BBB warns of lookalike websites

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (KFVS) - Scammers are always creating new lookalike websites to steal your money or personal information, and the Better Business Bureau has some tips on what to watch out for.

“So a few ways to steer clear of fake websites first look closely at the domain name. One way fake websites tricked people is by using a domain name that is extremely close to a real businesses or organizations domain name. For example, BBB imposters if it’s not BBB dot org it could be bbb.com maybe be dot net, things like that that look very similar to what our domain name is, which is BBB dot org. Watch out for tricky sub domain names, such as netflix.com.movies.com, when in reality, it’s really movies.com is the domain so make sure that you are checking things like that out,” Whitney Quick said.

“Be careful with links in the email. So phishing scams are an extremely common scam, where a scammer might send you an email that looks like it came from a reputable business and hopes that you’re going to click on this without you know giving it any second thought always hover over the unsolicited emails and even in the emails that come from a brand or a business or a person that you think that you know, if the link doesn’t match the blue text or if it’s a shortened link, you can’t tell where it is Don’t click it. If you do, you may end up on what’s called a look alike website where personal information could be compromised,” Quick said.

“Also check the design quality, low quality visuals, odd layouts and poor web design can all be warning signs of a fake website. Pay attention to contact information and shop policies. legitimate online store should provide you with a physical address and a working phone number in a contact section. If those elements are missing, it’s best to take your business elsewhere,” she said.

“Do a search for reviews and potential scams. We’ve talked about this before a lot with online shopping. If you ever have a question about a website, it’s really helpful to either go to bbb.org to check it out there if you can’t find it there. Go ahead and look it up on Google and followed by reviews or stands. So if there is a bad reviews, or scams that should pop up pretty quickly in your internet search, and then also try a fake website checker. So Google has a Safe Browsing tool. That can also help you decide whether the website is safe to visit or not. And then for more information on these you can visit us on BBB.org,” she said.

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