How to identify legitimate websites (2024)

FAQs

How can I check if a website is legit? ›

Review the website's design and content: Official websites often have professional designs, a clear layout and high-quality content. While a fake site may initially look legitimate, often on further inspection there may be design flaws, spelling mistakes, poor grammar or a lack of contact information.

A legitimate trust seal, “https,” a privacy policy, and contact information are all good signs that a website is safe! For more on protecting your information online, check out our cybersecurity resources.

Google Chrome > Adding Trusted Sites

Click the Chrome Menu icon on the far right of the Address bar. Click on Settings, scroll to the bottom and click the Show Advanced Settings link. Click on Change proxy settings (under Network) Click the Security tab > Trusted Sites icon, then click Sites.

Fake Online Stores: Some scam websites pretend to be legitimate online stores that offer products at unbelievably low prices. Users who purchase these products may never receive them, or the products they get are poor quality.

Look for the secure padlock: Chrome, Safari, Internet Explorer and Firefox browsers display a padlock in the URL field to indicate "safe" websites. You can click on the padlock to confirm that the certificate belongs to the same company as the website you are trying to visit.

What happens if you click on a fake website? ›

Clicking on a phishing link can transmit basic information like your location and device stats, redirect you to a fake website, or download malware. Yaniv Masjedi is the CMO at Nextiva, a provider of cloud-based, unified communication services.

Look for the Padlock

When using a reliable search engine, you can check whether a website is secure by clicking the padlock on the left-hand side of the URL bar which brings up information about the security certificate of the website. If you see a closed padlock, it means the website is safe to use.

See if the company is registered with any relevant trade organizations, the BBB, or local, state, or federal authorities. Look for customer reviews of the company to determine if it's legitimate, and ask friends and family if they have any experience with the company.

If someone wants you to prove ownership of the site, they can download the public key, then request you to send them a signed a file. Since they know the public key belongs to who-ever owns the sever, they can infer that person must be you if the public key is able to verify the signature of the file you send them.

org is great for organizations because it conveys a level of professionalism, trustworthiness, and authority. It's also popular among NGOs (non-governmental organizations), charities, and social enterprises due to its global reach.