Written by Jonathan Berg | Last updated September 2024
Online shopping has never been more accessible, especially during global sales events like Singles’ Day, Black Friday, and Cyber Monday. These events draw millions of shoppers looking for irresistible deals on electronics, fashion, and home goods. However, they also attract scammers who build fake e-commerce websites to steal your money and personal information.
Understanding how to identify fraudulent websites is critical to shopping safely. Here are 10 signs that a shopping website might be fake, and tips to avoid being scammed.
Suspicious Website URLs
The URL (web address) is your first line of defense. A secure site will start with “https://” and show a padlock icon, ensuring encrypted communication. Fake websites often have URLs that mimic popular sites but with minor tweaks, such as “amazoon.com” instead of “amazon.com.”
Always verify the spelling of a website’s URL, and avoid clicking on links from suspicious emails or social media posts. Manually entering the URL into your browser ensures you’re navigating to a legitimate site.
Recently Created Domain
Most scam websites are set up quickly to capitalize on short-term shopping frenzies like Black Friday. Fake domains are often just weeks or months old, whereas legitimate businesses usually have years of online history. You can use free tools like WHOIS Lookup to check the website’s age.
If a domain has only been active for a short time and you can’t find any customer reviews or trust ratings, it’s better to steer clear.
Unrealistic Discounts
Fraudulent sites lure buyers with unbelievably low prices—often advertising discounts of 70% or more. If a deal looks too good to be true, it probably is. Scammers know people can’t resist the appeal of deep discounts, so they use them to bait victims.
Before making a purchase, check prices across multiple reputable sites. Drastically lower prices should raise a red flag. Compare product prices to see if the discount is plausible or a scam tactic.
Low-Quality Images and Design
Fake websites often steal images from legitimate retailers, but these images are usually pixelated, poorly cropped, or outdated. Low-resolution images of products or logos are common indicators of a scam. Additionally, fake sites often have amateurish design and layout issues, such as inconsistent fonts, broken links, and slow loading speeds.
Always pay attention to image quality, design consistency, and overall functionality. Professional e-commerce sites invest in high-quality design; fake sites rarely do.
Grammatical Errors and Typos
Many scam websites are set up hastily, so they often contain spelling mistakes, awkward phrasing, or poorly written product descriptions. Professional e-commerce sites carefully review their content, while scammers don’t spend the time to ensure proper grammar and readability.
If the text on the site seems poorly written, generic, or directly copied from elsewhere, it’s a major warning sign. Take the time to read product descriptions carefully; if something feels off, trust your instincts.
Lack of Contact Information
Legitimate businesses always provide multiple ways to contact them, such as a physical address, email, and phone number. Fake websites, however, often lack any meaningful contact information or display generic details, such as a free Gmail or Yahoo email address instead of a company-specific email.
If the only way to contact the site is through a generic contact form or incomplete information, be cautious. Verify contact details by searching online or calling the provided number to ensure it connects to a real company.
Complicated or Nonexistent Return Policy
A fake shopping site will often lack clear return, refund, or shipping policies. If the return policy is missing or extremely vague, it’s a sign the seller doesn’t intend to honor returns. Legitimate companies are transparent about their customer service policies, especially during sales events.
Before purchasing, carefully review the site’s return, refund, and shipping information. If the terms seem overly complex or unreasonable, it’s best to move on.
Limited or Risky Payment Options
Reputable online stores offer secure and familiar payment methods like credit cards, PayPal, or Buy Now, Pay Later services. Fake websites, on the other hand, often push for less secure payment methods such as wire transfers, gift cards, or cryptocurrencies. These options make it much harder to trace and recover your money if something goes wrong.
Always be cautious if a site doesn’t allow secure, trackable payments. Stick to using credit cards or trusted payment gateways that offer buyer protection.
Fake or Missing Social Media Links
Most legitimate e-commerce businesses maintain an active social media presence on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. If a site claims to have social media pages but the links are broken, missing, or redirect you back to the homepage, it’s a strong indication that the site is fake.
Additionally, if the business has little to no engagement on its social media accounts, or if the pages seem hastily created with few followers, this could be a sign of a scam.
Lack of Customer Reviews
Fake shopping sites rarely have genuine customer reviews. They might feature fabricated reviews with generic or overly positive comments, often without real user profiles attached. Trusted online retailers generally display verified customer reviews, including both positive and negative feedback.
If a website lacks any reviews or only shows questionable, glowing testimonials, be suspicious. Use independent review platforms like Trustpilot or Google Reviews to verify the site’s credibility. It’s also helpful to search for complaints online by entering the site’s name along with terms like “scam” or “fraud.”
Final Tips for Avoiding Fake Websites:
- Use trusted shopping platforms: Stick to well-known e-commerce giants or smaller retailers with strong reputations.
- Double-check for security measures: Ensure the site has HTTPS encryption, a privacy policy, and other security protocols.
- Enable antivirus and ad-blockers: Protect yourself from malware by using security software and avoiding unnecessary pop-ups.
If you suspect a website is fake, don’t risk your financial or personal information. Instead, report the site to your local consumer protection agency or cybersecurity authorities.
