How to Tell If a Website Is Legit
Check whether a website is legit before you buy or sign in: verify the URL, run a Safe Browsing scan, check domain age, and read payment red flags.
You can size up most websites in about two minutes: read the full address slowly, run it through a free Safe Browsing check, and check how it handles payment and contact details. A padlock in the address bar proves only that the connection is encrypted, not that the seller is honest — the FTC notes scammers encrypt their sites too. Here is a repeatable way to check before you buy or sign in.
Read the address bar first
Fake sites copy a trusted name with a small twist. Watch for a number standing in for a letter (amaz0n.com), an “rn” posing as an “m”, extra words like -deals or -outlet, or the wrong ending (.shop in place of .com). Type addresses you know yourself instead of following links from ads or texts. A password manager helps here: it will not auto-fill your login on a look-alike domain it does not recognize, a handy early warning if you use a password manager.
Run a free safety scan
Paste the full URL, including the https://, into Google’s Safe Browsing site status tool. It reports whether that site currently hosts phishing or malware, drawn from Google’s threat list. It is a snapshot, not a guarantee, but a flagged site is a hard stop.
Check who is behind the domain
Look up the domain at ICANN Lookup to see its registration date. A store selling brand-name goods on a domain registered two weeks ago deserves suspicion. Then search the company name plus “complaint” or “scam,” and confirm there is a real physical address, phone number, and working email, not just a contact form.
Watch how they want to be paid
How a site wants your money is one of the clearest tells.
| Signal | What it usually means |
|---|---|
| Gift card, wire transfer, or crypto only | High scam risk; almost no way to get money back |
| Prices far below every other seller | Bait for a fake or non-delivering store |
| No address, phone, or genuine reviews | Seller wants to stay anonymous |
| Credit card or PayPal accepted | Charge can be disputed if the order goes wrong |
If you entered a password on a site you now doubt, change it right away and make the replacement unique so one leak cannot spread; our guide to creating a strong password shows how. Keep your order confirmation, and dispute the charge with your bank if the goods never arrive.