How to Identify an Online Shopping Scam: A Full Guide to Staying Safe

Online shopping has never been simpler. Sadly, that also means it has never been simpler to get scammed.

Each year, thousands of impostor online shops emerge. They offer unbeatable prices and fast shipping. Before you know it, they have vanished with your money or data.

But what can you do? Knowing how to see whether an online store is a scam can save you time, money, and stress.

Here's a step-by-step guide to identifying fake online stores and remaining safe when shopping online.

• 1. Does the URL Look Right to You?
• 2. If It Looks Off, It Probably Is
• 3. Check Who You're Purchasing From
• 4. Verify the Store's Credibility
• 5. The Payment Options Matter
• 6. Don't Fall for the "Too Good to Be True" Trap
• 7. The Social Media Trail
• 8. Don't Skip the Fine Print
• 9. Leverage Trusted Tools to Confirm a Site's Authenticity
• 10. Trust Your Instincts
• 11. Online Shopping Safely and Confidently
• 12. Knowledge is Your Best Defense

Does the URL Look Right to You?

Scam websites tend to copy real brands. They only make slight domain adjustments.

Take a close look at the URL before you shop.

• Misspelled Domains: Slightly misspelled? Counterfeit sites employ small deviations to deceive consumers (such as addidas-store.com rather than adidas.com).

• Uncommon Domain Extensions: Legitimate stores seldom employ .xyz, .top, or .shop for their primary site.

• HTTPS Legitimacy: The padlock symbol indicates encryption, not legitimacy. Scammers employ HTTPS as well.

Verify the age of the domain with a WHOIS search. A site only a few weeks old is usually not legit. 

If It Looks Off, It Probably Is

Scammer sites tend to appear legitimate at first glance. But the small details can be telling.

They're usually operated by individuals whose native language isn't English. And they aren't hiring professionals to make sure the language sounds right.

That means stuff like terrible grammar and clunky translations can be a warning sign. Inconsistent or sloppy formatting might be another giveaway.

Look at the image quality also. Scammers are not taking the time to create original, high-res images. If the image is unclear or blurry, be wary. They might also steal pictures. A quick reverse image search can uncover these secrets.

Look at the contact page. Does it have missing information? Some of these scammers may even leave it blank. Check for similar warning signs on the About Us and other business pages on the site.

Pressure banners and other over-hyped sales are also a tell. Is it advertising some gigantic 90% off sale? Perhaps there's some huge countdown clock.

No single point is always a guarantee of a scam; just things to watch out for.

Check Who You're Purchasing From

A reputable business will have traceable company information. Most scammers are hoping you won't look too hard to determine who they are.

What do you look for?

1. A registered business name and a physical address (Check it out on Google Maps).

2. An official contact email. It should also end on the company domain, not yahoo.com or gmail.com.

3. Tax ID, company license, or company number, if needed in their country.

If you can't find a company behind the website, that's a sign to exit. Authentic companies can be checked and verified.

Verify the Store's Credibility

What if the shop comes out great on many of these other tests? Well, there could still be some problems lurking in the shadows. Research the shop on its own website before hitting "buy now."

A quick Google search can give you a lot of information. Try searching something like "store name + reviews" or "store name + scam." You might get pages and pages of results that will be informative.

Various websites may have extra reputational information. Look at Trustpilot, Reddit, or the Better Business Bureau (BBB).

Do you notice lots of positive reviews? Hold on just a minute! Scammers often create fake testimonials. Be highly suspicious of any testimonials they post on their website.

What if there are no results or brand mentions to be found? That is suspicious, too. Actual stores leave a digital trail.

The Payment Options Matter

You've likely used all sorts of online payment methods. But scammers may have particular requirements for how they are paid. Most importantly, they prefer payments that are hard to trace or reverse.

What should you watch out for with regard to payment options?

• They only take bank transfers, cryptocurrency, or gift cards.

• The website redirects you to unrelated or unbranded payment processors.

• You notice unusual "service" or "processing" charges during checkout.

Use credit cards, PayPal, or Apple Pay. These are reputable and well-known payment processors. They also offer ways to reverse or dispute payments. If a shop leads you in the direction of "instant" non-refundable payment, exit at once.

Don't Fall for the "Too Good to Be True" Trap

Fraudulent online shops tend to entice consumers using unrealistic offers. It takes advantage of the fact that people tend not to think straight when they are shown crazy deals.

The first thing is to compare prices. Look at the same or similar products in several online stores or marketplaces. If it is much cheaper than anywhere else, beware.

Scammers also catch buyers by promoting high-end luxury goods and tech products at a small percentage of their retail price. Vague package deals or freebies are some other schemes. Premature discounts on pre-orders and unlaunched products might also be a red flag.

The Social Media Trail

Legitimate brands tend to have live, open social profiles. See if the website links to genuine Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok accounts.

Do the pages actually have real engagement (likes, comments, dates)? Are customers complaining about canceled orders or no refunds?

Scam stores tend to refer to empty or newly opened social accounts just for appearances' sake. Being on the lookout for these red flags can save you from being scammed.

Don't Skip the Fine Print

Scam sites tend to duplicate or fabricate policies that don't even make sense. Or it's just a bunch of words there for the appearance of legitimacy.

Read before you buy:

• The Return Policy: Is the policy clear and reasonable? "No returns" or "returns within 3 days only" are red flags.

• The Privacy Policy: Does it list a real company name, address, or data contact email?

• Terms of Service: Vague or copied text signals a fake setup.

If policies are missing, broken, or filled with generic language, that's your cue to leave.

Leverage Trusted Tools to Confirm a Site's Authenticity

You can dig deeper into website information to find out more about the trustworthiness of the store. A few quick tests can verify if a site is trustworthy.

Try these:

1. WebCredibility.app evaluates factors such as SSL status, age of the domain, organic traffic, domain rating, number of keywords indexed in Google, and even the number of inbound links to provide an estimated trust score.

1. ScamAdviser.com evaluates sites by trust score.

2. Google Safe Browsing marks for malware or phishing websites.

3. Whois.domaintools.com indicates the registration date of the domain and the owner.

With the combined information from these tools, you should have what you need to know. Take the information, and use your own judgment to decide if you want to purchase or share payment information.

Trust Your Instincts

Even with all of these tools, your gut is still your best safeguard. When your instincts warn you something is amiss, listen.

It could even be something you can't quite place. Perhaps it's a sign, such as a slow checkout or phrasing that feels a tad off. If it doesn't sit right with you, stop.

Online Shopping Safely and Confidently

What else can you do? Here are a few more tips on how to avoid scams:

• Shop only on reputable platforms or official brand websites.

• Don't click on links from unsolicited emails, ads, or social media DMs.

• Use different passwords for shopping accounts and turn on two-factor authentication.

• Check your bank statements for tiny "test" charges. They usually come before bigger fraud attempts.

Vigilance is not paranoia. Scams are out there! It's only smart to protect yourself.

Knowledge is Your Best Defense

As scams become more advanced, it gets increasingly difficult to distinguish between fake and genuine stores. But you can protect yourself.

Follow the guidelines in this article and always trust your instincts. And if something seems too good to be true, then chances are that it actually is.