How to Spot a Fake-Arse Website

A fake website is a scammer’s attempt to seem like a reputable business, when in reality, they don’t actually provide any goods or services: Their “business” is to trick you into thinking they do, and to get you to pay for it. There are different types of fake websites to be aware of: those that try to mimic a reputable website, and those that create their own unique website.

In this video below, Jordan Liles, a reporter for the fact-checking website Snopes, breaks down a fake website trying to imitate the Kay Jewellers’ website. As you can see, scammers are good at mimicking real, reputable websites; unless you have your guard up, it’s easy to click the wrong link, surf the fake website, give your money away, and potentially have your personal information stolen in the process.

In this other video, Liles shows an example of a fake website that’s not trying to mimic any reputable website, but be its own unique scam site. The unique fake website, however, uses the name of a famous YouTuber, MrBeast, who is known for giving out money and other prizes.

Red flags on fake websites

Domains: One of the first things to always pay attention to is the domain name of the URL and email. Many of these fake websites will use made-up domains, like lifehaker.com, in hopes you don’t notice the spelling error. Others use subdomains, which include an additional “.com” to make it seem like the official domain, like www.lifehacker.com.lh.com. What comes before the last “.com” is what counts. Similarly, when it comes to emails, the domain says a lot. Most legit businesses will not be using a Gmail or Hotmail account; they’ll have their own domain, like @lifehacker.com.

Design: Design quality can also be a giveaway for a fake website, like the New Year sale during November in the fake Kay Jewellers video above. Think of them as glitches in The Matrix. They tell you the website is actually a simulation of the real thing. Since they are designed by scammers, they’re bound to contain some flaws.

Secure website: There are two ways to tell if a website is secured. You can look at the lock on the URL of this page (all the way to the left before “lifehacker.com”). If it’s locked, you’re in what’s called a “secure” page. You can also check that it’s an HTTPS link, which uses encryption to protect your connection. Otherwise, if you see an open lock or an HTTP, it means the website is not secure, and you are more vulnerable to hackers.

Check the about/contact us page: While hackers and spammers are very good at technical things, most don’t take the time to create a believable story about their “business” (unless they’re just copying it from a reputable site). If their “about page” is less than convincing, be cautious. Their contact information, or lack thereof, is also important.