absence of any of this information should be considered a warning sign.
Tip #8: Check the quality of the site.
Low-quality websites usually have grammatical and spelling errors in their content, which should be taken into account when identifying scam sites. It is also important to ensure that all images are high quality and professional; if they are pixelated or low resolution, it may mean they were stolen from another source or have been unprofessionally edited, which again may suggest illegitimacy.
