How to Check If a Website Is Legit Before You Buy: 10 Checks That Take 5 Minutes

Short answer: to check if a website is legit, look at how old the domain is, search the site name with the word "reviews" and "scam", make sure it offers card or PayPal payment (not bank transfer, crypto or gift cards), and check for a real address and company details. A site that is days or weeks old, has prices far below everyone else and only takes transfers is almost always a scam.

The 10 checks

1. Check the address bar. Look for misspellings or extra words ("amazon-deals-store.shop"). A padlock (https) only means the connection is encrypted: scam sites have it too.
2. Check the domain age. Search "whois" plus the domain, or use a WHOIS lookup. A shop selling big brands that registered its domain last month is a red flag.
3. Search "[site name] reviews" and "[site name] scam". Read reviews on independent sites, not only the ones shown on the shop itself. Look at the newest negative reviews first.
4. Look at the payment options. Legit shops take cards and usually PayPal. If checkout only offers bank transfer, crypto, gift cards, Mobile Money or payment apps, do not pay.
5. Compare the price. If it is 50–80% cheaper than every other shop, it is bait.
6. Find the company details. A real business lists a company name, physical address and registration number (in the UK, check it on Companies House). Vague "contact us" forms only are a warning sign.
7. Read the returns and refund policy. Copy-pasted policies that mention a different shop name, or no policy at all, are common on fake stores.
8. Check the social media links. Do they work, and are the accounts old with real followers and comments?
9. Use a website safety checker. Tools such as Google Safe Browsing's site status, ScamAdviser and your browser's warnings flag known bad sites. A clean result is not a guarantee, but a warning is a strong reason to stop.
10. Trust your gut about pressure. Countdown timers, "only 2 left" banners on every product and pop-ups demanding you act now are designed to stop you checking.

Red flags of a fake online store

• Brand-new domain, huge discounts, and only stock photos.
• Ads on Facebook, Instagram or TikTok for "closing down" or "warehouse clearance" sales.
• Payment by bank transfer, crypto, gift card or "friends and family" only.
• No company details, or details that do not match the domain.
• Text full of spelling mistakes or a different brand's name in the policies.

Already paid a website you now think is fake?

Contact your card issuer or PayPal immediately and ask for a dispute or chargeback. Read what to do if you sent money to a scammer and what to do about an unknown charge on your card.

Check a website on TrustCheck

Search the website address on TrustCheck's check tool to see scam reports from other buyers, and report a fake shop to warn others.