YOU'RE A FAKE

I recently critiqued what's considered good and bad websites. Some websites can attract and pull you in at a click. These websites are intentionally created to promote, sell, or send a message to the audience they are attempting to reach.

What I didn't talk about are fake websites. These sites are created to deceive, rob, or take advantage of the visitors led to the site. Some of these websites can be identified by simply using your antiviral software. These websites may be nestled right above and disguised as the website where you intend to log in. Don't assume that the American Express website that pops up first when you go to pay your bill is the actual legitimate website, even if the URL indicates so. These websites have the proper URL hidden, but antivirus software often catches them if the software is current.

Another fake website is one created to deceive someone who is being catfished by pretending to be someone they are not to emotionally or financially rob or steal from the victim. These websites sometimes can be identified by misspelled words or poor formatting.  Scammers from foreign countries often create fake websites to aid in their catfish games. You would think that an American would recognize the difference in speech or how a specific word appears in a sentence. However, victims overlook these critical details or explain them away because they don't believe they can be scammed. In any case, we know that that is not you, but for all the others out there, here are some tips for evaluating a website for legitimacy:

Check the URL closely: Fraudsters may change a URL name slightly, like using amaz0n.com, or they may change the domain extension—like amazon.org instead of amazon.com.

Look for a padlock symbol: A padlock on a website means that it is secured by a TLS/SSL certificate that encrypts user data1. You can look for the lock in the upper left of the address bar.

• Use a website checker or safe browsing tools.

• Look for poor spelling, design issues, and other red flags.

• Check the domain age.

• Be wary of deals that seem too good to be true.

• Look for user reviews and check for reports of scams.

• Read the shipping and return policy.

• Check if the URL is misspelled.

• Don't be fooled by legitimate-looking subdomains.

• Inspect the site’s security certificate3. (Toohil & Benny, 2023)

Also, remember that crooks are a lot smarter than you regarding scamming. Arming yourself with the knowledge to protect yourself will go a long way. Antivirus software would also be beneficial. You wouldn't leave home without an umbrella on a rainy day, would you? That is precisely what you do when you surf the web or visit websites without antivirus protection. Take heed and be safe!