This post explains how to assess an web site's credibility prior to using it. Additionally to practicing fundamental web safety, you can use Google's Transparency Report or the Better Business Bureau's site to confirm a website's legitimacy.

1.Enter the site's name into a search engine and review the outcomes. When the site in query is really a risk (or simply an overwhelmingly illegitimate site), a cursory Google check will be sufficient to inform you accordingly.
Google is likely to compile user critiques of high-traffic sites close to the top of the search outcomes, so make sure to check these if there are any.
Make sure you are searching at reviews and also feedback from sources unaffiliated with the web site.
Discover if a Website Is Legitimate Step two

2. Look at the site's connection type. A web site which has an "https" tag is generally much more secure--and therefore much more trustworthy--than a website utilizing the more typical "http" designation. This really is simply because "https" sites' safety certification is a procedure most illegitimate websites don't bother with.

A site that utilizes an "https" connection can still be unreliable, so it's most effective to confirm the site using other means as well.
Make sure the web site's payment page in specific is an "https" page.

3. Check the site's safety status on your browser's address bar. For many browsers, a "safe" web site will display a green padlock icon towards the left of the site's URL.
You are able to click on the padlock icon to verify the details of the site (e.g., the type of encryption utilized).

4. Evaluate the website's URL. A web site's URL consists of the connection type ("http" or "https"), the domain name itself (e.g., "islegitandsafe"), and the extension (".com", ".net", and so on.). Even if you have confirmed that the connection is secure, be on the lookout for the following red flags:
Numerous dashes or symbols in the domain name.
Website names that imitate actual companies (e.g., "Amaz0n" or "NikeOutlet").
One-off web sites that make use of a credible web site's templates (e.g., "visihow").
Domain extensions like ".biz" and ".info". These sites have a tendency not to be credible.
Bear in mind as well that ".com" and ".net" websites, whilst not inherently unreliable, are the easiest domain extensions to acquire. As such, they don't carry exactly the same credibility as a ".edu" (educational institute) or ".gov" (government) website.4

5. Look for poor English on the site. Should you notice a sizable number of poorly-spelled (or missing) words, generally poor grammar, or awkward phrasing, you need to query the website's reliability.
Even when the web site in question is technically genuine insofar as it is not a scam, any inaccuracies in language may also cast doubt on the accuracy of its info, therefore making it a poor source.

6. Watch out for invasive marketing. If your chosen website has a stunningly large number of advertisements crowding the web page or ads that automatically play audio, it's most likely not a credible website. Additionally, consider searching elsewhere if you encounter any of the following types of ads:
Ads that take up the entire page
Ads that require you to take a survey (or complete some other action) prior to continuing
Advertisements that redirect you to another page
Explicit or suggestive advertisements

7. Make use of the website's "Contact" web page. Most websites offer a Contact web page so that users can send questions, comments, and concerns to the owner of the website. If you can, telephone or e-mail the provided number or e-mail address to verify the authenticity of the web site.
Be sure you scroll all the way to the bottom of the website to look for the Contact page.
If the web site in question does not have a Contact page listed anywhere, it should be an immediate red flag.

8. Make use of a "WhoIs" search to research who has registered the website's domain. All domains are required to show contact info for the person or company who has registered the domain. You are able to get WhoIs info from most domain registrars, or from services like https://whois.domaintools.com/. Some things to appear out for:
Private registration: It is possible register a domain privately, exactly where a "private registration" provider serves as the domain's contact, instead of the exact owner. If a domain utilizes private registration, consider this a red flag.
Contact info is suspicious: For instance, if the name of a registrant is "Steve Smith," but the e-mail address is "[email protected]", this may be a sign that the registrant is attempting to hide their real identity.
Recent registering or transfers: A recent registration or transfer of a domain may indicate that a site is not trustworthy.