Start outside the website
Search the business name together with words such as reviews, complaints, refund, scam, and support. Look beyond the first result and distinguish independent discussion from promotional articles.
Check identity and contact details
A legitimate business should explain who operates the service and provide a realistic way to contact it. Compare the address, phone number, company details, and social profiles across sources.
Inspect the offer, not just the design
Professional design can be copied. Focus on whether prices, deliverables, delivery time, renewal conditions, refunds, and limitations are stated clearly.
Treat urgency as a reason to slow down
Countdown timers, disappearing discounts, and pressure to pay outside a protected checkout reduce your opportunity to verify the seller. A genuine offer should survive a few minutes of checking.
Use safer payment methods
Prefer payment methods that produce a record and offer a dispute process. Be cautious when an unfamiliar seller requests irreversible payment, cryptocurrency, gift cards, or a transfer to an unrelated personal account.
Save evidence before payment
- Product or service description
- Final price and taxes
- Delivery promise
- Refund and cancellation terms
- Merchant name shown at checkout
- Order confirmation and transaction reference