There are millions of e-commerce stores out there, and around the same number of fake stores. Unfortunately, creating a website and acting as a front for a fake store is too easy for cybercriminals. Therefore, we need to teach ourselves how to spot the fakers from the legit e-commerce fronts. Luckily, there are several checks we can carry out to ensure that you put your money in the right place and get the product you’ve ordered.
Search for the Website
If you suspect a site is fake but you’re having trouble making a final decision, you should simply Google search the webpage. If you’re searching for a legit e-commerce site, you will be met with Trustpilot reviews, official Google business pages, and active social media channels. If you’re met with negative reviews, you should see this as a red flag.
Sometimes, you will find helpful information from the supplier of a product you’re looking for. For example, if you’re looking for Kratom supplements, you can find kratom near you by clicking the link. For relatively new products, like Kratom, you should find out as much information as you can about where it is legal. If you’re sat in a country where supply is illegal, the chances are the site you’re looking at is fake.
Look for the Security Tag
The majority of legitimate stores will have a security tag that tells you they’ve been verified. If you’re unsure of what to look for, head to the address bar and look for the padlock symbol at the start of the address. Most fake e-commerce sites don’t bother with security verification.
Find the Connection Type
The connection type refers to the prefix of the address you’re trying to analyze. When you’re on a legitimate e-commerce website, you will find an “HTTPS” prefix. However, if you’re browsing a fake site, you may find that they’re using an “HTTP” connection, which isn’t as secure. The most important page on an e-commerce site to check for this on is the payment page, which has to keep your money safe.
Bombarded by Ads
Ads are a part of normal webpage management. However, when you’re met with an abundance of ads and those that play sound automatically, you should be vigilant. In particular, you should be wary of ads that take you to different websites, those that require you to complete an action before continuing, and those that are adult in nature. For best practice, just try an alternative site if you’re unsure.
Look for the Contact Page
Legitimate e-commerce websites will have some form of contact page, so you can get in touch if something goes wrong. However, if the site you’re browsing is fake, they will not want you to get in touch. So, if you’re unsure of the legitimateness of a site you’re using, be sure to search for a contact page.
Staying safe on the internet is important, especially when you’re spending your money without seeing a product. Knowing how to spot fake pages will help you ensure that you’re browning the real deal.