How to check if a website is safe: A 2026 guide

Quick checklist to tell if a website is safe

Before you enter your personal details or payment information, it’s worth taking a moment to confirm the site you’re on is legitimate. Fake scam websites can look convincing, but they often leave behind traces that reveal poor site security or fraudulent intent. This quick checklist will help you spot these warning signs instantly and avoid putting your information at risk:

• Check for HTTPS and a lock symbol. Legitimate websites will always show a small lock icon in the browser bar and start with “https” in the address. If a site is missing this secure prefix, the owner is neglecting user safety, and you should leave immediately. However, note that 99% of malicious websites use HTTPS too. These signs show that your connection is secure, though they don’t guarantee that the site itself is trustworthy.

• Read the web address carefully. Scammers often create fake addresses that look almost like real ones by changing a letter, adding a symbol, or using a different ending. Always read the full site’s URL closely before clicking.

• Look for ways to contact the site. A real business gives you ways to reach it, like a phone number, email, or physical address. If you can’t find these details, be cautious.

• Stay away from sites with too many pop-ups or redirects. Sites that bombard you with new windows, constant pop-up ads, or random redirects are almost always unsafe. These sites often host stolen or fake content, and their main purpose is to force-redirect you to scam pages or trigger malware downloads.

• Notice the overall quality of the site. Spelling mistakes, low-quality images, broken links, and messy design are warning signs. A trustworthy site usually looks polished and works smoothly.

A quick look at these points can help you catch the most obvious red flags. However, it’s just a starting point. Below, I go into more detail on how to check website safety fully before you trust it.

A step-by-step guide to check the website’s safety

A quick checklist is great for spotting obvious red flags, but some fake or unsafe websites are harder to detect, and basic checks aren’t enough. You need to dig deeper, especially when a website looks legitimate but is unfamiliar, imitates a known brand, promotes unrealistic offers, promises quick financial gains, or creates artificial urgency to push for immediate action.

The steps below go beyond surface-level signals and walk you through a deeper evaluation process to help determine whether a website is genuinely safe before you trust it.

1. Verify the URL

Scammers often register fake domains that look like trusted sites but have small changes. These changes can include letter swaps (“amaz0n” instead of “amazon”), added hyphens (like “secure-paypal-login.com”), or less popular domain endings (like “.xyz” or “.top”). Be especially careful with subdomain tricks (like “login.nordvpn.secure-check.xyz”), where the trusted brand name is used to hide the actual malicious domain at the end.

Also, don’t forget to check the domain’s history. Use a Whois lookup tool at www.whois.com/whois/ to see when the domain was registered and whether ownership details are public. A brand-new domain with no history, especially if it’s selling expensive goods, should raise suspicion.

2. Check the HTTPS and the SSL certificate

HTTPS means that data exchanged between your browser and a website is encrypted in transit, protecting it from network interception. You should never enter personal or sensitive information on websites that don’t use HTTPS.

However, HTTPS doesn’t guarantee that a website is trustworthy. The padlock icon gives users a false sense of security that hackers explicitly rely on. HTTPS secures the connection, but not the legitimacy of the site. Think of it as a locked door — it protects the traffic but not what’s behind it.

When I’m investigating a suspicious URL, I ignore the padlock and look immediately at the TLS/SSL certificate details — who issued it, when it was issued, and which domain it covers. A certificate issued very recently can be a red flag, especially on unfamiliar sites requesting credentials or payment details.

3. Use web scanners

Instead of relying only on visual checks of the link, it’s better to know how to check if a website link is safe before visiting. Many link checker tool options are available online, but using a trusted option like NordVPN’s link checker is best.

You can also check if a website is safe on Google by using its Safe Browsing tool. This tool lets you paste a site’s URL into its checker to see if Google has marked it as unsafe. It then shows a clear warning if the page has a history of hosting harmful content.

4. Inspect the website’s design and grammar

Professional websites usually have a polished layout, consistent branding, and well-written text. Don’t just look for obvious typos. Assess whether the site maintains consistent branding across all pages. Inconsistent fonts, mismatched logos, or sudden shifts in style between sections can indicate that the site was copied from different sources or thrown together quickly.

5. Look for the privacy policy and contact information

Check if the privacy policy actually covers how your information is stored, shared, and protected. Vague or generic text can be copied and pasted from elsewhere.

For contact details, test the channels — call the number, check the email format, or paste the address into Google Maps to see if it’s a real location. If these details are missing, incomplete, or seem fake, the site may not be legitimate.

6. Review trust badges and user reviews

Trust badges (like “Verified by Visa” or “Secure Checkout”) should be clickable and lead to a verification page. Scam websites often display static, non-clickable badge images. Also, read reviews from independent sources and don’t rely only on the testimonials displayed on the site.

7. Check the payment methods

If you want to know how to check if a website is safe to buy from, start by reviewing its payment options. Secure sites use trusted processors like credit cards or PayPal for safe online shopping. Be wary of sites that accept only wire transfers, cryptocurrency, or gift cards — these methods are almost impossible to reverse if you’re scammed.

8. Use browser security settings and extensions

Modern browsers include built-in security settings that can block unsafe websites, show warnings for suspicious links, and stop harmful downloads. For an extra layer of safety, use the NordVPN browser extension or the NordVPN application. Both include the Threat Protection safety solution, which blocks malicious websites and alerts you instantly in cases of scam or fraud. Beyond blocking, it offers added functionality to significantly improve your overall online safety.

We engineered our Threat Protection solution to block these threats before your browser even requests them. Since nearly all modern attacks originate online, our main focus is to detect malicious intent at the earliest possible stage and block it immediately.

By cutting the connection early, we ensure that dangerous code never executes on your system and prevent you from entering sensitive information into a fake website. This automation takes the burden off you as the user: You don't have to worry about accidentally interacting with a hidden threat because it is never allowed to exist on your screen.

How to recognize scam tactics on unsafe websites

Even if a website passes the basic safety checks, scammers often use psychological tricks and misleading design to make it seem trustworthy. These tactics can be subtle or aggressive, but once you know what to look for, they’re much easier to spot. Below are some of the most common scam strategies used on fake websites, along with tips on how to recognize and avoid them.

Red flag #1: Fake urgency and pressure tactics 

Scammers use urgency to push you into acting quickly without checking the site’s safety or verifying its legitimacy.

What to look for: 

• Countdown timers and “limited” stock (flashing banners claiming “Only 1 left!” or “Offer ends in 5 minutes”).
• Account threats (messages like “Your account will be locked in 12 hours” or “If this wasn't you, click here immediately”).
• Tech support scams (pop-ups screaming “Virus detected! Act now” or offering a phone number to fix a critical error).
• Aggressive CTAs (an overwhelming number of buttons like “Fix now,” “Claim prize,” or blackmail threats demanding payment to avoid consequences).

What to do: Ignore the pressure, take your time to evaluate the website, and research before making a decision. Remember that professional websites and legitimate businesses will never aggressively pressure you into taking immediate action.

Red flag #2: “Too good to be true” deals

Offering products at unrealistic prices is a common way to grab attention and lure in unsuspecting buyers.

What to look for: Luxury or high-demand items priced far below market value.

What to do: Compare prices on trusted websites and be cautious of deals that seem far cheaper than normal.

Red flag #3: Impersonation of a trusted brand

Copying the look of well-known companies creates instant trust and tricks visitors into thinking they’re on an official site.

What to look for: Familiar logos and brand names paired with unusual or slightly altered URLs.

What to do: Type the brand’s official domain into your browser instead of clicking links from ads, emails, or social media.

Red flag #4: Fake customer reviews

Posting fake testimonials makes a fraudulent website seem more reliable and convincing.

What to look for: Overly positive, repetitive reviews from generic names or vague product descriptions.

What to do: Search for reviews on independent platforms rather than relying on the site’s own review section.

Red flag #5: Hidden and misleading fees

Adding extra costs at the last step pressures customers to complete the purchase despite the higher price.

What to look for: Sudden “service fees,” unclear shipping charges, or costs that only appear at checkout.

What to do: Check the total price before paying and avoid sites that hide key costs until the final step.

Red flag #6: Overuse of pop-ups, ads, and unnecessary downloads

Bombarding visitors with pop-ups and download prompts can be a way to install malware or redirect to fake and possibly malicious websites.

What to look for: Frequent pop-ups urging you to download files, claim prizes, or install updates, along with excessive advertising. Also, be careful with “Allow notifications” requests. If you click “Allow,” scammers can abuse this permission to bombard your desktop with fake system warnings (like “Virus detected!”), even when you aren't on the site, to trick you into downloading malware.

What to do: Leave the site immediately and run a scan on your device to check for threats. Also, check your browser’s notification settings. Look for the list of websites allowed to send alerts and revoke permissions for any domains you don’t recognize to ensure they can no longer send fake system alerts to your desktop.

Red flag #7: Fake sponsored ads on social media

One of the newest and most popular ways to scam users is through paid social media advertisements. Scammers use these sponsored posts to appear legitimate and target you directly in your daily feed.

What to look for: Ads that imitate legitimate news organizations (like BBC, CNN, or local magazines) to promote fake investment stories or miracle cures. Also, beware of alarming ads that scream that “your device is infected with a virus” to scare you into clicking.

What to do: Do not click the ad. Use the social media platform’s built-in tools to report the ad immediately. Doing so helps prevent it from reaching other users.

What to do if you visit a suspicious or fake website

Simply landing on a suspicious page doesn’t always mean your device or sensitive data has been compromised, but it’s important to check and take precautions.

1. 1.Exit the site immediately. Close the browser tab or window to cut off any further connection with the site.
2. 2.Check for unwanted downloads. If the site triggered a download or you accepted one, delete the file and run a malware scan to make sure your device is clean.
3. 3.Secure your accounts and payment information. If you entered login credentials, change your passwords immediately and enable two-factor authentication (2FA) to prevent attackers from accessing your accounts. If you entered payment information, monitor your financial accounts for unusual charges and contact your bank right away if anything suspicious appears.
4. 4.Report the website. Help protect others by reporting the website to search engines, browser security teams, or official authorities so it can be flagged as unsafe.
5. 5.Clear your cache and cookies. Doing so helps remove any stored data, trackers, or scripts from the site that could follow you around while you’re online.

In my experience analyzing scam and phishing websites, the biggest risk doesn’t come from the page itself — it comes from the actions a user takes while interacting with it.

Modern browsers are built with strong isolation and sandboxing. In the vast majority of cases, simply opening a malicious or deceptive website leaves no trace once the tab is closed. If no files were downloaded, no permissions were granted, and no information was entered, closing the page is generally enough to end the interaction.

The real damage occurs at the point of engagement. Phishing sites are designed to look legitimate, create urgency, and convince users to hand over credentials, payment details, or security codes. That moment — not the initial page load — is when accounts get compromised.

This is why reaction matters less than awareness. While clearing the cache or cookies helps reset a session, doing so doesn’t meaningfully reduce the primary risk in most scenarios. What actually makes a difference is recognizing suspicious URLs, questioning unexpected requests, and pausing before entering sensitive information.

That said, prevention can be strengthened by reducing exposure in the first place. Tools like NordVPN’s Threat Protection Pro™ add a crucial safety layer by blocking known malicious domains, phishing pages, and scam infrastructure before they even load. This doesn’t replace user judgment, but it helps eliminate many common threats before a decision is even required.

The goal should always be prevention, not panic. Effective protection focuses on stopping dangerous domains early, identifying phishing patterns before interaction, and giving users clear context about what they’re seeing and why it may be risky. When people understand the signals — and fewer threats reach them in the first place — the attack chain breaks naturally.

Security isn’t about reacting to every threat after the fact. It’s about reducing the chances of needing to react at all.