How to Know If a Web Page Is a Fake
Some scammers use spoofed websites to attempt to steal some of your personal data, such as passwords or credit card and social security numbers. Site spoofing refers to the practice of setting up fake websites that mimic the look and feel of legitimate sites. For example, even though a website looks similar to your financial institution's websites and uses its logo, it might be a fake website set up to collect your online banking credentials. Learning how to spot a fake website will prevent you from giving away some of your personal information to scammers.
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Instructions
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Look at your browser's address bar and check that the website's Uniform Resource Locator, or URL, address is correct. Some scammers set up websites that use URL addresses that use a slight variation of a legitimate website's URL address by, for example, adding an extra character to it.
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Check for a locked padlock icon next to the address bar, if you are attempting to view a secure site. Most websites that handle sensitive information, such as banks or email providers, use the Secure Socket Layer technology to encrypt all communication between you and the website. When visiting a site that uses SSL, your browser displays a locked padlock icon in its address bar. Fake websites cannot use SSL and, therefore, your browser does not display the locked padlock icon when visiting such sites.
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Call the company whose website you were trying to reach. Give them the URL address of the website you are currently visiting and ask them if it is indeed a legitimate website. For example, if you receive an email from your bank asking you to visit a website and use your online banking credentials to login to it, call your bank and ask them if this is a legitimate and secure website.
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Tips & Warnings
Avoid clicking on links that you receive by email, as hackers can easily spoof them. Instead, type the URL address of the website you want to visit into your browser's address bar.
