Domain check
Before you pay or enter data: have the address checked. We show you how old the domain really is, who actually owns it and what stands out about it. And below we explain how to spot fakes yourself in the future.
We do not open the site, we only query public registers. The operator does not notice anything, and you do not have to visit the site for this.
Guide: spot fake sites yourself
A tool is good, your own eye is better. These seven points cover almost everything fakes fail at. Once you have understood them, you will hardly fall for it anymore.
1. Reading the address correctly
This is the single most important skill, and it costs two seconds. Almost every fake gives itself away right here.
Where does it say who owns the site?
Find the first slash after the address. Read from there to the left: the part right before the ending (.de, .com) is the actual domain. Only that part counts. Anything before it can be made up freely by anyone.
kleinanzeigen.sicher-pay.net/zahlungThe actual domain is sicher-pay.net. It has nothing to do with Kleinanzeigen, the name is just placed in front.
amazon.de.bestellung-pruefen.infoThe actual domain is bestellung-pruefen.info. The "amazon.de" part is pure set dressing.
sparkasse-sicherheit.xyzSparkasse uses sparkasse.de. A hyphen plus a foreign ending means a different provider.
Remember: The name before the last dot is what decides, not the name at the beginning.
Does the address only look similar?
Fraudsters swap characters that resemble each other: the digit 1 instead of a lowercase l, a zero instead of an O, "rn" instead of "m". Some even use letters from other alphabets that look identical. In the browser you can often spot such addresses by the "xn--" prefix.
paypa1.comA one instead of the l. When skimming, no one notices.
arnazon.de"rn" instead of "m". In small type, practically invisible.
Remember: When in doubt, type the address yourself instead of clicking.
2. The padlock lies
Probably the most expensive misconception online. A great many people treat the padlock as a seal of authenticity.
What does the padlock really mean?
Only that the connection is encrypted, meaning no one can read along. It says nothing about WHO is on the other end. Anyone can get a certificate today in a few minutes for free, a fraudster included. The vast majority of fake sites have a padlock.
Remember: The padlock means "encrypted", not "trustworthy".
And if there is no padlock?
Then it is a genuine warning sign, the other way around. Never enter any data on an unencrypted site.
3. How old is the site?
Fake sites live only days. That makes age one of the most honest clues there is.
Why does age reveal so much?
A site that claims to be an established shop or your bank, yet has only existed for eight days, does not add up. This is exactly the contradiction the check above shows you.
Why is no age shown for .de addresses?
DENIC, the German registration authority, does not publish the date. That is normal and not a bad sign. For .com, .net or .xyz, on the other hand, we can almost always see it.
Does old automatically mean trustworthy?
No. Old domains are traded precisely because they create trust. Age is an argument, not proof.
Remember: Fresh = strong warning sign. Old = only a good sign, no guarantee.
4. Check the legal notice and the provider
This is where set dressing separates from substance, and you can verify it.
What has to be there?
A full name, an address where legal documents can be served (not a P.O. box), an email, and for companies the registration court with the registration number. If the legal notice is missing entirely, that is a big warning sign for a commercial offer.
How do I check whether the company is real?
Take the details from the legal notice and look them up in the official register. Does the company exist under that number? Does the address match? That is exactly what our sender check is for.
Remember: Copied legal notices are common. The name alone is not enough, the registration number has to match.
5. How are you supposed to pay?
The payment method decides whether you ever see your money again. That is often more important than the site itself.
When should all the alarm bells ring?
When the only option is advance payment by bank transfer, when you are asked to pay in cryptocurrency, when you are told to buy gift cards, or when someone pushes you toward PayPal "friends and family". In all of these there is no buyer protection, and the money is practically impossible to get back.
Remember: Anyone who insists on a method without protection has a reason for it.
And when you are SELLING?
Then a separate rule applies that many people do not know: whoever is supposed to receive money never has to enter bank details on a linked page or "connect" an account to do so. This is exactly how the most widespread scam against sellers works.
6. Pressure and prices
Fraud works through emotions, not through technology. Almost always it is about haste or greed.
Too good to be true?
A device that costs 900 euros everywhere is not available for 300. When a price is clearly below all the others, the price is not the offer, it is the bait.
Are you being put under time pressure?
A countdown, "only 2 left", "account will be locked in 24 hours": pressure is meant to switch off your thinking. No real bank and no public authority works this way.
Remember: Any deadline that rushes you is a reason to slow down.
7. What this check cannot do
So that you do not lull yourself into false security, here honestly are the limits.
Does the check say whether someone is a fraudster?
No, and it never will. We show publicly available facts and explain what they mean. Judging a provider is not our place.
So does "unremarkable" mean safe?
No. It only means that the technical characteristics give nothing away. A well-made fake on an old domain stays unremarkable here. So always check the legal notice, the payment method and the reviews as well.
Remember: No tool replaces a second look. But it makes that look faster.
Does the operator notice that I am checking their site?
No. We do not open the site itself, we only query public registers, much like a phone book. Nothing rings on the fraudsters' end.
Related
The domain check shows publicly available facts and puts them in context. It makes no judgment about a provider and never claims that anyone is a fraudster. A self-help tool, not legal advice.