How to Check If a Website Is Legit: Simple Checklist (2026)

To check if a website is legit, look at who is really selling, search for complaints outside the site, read the returns policy, be wary of pressure and odd payment methods, and pay by credit card where you can. The FTC says a padlock or https isn't proof a site is trustworthy, and a professional design isn't either.

I get asked this all the time, usually just after someone has found a brilliant deal on a site they've never heard of. It's a fair worry. Fake shops are easy to build and good at looking real, so you can't judge a site by how smart it looks. Below is a checklist built on advice from the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC), and further down you'll find my guides to individual shopping, travel and resale sites.

Start with who is selling

Before anything else, work out whether you're dealing with the brand, a reseller or a stranger behind a lookalike page. The FTC's consumer alert on social media ads warns that unusually low prices on well-known brands can be a scam. Its suggestion for a familiar brand is to go to the company's website through a page you know is official, rather than the link in the ad.

That one habit removes a huge share of the risk. If an offer reaches you through an ad, a text or a message, don't follow the link. Type the brand's address yourself, or search for it, and see whether the same offer is there.

A checklist you can run in a few minutes

Work through these in order. If any step makes you uneasy, stop and don't buy.

Search the company or product name plus the word complaint or scam. The FTC suggests this to see what other people report.
Read reviews with a critical eye. The FTC says not to rely on star ratings alone because some reviews and ratings are fake or misleading, so check several sources and think about who wrote each one.
Find the returns and refund policy. The FTC says a site must say whether you can return an item for a full refund, and you should check who pays return shipping, how many days you get and whether there are restocking fees.
Check sale and clearance items separately, because their return rules can differ.
Look at how it wants to be paid. The FTC says never buy from online sellers that insist you can only pay with gift cards, and it warns the same about wire transfers, payment apps and cryptocurrency.
Notice any pressure. The FTC says scammers want you to act before you have time to think, and that honest businesses will give you time to decide.
Pay by credit card where you can, and keep your records: the company name, the web address, receipts and delivery promises.

Why a padlock isn't proof

Many people look for the padlock or https at the start of the address and relax. The FTC is clear that https means the connection is encrypted, but it doesn't mean the site is a legitimate one. Scam shops use it too, so treat it as a minimum, not a pass mark.

The same goes for polish. A clean design, stock photos and a friendly chat box cost almost nothing to copy. What's harder to fake is a history: a business that shows up in sources outside its own pages, with clear contact details and a policy you can read before you buy.

What the table of warning signs looks like

What you notice	What the FTC advice suggests
A very low price on a famous brand	Be suspicious and go to the brand's official website yourself
Only gift cards, wire transfers, payment apps or crypto accepted	Don't buy from that seller
A countdown timer or push to decide now	Honest businesses give you time to decide
No clear returns policy	A site must say whether you can return an item for a full refund
Glowing reviews and nothing else	Check several sources, not star ratings alone
A link in an unexpected message	Contact the company through a site you trust or a number you look up yourself

Protect yourself when you do buy

The FTC says paying by credit card best protects you and your money in case of a scam. If you're billed twice, billed for something you never received, or sent the wrong or a defective item, you can dispute the charge. You can also ask your card company to withhold payment while it investigates.

Timing matters. The FTC's advice is to call straight away and send a letter that reaches the company within 60 days of the day it mailed you the first bill showing the error. Check your own card's terms for the details that apply to you, because I can't give legal or financial advice.

If something does go wrong, report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Reports help regulators spot patterns, and keeping your records makes your dispute much easier.

Checks on individual sites

A checklist tells you how to look. These guides apply it to specific sites and apps people ask me about, grouped by type. Each one sets out who runs the site, what its own pages say and what to watch for, so you can see the process in action.

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Shopping and fashion sites

Retailers, fashion brands and resale shops, from big names to the sites you only see in ads.

Beauty, fragrance and subscription boxes

Resale and secondhand apps

Travel booking sites

Flight, hotel and holiday booking sites, where the rules on changes and cancellations matter most.

Electronics, game keys and resale

Sites selling games, keys and gadgets, where the seller behind the listing is the thing to check.

My verdict on checking any site

If you only remember one thing, make it this: let the site earn your trust before you give it your card. Check who is selling, look for complaints away from the site itself, read the returns policy and choose a payment method that lets you dispute a charge. A real business won't mind you taking a few minutes to do it.

Frequently asked questions

How do I know if a website is legit?

Search the company name plus the word complaint or scam, read reviews from several sources, check the returns policy and look at how the site wants to be paid. The FTC says honest businesses give you time to decide.

Does https mean a website is safe?

No. The FTC says https means the site is encrypted, but it doesn't mean it's a legitimate site.

What is the safest way to check out on an unfamiliar website?

The FTC says paying by credit card best protects you in case of a scam, because you can dispute a charge for things like a double bill or an item that never arrived.

Is a very low sticker on a famous brand a red flag?

It can be. The FTC's consumer alert says unusually low prices on well-known brands can be a scam, and suggests going to the brand's official website rather than following the ad.

Where do I report a fake website?

The FTC asks people to report scams at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

Published and maintained by the Lilach Bullock team, covering marketing, AI and business growth.