With the widespread use of AI, identifying a fake website is difficult. Scammers can create websites that look like the real deal, with products, graphics and a URL to match. However, there are ways to tell that the website you’re on is a fake.
What is a fake website?
A fake website is a website that has been set up by scammers, with the purpose of stealing your personal data or your bank details. Fake websites might look like a well-known website, or it might look like a website that you have never seen before. They are very cheap for scammers to set up, and once the website is live, they can harvest the details of thousands of unsuspecting victims.
Once the victim enters the website, the scammers want individuals to make a purchase as fast as possible. To do this, they’ll often use time-limited deals, language that implies that there are very few of the products left, or prices that seem too good to be true. All of these things encourage people to get to the checkout quickly, without thinking too much or looking too closely at the website itself.
Some fake websites will take the payment, and the victim will never see their purchase. Other fake websites will send knockoff versions of the product listed. These fake products often use AI generated images, or images of real products made by small businesses to convince people to part with their cash.
Victims’ details can then end up on the Dark Web for sale, or the scammers who listed the website can make further purchases with customers’ bank details themselves. Some people only discover that they’ve been victims of a scam when the cheap product arrives, or they see unusual charges on their bank account.
Is the website I’m looking at fake?
Whilst you shouldn’t ever send payment details across a website with a misspelt, or strange looking URL, or a website without a padlock in the corner, it’s easier than ever for perpetrators to buy URLs and SSL certificates for their scams. However, there are signs that usually point to a website being fake. If you’re shopping online, be on the lookout for the following.
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How did you get here?
How did you get to this webpage? Was it through a link in an email, a link on social media or from a web search? If it was through social media or an email, go back and look at the advert or email closely. Time limited deals, ridiculously low prices, misspelt words or repeated comments might suggest the website is fake. -
There’s a huge range of products
Fake websites sometimes offer a wide range of different products that are seemingly unrelated, so that they can attract the attention of as many shoppers as possible. If you notice that a website is selling a Playstation 5 as well as a range of socket wrenches, you could be looking at a fake website. -
Do a quick web search
One of the easiest ways to check the legitimacy of a website is to do a quick web search. Type the name of the website or business, along with the word, ‘fake’ or ‘scam’. Check their TrustPilot page for the reviews, and see what other customers are saying. But remember, scammers can write reviews too. -
Do they accept weird payment methods?
Whilst some scam websites are more than happy to accept your bank details, others will want you to pay by bank transfer or gift cards. With these payments, there’s very little possibility of getting your money back. Where possible, paying with a trusted third party application like PayPal provides you with some extra security if the website turns out to be fraudulent. -
Check the About Us page
Fake websites often invest all of their time into creating realistic looking landing pages, and they neglect the About Us, Privacy Policy or Shipping pages of their website. Give these a read through, and check whether they seem real or AI generated. Lookout for poor spelling, grammar or text that doesn’t make sense on that page. -
Check their social media
Where possible, it’s best to make purchases from businesses that you know and trust. However, when you’re purchasing from small businesses, or businesses that you haven’t used before, check their social media. Look for TikTok and Instagram accounts from the business, check their advertising, and ensure the link to their website takes you to the same site you’re looking at. A good social media presence can indicate that this is a legitimate business.
