Fake Website Checker
You cannot spot a fake website by looking at it, because the good ones are exact copies. Attackers download the real pages, so the logo, layout and wording are identical. What they cannot copy is the domain name, the registration history, or working contact details. Check those three and almost every clone falls apart, however convincing the page appears.
Check the domain first
Find the part immediately before the first single slash and compare it, character by character, with the company's real address. That segment is the only part that cannot be faked, because it is what actually determines who owns the server.
| Trick | Example | Real domain |
|---|---|---|
| Brand as a subdomain | paypal.com.secure-verify.net | secure-verify.net |
| Extra words or hyphens | amazon-account-support.com | Not Amazon |
| Lookalike characters | arnazon.com (r n, not m) | Not Amazon |
| Doubled letter | netfllix.com | Not Netflix |
| Changed ending | yourbank.security | Not the bank |
Read the address from the right, working left, until you hit the first single slash. The two labels immediately before that slash are the real owner. Everything to the left of them can say anything at all.
Then check the age
Clone sites are disposable. They get reported and taken down, so operators register replacements constantly. A domain impersonating an established brand will almost always have been created recently, often within days. That mismatch, a decades-old brand on a three-week-old domain, is close to conclusive. Check with our domain age checker.
Then test the contact details
Compare the phone number and address against the ones published on the company's genuine site. Clones often keep the real details, which is helpful for them and useful for you: call the number and you reach the real company, who will confirm the site is not theirs.
Where fakes usually reach you
- Email and text links. The classic route. A message about a problem with your account, linking to a page that looks right.
- Paid search adverts. Fraudulent ads above genuine results do appear. Prefer the organic result, or type the address.
- Social media adverts. Common for fake shops selling well-known brands at implausible discounts.
- Search results for support numbers. A well-established scam pattern. Get support details from the product itself, not a search.
Frequently asked questions
How can I check if a website is fake?
Read the domain immediately before the first single slash and compare it character by character with the company's real address. Then check how long it has existed, since clones are usually registered recently, and test the contact details.
What is a cloned website?
A copy of a real company's site hosted on a different domain, built to capture logins or payments. The copy is often exact because the attacker downloads the original pages, so the domain name is the difference that matters.
What domain tricks do fake websites use?
Inserting the brand as a subdomain, adding words or hyphens, swapping visually similar characters such as rn for m or zero for the letter O, doubling a letter, and changing the ending to a cheaper extension.
Can a fake website have a padlock and HTTPS?
Yes, and most do. Certificates are free and automatic, so the padlock has stopped being a useful signal. It confirms encryption, which is equally true of a fraudulent site.
How do I report a fake website?
Report it to the impersonated company first, since large brands run takedown teams. Then report to your national fraud body and to Google Safe Browsing so browsers start warning other visitors.
Fraud analysts and cybersecurity researchers specializing in online scam detection, phishing analysis, and victim fund-recovery guidance. About our team →