Using General Tips
1. Type the website’s name into a search engine and review the results. If the site in question is a hazard (or simply an overwhelmingly illegitimate site), a cursory Google check will be enough to inform you accordingly.
- 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.
2. Look at the website’s connection type. A website that has an “https” tag is usually more secure -and therefore more trustworthy–than a site using the more common “http” designation. This is because “https” sites’ security certification is a process most illegitimate sites don’t bother with.
- 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.
3. Check the site’s security status in your browser’s address bar. For most browsers, a “safe” website will display a green padlock icon to the left of the website’s URL.
- You can click on the padlock icon to verify the details of the website (e.g., the type of encryption used).
4. Evaluate the website’s URL. A website’s URL consists of the connection type (“http” or “https”), the domain name itself (e.g., “wikihow”), and the extension (“.com”, “.net”, etc.). Even if you’ve verified that the connection is secure, be on the lookout for the following red flags:
- 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.
- 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.
5. Look for bad English on the site. If you notice a large number of poorly-spelled (or missing) words, generally bad grammar, or awkward phrasing, you should question the site’s reliability.
- 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.
6. Watch out for invasive advertising. If your selected site has a stunningly large number of ads crowding the page or ads that automatically play audio, it’s probably not a credible site. Additionally, consider looking elsewhere if you encounter any of the following types of ads:
- 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
7. Use the website’s “Contact” page. Most sites provide a Contact page so that users can send questions, comments, and concerns to the owner of the site. If you can, call or email the provided number or email address to verify the legitimacy of the website.
- 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.
MEWS is a full service web development Internet marketing company and technology integrator founded in 2003, by leading industry consultants with previous technology experience.MEWS is an Internet services and solutions company with interests in website development – Mobile applications– domain name registrations - web hosting.