Quick answer
Assess a site using several independent signals, not one padlock icon.
- Start with: Confirm the exact domain
- Finish with: Leave if pressure replaces proof
- Pause if: HTTPS only means the connection is encrypted
Primary sources for this guide: FTC: Check sellers and websites before shopping online; FTC: Report fraud. Check the source that applies to your location and situation before acting.
Know when to escalate: If the situation involves immediate danger, suspected crime, serious health symptoms or a deadline with major legal or financial consequences, contact the appropriate local emergency service, official body or qualified professional.
A step-by-step plan
Confirm the exact domain
Read the registered-looking name from right to left and check spelling around the final domain. A familiar word in a subdomain can mislead.
If the address arrived in an unexpected message, first work through How to Spot a Phishing Message.
Check claims against an independent source
Verify licenses, addresses, offers or policies through the claimed organization or regulator, using contact details found independently from the site.
Review payment and contact details
Look for a usable support route, clear refund terms and a payment method with appropriate protections. Missing detail increases uncertainty.
Leave if pressure replaces proof
Leave when a countdown, threat or exceptional bargain prevents normal checking. You do not need to prove fraud before choosing not to proceed.
If a suspicious message is part of the problem, use the Scam Message Red-Flag Checker.
Common mistakes and warning signs
Use these checks as reasons to slow down and verify the situation. One warning sign alone does not settle every case.
- HTTPS only means the connection is encrypted
- Reviews can be manipulated
- Typos are clues, not verdicts
Progress checkpoints
| Checkpoint | What you should have |
|---|---|
| Before acting | Confirm the exact domain |
| Before finishing | Leave if pressure replaces proof |
| Reason to pause | HTTPS only means the connection is encrypted |
Final checklist
Checklist state stays in this browser tab and is not sent to Help.You.
Sources and further verification
Rules and official processes vary by country and can change. Use the responsible organization for your location and situation. These starting points may cover a different jurisdiction.
Help.You editors structured this page around the task sequence, reviewed it for avoidable risk and checked that its claims stay within general informational scope. Read our content process.