Technical evaluation is at the top menu under “Review Details” (Image Credit: ScamAdviser)
Reviews and Scam Reports
Reviews can add useful context, but fake positive reviews and unfair negative reviews both exist. Look for repeated wording, sudden review activity, and complaints that describe the same problem.
How to Check if a Website Is Legit or Safe Yourself
A checker gives you a useful starting point, but your own review matters.
Check the Website Address Carefully
Look for misspellings, added words, unusual domain endings, and copied brand names. A fake site may use a web address that looks close to the real one.
Search for the Company Outside Its Website
Search the company name, domain, address, and phone number. Compare the details with business registers, independent reviews, and other trusted sources.
Review the Contact, Returns, and Refund Pages
Read the return policy before you buy. Missing legal pages, vague refund terms, copied text, or unclear contact details are common warning signs.
For a deeper shopping check, read our guide to fake shopping websites.
Compare Prices With Other Retailers
Large discounts on expensive or hard-to-find products deserve extra research. Compare the price with established stores before you pay.
Review the Payment Methods
Credit cards and trusted payment services may give you a way to dispute a payment. Be careful when a seller demands bank transfers, cryptocurrency, gift cards, or other payments that are hard to reverse.
Look for Pressure Tactics
Messages such as “only today,” “last item available,” or “complete payment now” try to rush your decision. Leave the page and review the site before you act.
You can find more checks in ScamAdviser’s guide to recognizing a scam website.
Is This Website Safe to Buy From?
A website may be safe to visit but unsafe to buy from. Before you place an order, review the seller’s company history, delivery terms, return policy, independent reviews, prices, and payment protection.
If you want to know how to check if a shopping website is legit, start with the seller’s history, policies, reviews, and payment options. A polished design or a secure connection does not confirm that the seller will send the product or honor a refund.
What Should You Do if You Already Used a Suspicious Website?
Contact your bank or payment provider as soon as possible and ask whether the payment can be stopped, disputed, or reversed. Save receipts, order confirmations, messages, and screenshots.
Change any password that you reused on the website. Watch your bank account and email account for unusual activity.
Read ScamAdviser’s guide on how to get your money back after a scam, then report the scam so other users can find the warning.
ScamAdviser vs. VirusTotal: What’s the Difference?
Both ScamAdviser and VirusTotal are tools designed to help you steer clear of online threats — but they’re built for slightly different missions.
In short:
VirusTotal = deep dive on individual files and links (great for techies)
ScamAdviser = big-picture scam detection (perfect for everyday users)
VirusTotal is more like a digital microscope. It scans files and URLs using over 70 antivirus engines and blacklist databases. If you’re a cybersecurity pro or you’ve downloaded something suspicious, VirusTotal is your go-to. You can upload a file, paste a link, or even use their API to run deep scans for malware or phishing attempts. It’s powerful, technical, and widely used by researchers and security teams.
ScamAdviser, on the other hand, is your street-smart friend. It doesn’t just look for malware — it looks at the bigger picture. Who owns the site? How old is the domain? Are real people visiting it, or is it a digital ghost town? ScamAdviser’s Trust Score gives you a quick, easy-to-understand answer: Is this site likely to be a scam?
Use both together, and you’ve got yourself a solid scam-spotting combo.
On the Go? Try the ScamAdviser App
Scam spotting doesn’t stop at your desktop. The ScamAdviser app, available on both iOS and Android, puts the power of our website checker right in your pocket. Whether you’re shopping from your phone or checking a suspicious link someone texted you, you can get instant Trust Scores anytime, anywhere.Scam protection has never been more mobile.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I check if a website is legit?
Use a website legit checker, then verify the domain, company details, reviews, policies, prices, and payment methods.
Can a website have HTTPS and still be a scam?
Yes, HTTPS protects the connection, but it does not prove that the business behind the website is honest.
How can I check if a website is safe to buy from?
Review the Trust Score, company history, return policy, independent reviews, prices, and payment protection before you buy.
What does a low ScamAdviser Trust Score mean?
A low Trust Score means ScamAdviser found warning signs that deserve further review before you trust the website.
Can a new website be legitimate?
Yes, but a new website needs more verification when it claims a long history or asks for advance payment.