How to Identify Fake Shopping Websites and Keep Clear of Them

March 21, 2024 By Janne Smith No Comments 7 minutes

The dilemma of easy shopping also invites the lingering threat of fake shopping websites. With us still remaking for the damage of Black Friday and the New Year deals, February is all set to drown us in debts. And, yes, we’re including the singles here, too. But, for a while, let’s rethink how our online shopping experience can be crumpled with fake shopping websites.

Total nightmare, right? Not everything you see on the web is legit, especially shopping sites. And our article is all about it. Find out how to spot fake websites on Google and which is the best fake website checker. Let’s dive in!

Note: The internet broadens the accessibility of products, and speaking of that, cyber threats never leave your back (even when you think so). For example, when shopping online, you must use FastestVPN to ensure payment protection and that none of your payment details leak out.

Connecting to a VPN provides a new IP address and guarantees concealed browsing activities. Following that, becoming a victim of the black hats becomes as hard as killing your desire to buy one last new dress.

What Are Fake Websites on Google?

It’s a scammers hub – we just summed it up in the best possible way. Fake shopping websites largely resemble original eCommerce sites, and the fake ones have one aim – to steal your information. Speaking of that, the primary focus is on monetary information rather than other data.

In a few other cases, the scams can be a little different. For example, by obtaining your email address or other contact information, expect to become a target of text mail subscriber scams or other phishing techniques.

Here’s what attracts victims to these sites – the allure of cheap luxury products. These can be a pair of your favorite Air Jordans or a bag with prices that are too good to be true. Along with the prices, you might also see a clear cut on the delivery charges, claims of overnight delivery, and whatnot!

Generally, here are the clear signs of a fake website:

• Poor website design
• Grammatical errors
• Alluring claims

What Are the Risks of Fake Shopping Websites?

As mentioned above, fake shopping websites either steal your information or profit from the packages they send. These products only have fancy images on the site, whereas the real product largely differs from what you expected.

That said, here’s what Statista reports. During 2020, the prevalence of online shopping scams constituted 38% of all reported scams globally, marking an increase from the pre-outbreak figure of 24%.

Let’s break down the risks of a fake shopping website:

1. Malware and Virus Installation

These sites often take your contact information, similar to what any eCommerce site would do. Once they have that, expect to be bombarded with promotional texts, which often include malicious links. After clicking on them, you’ll unintentionally install malware on your device.

2. Steal Financial Information

Here’s what scammers are always up for to steal your financial information for their monetary benefit. When you enter your banking details to proceed with the payment, the black hats see that as an open door into your bank account. And, before you know it, you become a victim of these scams.

3. Receive Fake Products

We’ve all watched those fake product reviews on YouTube. They all come from these fake shopping websites. While the product prices look way lower than the originals, that’s still a generous amount to spend for what you’re about to receive.

What Are the Red Flags of a Fake Website?

Before spending an arm and a leg on the dupes, here are the red flags to be wary of when shopping online:

1. Check URL Security

Here’s what you never have to miss checking out—the URL! For example, https://fastestvpn.com/ follows an HTTPS padlock, meaning you’re visiting a secure site. This generally means the connection between a browser and a site’s server is secure.

In contrast, a site with HTTP protocol is considered unsafe. And that’s the takeaway here. Check for sites that follow a secure protocol, i.e., only HTTPS.

2. Poor Design and Images

Images featured on a fake company website often steal images from the source and display them as theirs. And the difference is always vividly visible. For that, be watchful of what you’re purchasing and whether the images look legit.

This usually goes for luxury products. No one will feature products with pixelated images or offer a poorly designed site.

3. Poor Grammar

Wondering, “Is this website legit?” that you’re about to purchase your favorite pair of shoes at a discounted rate? Check the grammar! Legit sites have a team of writers and editors who never compromise on the quality of the content that they publish.

4. Non-existent Contact Information

Scammers will never leave a trace of where they’re based. That said, expect limited contact information on the site or some random Yahoo email addresses that lead nowhere. Generally, check the following when purchasing from fake shopping websites:

• Contact number
• Customer support email address
• Store’s address

5. Complicated Return Policy

Legit brands always have a transparent returns policy; the opposite goes for fake ones. A fake shopping website will do everything to avoid getting into the hot waters, let alone accept a package being returned. Once they earn their profit, that’s where the business-consumer relationship ends for them.

That said, before purchasing from these sites, review their returns policy; if it seems too sketchy, that raises the alert itself. Also, check their terms and conditions and data collection policy; if both are unavailable or seem sketchy, the site’s likely to be a scam.

Tips to Avoid Fake Shopping Websites

According to Privacy Journal, Fake e-commerce platforms consistently prove to be highly effective in online scams, with 84% of individuals targeted by such fake shopping websites interacting with them and 47% of all targets experiencing financial losses.

With most shopping events awaiting right around the corner, here are the tips to avoid fake shopping websites and inconvenient online shopping experiences:

1. Don’t Click on Suspicious Links

Since fake shopping sites already serve one purpose – to steal and profit user information, it’s essential to be aware of the risks and not click on random links online. Head directly to the primary site of the product and avoid becoming a victim.

2. Use a Fake Website Checker

Generally, we recommend using Google’s safe browsing tool, i.e., the Google Transparency Report. Add the URL of the site, and check if the site’s safe or not.

3. Don’t Fall for Unrealistically True Deals

Fake sites often come with unrealistic deals, which allures consumers into becoming victims of online shopping scams, too. Make sure the product details and prices lie around something expected. Don’t expect a $200 product to be available for $60 – that’s already a red flag.

Is It Safe to Pay Online While Using VPN?

It’s totally safe to use a VPN to make online payments. For example, using a trusted VPN, like FastestVPN, ensures that you get a unique IP address that conceals your browsing information and that your location is also hidden.

Along with that, connecting to the VPN provides you with AES 256-bit encryption which ensures that none of your personal information leaks out.

Wrapping Up

In this article, we covered all you need to know about fake shopping websites. And ways to use a VPN, like FastestVPN, to protect your personal information online. With the internet being accessible to all – it can also be used in the favor of scammers. And the only way out is to be cautious of all traps.

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