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How to check if a website is fake (step by step)

Found a great deal or got a link in a text? How to check whether a website is fake: the web address, domain age, contact details, payment methods and the official tools to use.

Fake websites copy real brands, run ads on social media and often appear right at the top of search results. The UK’s NCSC notes that it’s now easy for criminals to duplicate a legitimate shop’s design, logos and products, and to use a lookalike address such as tescos-sales.com instead of tesco.com (NCSC).

Step 1: read the web address, letter by letter

Look at the part just before the first single slash. Watch for swapped letters (like “Ap9le”), extra words, multiple dashes, or an odd ending (Scamwatch). The Australian Cyber Security Centre gives amazon.live instead of amazon.com as an example (ACSC). If you know the real address, type it yourself rather than tapping a link.

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Step 2: check when the domain was registered

Scamwatch suggests using ICANN Lookup to see when a site was registered (Scamwatch). A “30-year-old family business” whose domain was created last month isn’t what it claims. For .com.au sites, the auDA lookup shows who registered it.

Step 3: search for it

Type the site name plus “scam” or “review” into a search engine and read the results carefully (Scamwatch). Don’t assume the first result is the official site, and skip the ads. You can also paste the address into Google Safe Browsing’s site status check.

Step 4: look for the warning signs

  • Prices that are far too low, or countdown timers pushing you to buy now (Stop! Think Fraud).
  • No contact details, or only a web form (ACSC).
  • No returns policy, privacy policy or terms.
  • Asks for bank transfer, wire, gift cards or cryptocurrency (ACSC).
  • Broken links or a disabled back button (ACSC).
  • For Australian businesses: no ABN, or an ABN that doesn’t match on ABN Lookup (Scamwatch).

Step 5: pay the safe way

Paying by credit card gives you the best protection if something goes wrong (FTC). Avoid PayPal “friends and family” for purchases, because it doesn’t offer buyer protection (ACSC).

If you think you’ve found a fake site

In the UK, report it to the NCSC (report a scam website). Elsewhere:

Related: lookalike domain examples and how to tell if an email is a scam.

Questions

The site has a padlock and https. Doesn’t that mean it’s safe?

No. The UK government’s Stop! Think Fraud campaign says the padlock and https don’t guarantee a site is legitimate; they only mean your connection is encrypted.

It looks really professional. Can it still be fake?

Yes. Criminals can copy a real store’s design, logos and products (NCSC), and AI makes professional-looking content easy to produce (Stop! Think Fraud).

I already paid. What now?

Call your bank or card provider straight away and ask about a chargeback or dispute. Then report the site.

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Run the free domain scan to see how a website’s domain is set up and spot lookalike domains impersonating a brand. ImposterWatch Personal (US$9/month, cancel anytime) adds AI-powered checks, breach alerts for up to three email addresses and account recovery help.

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General information only, not legal or financial advice. ImposterWatch is operated by Cloud Investments FZE (UAE) and is not a background check or private investigator service.