Scam sites look professional. But one number almost always gives them away.
Install the free Chrome extension (WebsiteAge) →Scammers today can clone a legitimate website in minutes, copying the logo, layout, and color scheme exactly. Visual inspection alone is no longer enough. Fake online stores, phishing pages, and fraudulent services are designed to look real.
But there is one thing they almost cannot fake: how long the domain has been registered.
Most scam sites are registered days or weeks before they go live. A domain less than 6 months old is a major red flag.
Fake shops lure victims with extreme discounts: 80% off, clearance sales, limited time offers that never end.
Legitimate businesses have a real address, phone number, and support email. Fake sites often have none.
Scammers register domains like "amaz0n-deals.com" or "paypa1.com" to impersonate trusted brands.
"Only 2 left!" or "Offer expires in 10 minutes!" Urgency is a classic manipulation tool designed to prevent you from thinking clearly.
While HTTPS alone does not make a site safe, its absence is a warning. Check that the certificate matches the domain name.
Among all the warning signs, domain age is the hardest to fake. A legitimate business website for a bank, retailer, or service provider has typically been online for years. Fraudulent sites are created fresh for each campaign.
Rule of thumb: If a website is asking for your payment details, personal information, or login credentials, and the domain is less than 1 year old, treat it with extreme caution.
WebsiteAge is a free Chrome extension that automatically shows you the age of any website you visit, without any searching or clicking. The moment you land on a page, you know how old it is.
If you land on a site claiming to be a well-known brand but the domain was registered last month, WebsiteAge will show you that instantly. It is one of the simplest and most effective ways to add a layer of protection to your everyday browsing.
Free Chrome extension. No account required. Works on every website.
Install the free Chrome extension (WebsiteAge)