Checking the site for fraud - instructions and services for analysis

In 2020, Google found over 2 million fraudulent websites. People do not check the resources they visit, and they are also easily manipulated on the network. In this article, we will look at ways to identify a fraudulent site not only with the help of independent analysis, but also with specialized services. Learn more about scam sites at https://hire-hitman.pw/. 

What are the dangers of scam sites?

A popular method of fraud is phone calls, when the fraudster pretends to be a bank employee and asks the victim to dictate a password or code from an SMS.

But there are other methods to intercept user data:

• The promise of big money.

• The belief that money urgently needs to be transferred to another account in order to protect data.

• Please install data protection software or to open third party file.

• During periods of aggravation of the situation with the coronavirus pandemic, scammers  actively offered users to undergo a medical examination or receive compensation for damage from COVID-19.

• Telling older people that they are entitled to payments and that they must provide bank details in order to receive them.

• Mailing to friends from a hacked account with a request to borrow money or help in a difficult situation.

• Redirecting users to a third-party resource - allegedly due to the fact that technical work is underway on the official website.

• Closed forums where a person can find an answer - but only after going through the registration procedure.

• Switching to fake sites that completely copy popular online stores or landing pages of brands on which the company allegedly conducts a raffle.

The main danger is that scammers are trying to get your personal data and use it for their own purposes. This process is called  fish ng , which means "fishing" or "fishing" in English.

Fraud sites catch inattentive users who voluntarily share confidential information: phone, email, bank card details, logins and passwords from personal accounts on other resources.

You can get to a phishing site through a link in an ad, mailing list or search, where there is a form to fill in the data or a virus that is immediately activated on your PC or smartphone.

Checking the site for authenticity

In this section, we will discuss the details that you need to pay attention to in order to recognize a fraudulent site.

Domain name

Often, scammers register domains whose URLs are similar to official brands' websites, but contain subtle typos or errors:

• Letters replaced with symbols

• Extra letter in title

• Changing the alphabet that looks like latin letters

SSL certificate

Check the security of the resource. In the address bar of the browser, next to the site URL, you will find a symbol in the form of a "lock". If it is closed, the site is safe, if not, check other details, because even trusted resources sometimes forget to buy or renew an SSL certificate.

An example of what a "Secure Connection" looks like

You can click on the "Certificate" section, which is indicated in the screenshot above, and check its validity period, as well as see to whom and by whom the permission was issued.

In the certificate, you can pay attention to its type:

• Domain Validation is the base level of a certificate that only validates a domain name. The padlock symbol is gray or white.

How to view the certificate type

• Organization Validation - a certificate that confirms the existence of a domain and an organization. Only companies can get it. The padlock symbol in the address bar is gray or white.

• Extended Validation is an effective and expensive solution that is difficult to obtain, as the CA verifies all the activities of the organization and requests official documents. The padlock symbol is green.

Site appearance

Look at the site and answer these questions:

• Does the text on the site meet all standards  and there are no errors?

• Are all pages of the site filled?

• Are the product cards filled out correctly?

• Clickable site header - logo, phone number?

• Is the company name correct?

• Are there details of the organization in the footer of the site or on its pages: phone number, company name, TIN, legal address, and so on?

If you answered “No” to these questions, you most likely landed on a phishing site.

User Agreements

Check the site for a user agreement, delivery terms, warranty, and whether the "Data Privacy Policy" is indicated. Find not only the mention of these documents, but also the text itself.

Document layout example

The user agreement should not mention third-party companies and other details that differ from those indicated on the site.

Did not find the correct user agreement documents - close the site.

Site Age

Look at the footer of the site and find the date of creation - the age of the resource. If the portal is newly created, close the page.

Reviews

Review domain reviews. If the company is official, reviews should be in the organization cards on Google, as well as in specialized services . Otherwise, you will find sites where users complain that they have landed on a phishing resource.

And most importantly, if you suspect a site of fraud, in no case do not fill out feedback forms and do not follow the links that you are offered to read. The form can transfer you, for example, to a QIWI Wallet, in which it will not be possible to track the transfer of money. At the same time, there are always several ways to pay for goods on official resources.