Google tends to compile user reviews of high-traffic sites near the top of the search results, so be sure to check these if there are any. Make sure you’re looking at reviews and feedback from sources unaffiliated with the website.
A site that uses an “https” connection can still be unreliable, so it’s best to verify the website using other means as well. Make sure the site’s payment page in particular is an “https” page.
You can click on the padlock icon to verify the details of the website (e. g. , the type of encryption used).
Multiple dashes or symbols in the domain name. Domain names that imitate actual businesses (e. g. , “Amaz0n” or “NikeOutlet”). One-off sites that use a credible site’s templates (e. g. , “visihow”). Domain extensions like “. biz” and “. info”. These sites tend not to be credible. [5] X Research source Keep in mind as well that “. com” and “. net” sites, while not inherently unreliable, are the easiest domain extensions to obtain. As such, they don’t carry the same credibility as a “. edu” (educational institute) or “. gov” (government) site. [6] X Research source
Even if the site in question is technically legitimate insofar as it isn’t a scam, any inaccuracies in language will also cast doubt on the accuracy of its information, thereby making it a poor source.
Ads that take up the whole page Ads that require you to take a survey (or complete some other action) before continuing Ads that redirect you to another page Explicit or suggestive ads
Make sure you scroll all the way to the bottom of the site to search for the Contact page. If the site in question doesn’t have a Contact page listed anywhere, it should be an immediate red flag.
Private registration: It’s possible register a domain privately, where a “private registration” provider serves as the domain’s contact, instead of the actual owner. If a domain uses private registration, consider this a red flag. Contact information is suspicious: For example, if the name of a registrant is “Steve Smith,” but the email address is “ramsaybolton12345@hushmail. com”, this might be a sign that the registrant is trying to hide their true identity. Recent registration or transfers: A recent registration or transfer of a domain may indicate that a site is not trustworthy.
For best results, copy your website’s URL and paste it into this field.
For example, sites like wikiHow and YouTube achieve “Not dangerous” ratings from Google, whereas Reddit garners a “Partially dangerous” rating due to “deceptive content” (e. g. , misleading advertising). The Google Transparency Report also provides examples of why it gave a certain site a rating, so you can decide for yourself whether or not the rating rationale pertains to you.
Note that the Better Business Bureau is geared toward matching businesses with your provided website. If you’re simply trying to see if the website is safe, use the Google Transparency Report.
If you don’t know your business’ geographic location, skip this step.
For example, if your website claims to sell shoes but the Better Business Bureau links the URL to an ad revenue service, you know that the site is a scam. However, if the Better Business Bureau results line up with the site’s theme, you can probably trust the site.
