How to Check If a Website Is Safe Before You Buy
Six checks that take two minutes and catch almost every scam shop.
Short answer: Before buying from an unfamiliar site, check four things: that it accepts card or PayPal rather than only bank transfer, that it lists a real company name and address, that the domain is more than a few months old, and that reviews exist somewhere other than the site itself. If any of those fail, do not buy.
A padlock in the address bar means the connection is encrypted. It does not mean the shop is honest — free certificates are issued to scam sites within minutes. Judge the business, not the padlock.
The two-minute checklist
- Search the exact shop name plus the word 'reviews' or 'scam' and read results that are not on the shop's own domain.
- Look for a company registration number, a physical address and a phone number in the footer or terms.
- Check the domain's registration date with a public WHOIS lookup — a week-old shop selling deep-discount electronics is a red flag.
- Confirm card or PayPal checkout is available; bank transfer or crypto only means no way to reclaim money.
- Read the returns policy. Vague or missing terms usually mean no returns exist in practice.
- Compare the price to the market. A 70% discount on a current-model product is the oldest lure there is.
Warning signs ranked
| Sign | Risk | What it usually means |
|---|---|---|
| Bank transfer only | Very high | No chargeback possible |
| No company details | High | Nobody to hold responsible |
| Brand-new domain | High | Disposable shop front |
| Copied product photos | Medium | Reseller or fake listing |
| Poor grammar throughout | Medium | Automated bulk site |
If you have already paid
Contact your card issuer or PayPal immediately and open a dispute — time limits apply. Keep the order confirmation, the listing screenshot and all messages. Then report the site to your national consumer protection body so others are warned.
Want to go further? Read our guide on Is Charging Your Phone Overnight Actually Bad? or browse everything in Technology.
Frequently asked questions
- Does HTTPS mean a site is legitimate?
- No. It only means traffic is encrypted. Scam sites use HTTPS as standard.
- Are reviews on the shop's own page reliable?
- Treat them as marketing. Only reviews hosted independently carry weight.
- Is PayPal safer than a card?
- Both offer buyer protection. Cards often give longer windows; PayPal is faster to open a case.
Sources & references
About the author
Daniel Okoye
Technology Writer
Daniel tests consumer hardware and software and explains what actually changes for everyday users, without the marketing language.
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