How to recognize rogue websites
Posted: Thu Jan 23, 2025 4:04 am
Today's consumers are concerned about ensuring the security of their data in the digital environment, especially when it comes to online shopping.
We understand that the Internet can be an overwhelming place at times – in fact, three new websites are created every second, and according to ongoing research by Siteefy, there are over 1.1 billion websites in the world. Online scammers are of course not far behind in this growing trend, as they reinvent themselves to structure more convincing and realistic-looking scam websites (fake websites) to trick unsuspecting buyers and gain market share.
During peak shopping periods, such as the current holiday season, the number of fraudulent websites is at its highest. That's why in the following paragraphs we will explain how you can spot a fraudulent website and avoid getting scammed.
1. Prevention is better than cure: Check the domain croatia whatsapp data and have a secure connection
It may seem obvious, but it's not as simple as it seems at first glance. When you enter a website, the page may look exactly like the official site. In fact, some of these fake websites are so well built that they could fool anyone at first glance (yes, even experts). Scammers often use images that they have taken directly from the official brand.
That's why it's important to check small details like the domain name and URL. There are usually two types of URLs listed:
1. Fraudulent websites almost always include a brand name in an attempt to convince consumers that they are on the official site.
The URL will also include a keyword such as outlet, sale, cheap, wholesale, or even a direct word such as fake or replica. They also impersonate the brand by adding the name of another country or location to the URL, an additional letter in the name, or changing the end of the URL to avoid detection. These are usually sites selling counterfeits.
2. The other type of fake websites are the very generic ones, which do not last long but pretend to also sell products in order to obtain information from consumers and scam them.
As for secure connection, most of us do not pay attention to the little padlock symbol that appears next to the URL on the website. However, this padlock is really important as it represents the SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificate. This certificate is an encryption system that provides security on the website and e-commerce sites should have it as they manage consumers' personal and financial information.
If you are still unsure and need to double-check, you can look up when the domain was registered. There are several websites on google that can provide this information. If a website has been running for more than five years, this can be interpreted as a good sign, as scam sites rarely exist for that long.
We understand that the Internet can be an overwhelming place at times – in fact, three new websites are created every second, and according to ongoing research by Siteefy, there are over 1.1 billion websites in the world. Online scammers are of course not far behind in this growing trend, as they reinvent themselves to structure more convincing and realistic-looking scam websites (fake websites) to trick unsuspecting buyers and gain market share.
During peak shopping periods, such as the current holiday season, the number of fraudulent websites is at its highest. That's why in the following paragraphs we will explain how you can spot a fraudulent website and avoid getting scammed.
1. Prevention is better than cure: Check the domain croatia whatsapp data and have a secure connection
It may seem obvious, but it's not as simple as it seems at first glance. When you enter a website, the page may look exactly like the official site. In fact, some of these fake websites are so well built that they could fool anyone at first glance (yes, even experts). Scammers often use images that they have taken directly from the official brand.
That's why it's important to check small details like the domain name and URL. There are usually two types of URLs listed:
1. Fraudulent websites almost always include a brand name in an attempt to convince consumers that they are on the official site.
The URL will also include a keyword such as outlet, sale, cheap, wholesale, or even a direct word such as fake or replica. They also impersonate the brand by adding the name of another country or location to the URL, an additional letter in the name, or changing the end of the URL to avoid detection. These are usually sites selling counterfeits.
2. The other type of fake websites are the very generic ones, which do not last long but pretend to also sell products in order to obtain information from consumers and scam them.
As for secure connection, most of us do not pay attention to the little padlock symbol that appears next to the URL on the website. However, this padlock is really important as it represents the SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificate. This certificate is an encryption system that provides security on the website and e-commerce sites should have it as they manage consumers' personal and financial information.
If you are still unsure and need to double-check, you can look up when the domain was registered. There are several websites on google that can provide this information. If a website has been running for more than five years, this can be interpreted as a good sign, as scam sites rarely exist for that long.