Checking the Company Information</h3>\r\n<p>Scammers use various tricks to make their website appear legitimate, one of which is to include fake company information. In most cases, the company simply does not exist or has no relation to the website.</p>\r\n<p>You can cross-check the company information given on the website, such as the company name and registration number. There are several public databases online that contain information about registered companies for each country. If the company information provided on the website cannot be found in public records or if there are differences in the stated information, it might mean that the company information provided is fake.</p>\r\n<p><strong>Note</strong>: Several scammers provide a UK company registration certificate as proof that their company is legitimate. However, <a href=https://www.scamadviser.com/"https://companieshouse.blog.gov.uk/2019/01/15/the-cost-to-set-up-a-limited-company/">anyone can register a company in the UK</a> from anywhere in the world by simply paying £12 and waiting 24 hours. Therefore, take such proof with a grain of salt and look for other proof of legitimacy. Even checking the full company information on the <a href=https://www.scamadviser.com/"https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk//">Companies House website</a> can reveal suspicious things about the company. Further, any company offering financial services must be registered with the appropriate financial regulation authority such as the SEC (USA) or FCA (UK).</p>\r\n<h3>Checking the Contact Details</h3>\r\n<p>Apart from using the same text, scammers also often use the same contact information across different websites. You can copy any of the information such as an email ID or phone number and paste it into a search engine.</p>\r\n<p>You might be surprised to find that, for example, there are several websites using that same email ID, or that the phone number was used on another website that has been flagged as a scam. </p>"}},{"_template":"Articles\\ImageHalf","_identifier":"block-33135","data":{"imageLeft":"https://whitelabel-manager-production.ams3.digitaloceanspaces.com/thumbs/contact1-465a9.jpg_900x.jpg","imageRight":null}},{"_template":"Articles\\ImageHalf","_identifier":"block-33153","data":{"imageLeft":"https://whitelabel-manager-production.ams3.digitaloceanspaces.com/thumbs/contact2-625dd.jpg_900x.jpg","imageRight":null}},{"_template":"Articles\\Text","_identifier":"block-33138","data":{"text":"<h2>Checking Reviews</h2>\r\n<p>Notwithstanding the fact that scammers are known to leave <a href=https://www.scamadviser.com/"scam-reports/tips-support/3521/how-to-recognize-fake-reviews/">fake reviews</a> for their business to give the impression that they are running a legitimate operation, reviews are usually the best way to know whether a company is trustworthy. </p>\r\n<p>While you can check sites like ScamAdviser and TrustPilot directly to read reviews written by real customers or clients, people don’t always write reviews on review platforms. You might sometimes find revealing information on discussion platforms such as Reddit, Quora and independent message boards. Using a search query such as ‘[website name] review’ can bring up discussions where people have written about their positive or negative experiences with the company. </p>\r\n<p> </p>\r\n<p>The ScamAdviser algorithm analyzes dozens of data points to determine the likelihood of a website being a scam. Yet, we always urge consumers to do their own research because human intelligence is far superior to artificial intelligence. Search engines can be your best friend to avoid getting scammed if you follow the tips given in this article to do your own digging regarding the trustworthiness of a company. </p>"}}],"sidebarBlocks":[{"_template":"Small\\Content\\Cta","_identifier":"block-157084","data":{"title":"Report a Scam!","consumer":null,"description":"Have you fallen for a hoax, bought a fake product? 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Check website safety, report scams, and get instant alerts. Available on iOS"}},{"_template":"Default\\Items\\ListItem","_identifier":"block-167944","data":{"title":"ScamAdviser App - Android","titleUrl":"https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.tech.scamadviser","linkTarget":"1","text":"Your personal scam detector, on the go! Check website safety, report scams, and get instant alerts. Available on Android."}}]}},{"_template":"Default\\Content\\Heading","_identifier":"block-59517","data":{"align":"left","text":"Popular Stories","size":"large"}},{"_template":"Default\\Content\\Blogs","_identifier":"block-59530","data":{"items":[{"id":13,"title":"How to Recognize a Scam Website","url":"https://www.scamadviser.com/articles/how-to-recognize-a-scam-website","excerpt":"As the influence of the internet rises, so does the prevalence of online scams. There are fraudsters making all kinds of claims to trap victims online - from fake investment opportunities to online stores - and the internet allows them to operate from any part of the world with anonymity. The ability to spot online scams is an important skill to have as the virtual world is increasingly becoming a part of every facet of our lives. The below tips will help you identify the signs which can indicate that a website could be a scam.\r\nCommon Sense: Too Good To Be True\r\nWhen looking for goods online, a great deal can be very enticing. A Gucci bag or a new iPhone for half the price? Who wouldn’t want to grab such a deal? Scammers know this too and try to take advantage of the fact.\r\nIf an online deal looks too good to be true, think twice and double-check things. The easiest way to do this is to simply check out the same product at competing websites (that you trust). If the difference in prices is huge, it might be better to double-check the rest of the website.\r\nCheck Out the Social Media Links\r\nSocial media is a core part of ecommerce businesses these days and consumers often expect online shops to have a social media presence. Scammers know this and often insert logos of social media sites on their websites. Scratching beneath the surface often reveals this fu","buttonText":"Read more","renderAsInertiaLink":false},{"id":4,"title":"How Do I Get Money Back From a Scammer?","url":"https://www.scamadviser.com/articles/how-do-i-get-money-back-from-a-scammer","excerpt":"Disclaimer: This article was originally published in 2018 and has been updated in October 2025 to reflect more current information, resources, and advice. Scams and recovery options continue to evolve, so always double-check with your bank, payment provider, or local consumer protection authority for the latest guidance.\r\nSo the worst has come to pass - you realise you parted with your money too fast, and the site you used was a scam - what now? Well first of all, don’t despair!!\r\nIf you think you have been scammed, the first port of call when having an issue is to simply ask for a refund. This is the first and easiest step to determine whether you are dealing with a genuine company or scammers. Sadly, getting your money back from a scammer is not as simple as just asking. \r\nIf you are indeed dealing with scammers, the procedure (and chance) of getting your money back varies depending on the payment method you used.\r\n\r\nPayPal\r\nDebit card/Credit card\r\nBank transfer\r\nWire transfer\r\nGoogle Pay\r\nBitcoin\r\n\r\nPayPal\r\nGood news: PayPal gives you strong protection. You can file a dispute within 180 days of your purchase.\r\nYou can get a refund if:\r\n\r\nYour order never arrives, and the seller cannot provide proof of delivery.\r\nThe scammer sends you something completely different (e.g., a controller instead of a PlayStation).\r\nThe product condition was misrepresented (sold as new but arrives used).\r\nThe item is missing undisclosed parts.\r\nThe item is counterfeit.\r\n\r\nStart your claim directly through Pay","buttonText":"Read more","renderAsInertiaLink":false}]}}],"meta":{"title":"How to Use Search Engines to Spot Scams | ScamAdviser","description":"Search engines like Google and Bing can be your best tool to prevent being scammed online. 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How to Use Search Engines to Spot Scams
Author: James Greening
September 24, 2021Since their invention in the early 90s, search engines have proven to be an invaluable tool for finding information in the vastness of the internet. With the World Wide Web growing immensely with each passing day, search engines like Google, Bing, Yahoo and DuckDuckGo and others have become indispensable tools to discover a treasure trove of information.
The growth of the internet brings with it the growth of online scams. If you know how to use them properly, search engines can also become your best tool to prevent being scammed online. Read on to know how search engines can help you stay away from scammers.
Avoiding Scams Using Search Engines
By spending just a few minutes on the search engine of your choice, it is possible to find out a wealth of information to gauge whether a website is legitimate. You can also use them to check whether a person is real or fake by cross-checking information from social media profiles.
There are various things you can check, such as the text, images, company information, reviews and more that will give you a fair idea of whether you can trust the company.
Checking the Text
This is probably the easiest check you can perform. We have written previously about Chinese shopping scam networks such as the Uniqueness Scam Network using the same text across thousands of websites.
All you have to do is copy a small snippet of text from the website, preferably the About Us page, and paste it into the search engine. Make sure the text does not contain anything unique such as a company name. If you put the snippet within quotation marks (“copied text”), then the search engine will try to find all websites that contain the exact content.
If you see that several sites contain identical text, there is a high possibility that all the websites are being operated by scammers.
Checking the Images
Search engines have become sophisticated enough that you can now use them to search for not just text, but images too. Scammers often include images of people to represent team members or customers who don’t really exist. They may also steal images of expensive and one-of-a-kind products, and use them to bait-and-switch shoppers.
It is easy to expose the scammers’ lies by checking if an image is unique, or whether it has been copied from external sources. Take the example of a fake testimonial below:
Checking the Prices
One of the most common ways that consumers fall for scams is by failing to check the actual prices of products. Scammers often advertise products at prices well below the retail price offered by any competitor. This is almost always the sign of a scam, as it is unrealistic to expect that a new and unknown store can provide products at considerably lower prices than large competitors.
While we have seen ridiculous examples where products worth thousands of dollars are advertised for less than $100 - check our ‘TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE’ series on social media - below is a less obvious example where a sports watch available for $199 at legitimate stores is being sold for just $186 by a new and unheard-of website. There is a fair chance that customers will receive counterfeits.
Checking the Company Information
Scammers use various tricks to make their website appear legitimate, one of which is to include fake company information. In most cases, the company simply does not exist or has no relation to the website.
You can cross-check the company information given on the website, such as the company name and registration number. There are several public databases online that contain information about registered companies for each country. If the company information provided on the website cannot be found in public records or if there are differences in the stated information, it might mean that the company information provided is fake.
Note: Several scammers provide a UK company registration certificate as proof that their company is legitimate. However, anyone can register a company in the UK from anywhere in the world by simply paying £12 and waiting 24 hours. Therefore, take such proof with a grain of salt and look for other proof of legitimacy. Even checking the full company information on the Companies House website can reveal suspicious things about the company. Further, any company offering financial services must be registered with the appropriate financial regulation authority such as the SEC (USA) or FCA (UK).
Checking the Contact Details
Apart from using the same text, scammers also often use the same contact information across different websites. You can copy any of the information such as an email ID or phone number and paste it into a search engine.
You might be surprised to find that, for example, there are several websites using that same email ID, or that the phone number was used on another website that has been flagged as a scam.
Checking Reviews
Notwithstanding the fact that scammers are known to leave fake reviews for their business to give the impression that they are running a legitimate operation, reviews are usually the best way to know whether a company is trustworthy.
While you can check sites like ScamAdviser and TrustPilot directly to read reviews written by real customers or clients, people don’t always write reviews on review platforms. You might sometimes find revealing information on discussion platforms such as Reddit, Quora and independent message boards. Using a search query such as ‘[website name] review’ can bring up discussions where people have written about their positive or negative experiences with the company.
The ScamAdviser algorithm analyzes dozens of data points to determine the likelihood of a website being a scam. Yet, we always urge consumers to do their own research because human intelligence is far superior to artificial intelligence. Search engines can be your best friend to avoid getting scammed if you follow the tips given in this article to do your own digging regarding the trustworthiness of a company.
Report a Scam!
Have you fallen for a hoax, bought a fake product? Report the site and warn others!
Scam Categories
Help & Info
Top Safety Picks
Your Go-To Tools for Online Safety
Protect yourself online with our expert-vetted tools and the official ScamAdviser App
- ScamAdviser App - iOS : Your personal scam detector, on the go! Check website safety, report scams, and get instant alerts. Available on iOS
- ScamAdviser App - Android : Your personal scam detector, on the go! Check website safety, report scams, and get instant alerts. Available on Android.
Popular Stories
As the influence of the internet rises, so does the prevalence of online scams. There are fraudsters making all kinds of claims to trap victims online - from fake investment opportunities to online stores - and the internet allows them to operate from any part of the world with anonymity. The ability to spot online scams is an important skill to have as the virtual world is increasingly becoming a part of every facet of our lives. The below tips will help you identify the signs which can indicate that a website could be a scam.
Common Sense: Too Good To Be True
When looking for goods online, a great deal can be very enticing. A Gucci bag or a new iPhone for half the price? Who wouldn’t want to grab such a deal? Scammers know this too and try to take advantage of the fact.
If an online deal looks too good to be true, think twice and double-check things. The easiest way to do this is to simply check out the same product at competing websites (that you trust). If the difference in prices is huge, it might be better to double-check the rest of the website.
Check Out the Social Media Links
Social media is a core part of ecommerce businesses these days and consumers often expect online shops to have a social media presence. Scammers know this and often insert logos of social media sites on their websites. Scratching beneath the surface often reveals this fu
Disclaimer: This article was originally published in 2018 and has been updated in October 2025 to reflect more current information, resources, and advice. Scams and recovery options continue to evolve, so always double-check with your bank, payment provider, or local consumer protection authority for the latest guidance.
So the worst has come to pass - you realise you parted with your money too fast, and the site you used was a scam - what now? Well first of all, don’t despair!!
If you think you have been scammed, the first port of call when having an issue is to simply ask for a refund. This is the first and easiest step to determine whether you are dealing with a genuine company or scammers. Sadly, getting your money back from a scammer is not as simple as just asking.
If you are indeed dealing with scammers, the procedure (and chance) of getting your money back varies depending on the payment method you used.
PayPal
Debit card/Credit card
Bank transfer
Wire transfer
Google Pay
Bitcoin
PayPal
Good news: PayPal gives you strong protection. You can file a dispute within 180 days of your purchase.
You can get a refund if:
Your order never arrives, and the seller cannot provide proof of delivery.
The scammer sends you something completely different (e.g., a controller instead of a PlayStation).
The product condition was misrepresented (sold as new but arrives used).
The item is missing undisclosed parts.
The item is counterfeit.
Start your claim directly through Pay
How to Use Search Engines to Spot Scams
Author: James Greening
Since their invention in the early 90s, search engines have proven to be an invaluable tool for finding information in the vastness of the internet. With the World Wide Web growing immensely with each passing day, search engines like Google, Bing, Yahoo and DuckDuckGo and others have become indispensable tools to discover a treasure trove of information.
The growth of the internet brings with it the growth of online scams. If you know how to use them properly, search engines can also become your best tool to prevent being scammed online. Read on to know how search engines can help you stay away from scammers.
Avoiding Scams Using Search Engines
By spending just a few minutes on the search engine of your choice, it is possible to find out a wealth of information to gauge whether a website is legitimate. You can also use them to check whether a person is real or fake by cross-checking information from social media profiles.
There are various things you can check, such as the text, images, company information, reviews and more that will give you a fair idea of whether you can trust the company.
Checking the Text
This is probably the easiest check you can perform. We have written previously about Chinese shopping scam networks such as the Uniqueness Scam Network using the same text across thousands of websites.
All you have to do is copy a small snippet of text from the website, preferably the About Us page, and paste it into the search engine. Make sure the text does not contain anything unique such as a company name. If you put the snippet within quotation marks (“copied text”), then the search engine will try to find all websites that contain the exact content.
If you see that several sites contain identical text, there is a high possibility that all the websites are being operated by scammers.
Checking the Images
Search engines have become sophisticated enough that you can now use them to search for not just text, but images too. Scammers often include images of people to represent team members or customers who don’t really exist. They may also steal images of expensive and one-of-a-kind products, and use them to bait-and-switch shoppers.
It is easy to expose the scammers’ lies by checking if an image is unique, or whether it has been copied from external sources. Take the example of a fake testimonial below:
Checking the Prices
One of the most common ways that consumers fall for scams is by failing to check the actual prices of products. Scammers often advertise products at prices well below the retail price offered by any competitor. This is almost always the sign of a scam, as it is unrealistic to expect that a new and unknown store can provide products at considerably lower prices than large competitors.
While we have seen ridiculous examples where products worth thousands of dollars are advertised for less than $100 - check our ‘TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE’ series on social media - below is a less obvious example where a sports watch available for $199 at legitimate stores is being sold for just $186 by a new and unheard-of website. There is a fair chance that customers will receive counterfeits.
Checking the Company Information
Scammers use various tricks to make their website appear legitimate, one of which is to include fake company information. In most cases, the company simply does not exist or has no relation to the website.
You can cross-check the company information given on the website, such as the company name and registration number. There are several public databases online that contain information about registered companies for each country. If the company information provided on the website cannot be found in public records or if there are differences in the stated information, it might mean that the company information provided is fake.
Note: Several scammers provide a UK company registration certificate as proof that their company is legitimate. However, anyone can register a company in the UK from anywhere in the world by simply paying £12 and waiting 24 hours. Therefore, take such proof with a grain of salt and look for other proof of legitimacy. Even checking the full company information on the Companies House website can reveal suspicious things about the company. Further, any company offering financial services must be registered with the appropriate financial regulation authority such as the SEC (USA) or FCA (UK).
Checking the Contact Details
Apart from using the same text, scammers also often use the same contact information across different websites. You can copy any of the information such as an email ID or phone number and paste it into a search engine.
You might be surprised to find that, for example, there are several websites using that same email ID, or that the phone number was used on another website that has been flagged as a scam.
Checking Reviews
Notwithstanding the fact that scammers are known to leave fake reviews for their business to give the impression that they are running a legitimate operation, reviews are usually the best way to know whether a company is trustworthy.
While you can check sites like ScamAdviser and TrustPilot directly to read reviews written by real customers or clients, people don’t always write reviews on review platforms. You might sometimes find revealing information on discussion platforms such as Reddit, Quora and independent message boards. Using a search query such as ‘[website name] review’ can bring up discussions where people have written about their positive or negative experiences with the company.
The ScamAdviser algorithm analyzes dozens of data points to determine the likelihood of a website being a scam. Yet, we always urge consumers to do their own research because human intelligence is far superior to artificial intelligence. Search engines can be your best friend to avoid getting scammed if you follow the tips given in this article to do your own digging regarding the trustworthiness of a company.
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As the influence of the internet rises, so does the prevalence of online scams. There are fraudsters making all kinds of claims to trap victims online - from fake investment opportunities to online stores - and the internet allows them to operate from any part of the world with anonymity. The ability to spot online scams is an important skill to have as the virtual world is increasingly becoming a part of every facet of our lives. The below tips will help you identify the signs which can indicate that a website could be a scam. Common Sense: Too Good To Be True When looking for goods online, a great deal can be very enticing. A Gucci bag or a new iPhone for half the price? Who wouldn’t want to grab such a deal? Scammers know this too and try to take advantage of the fact. If an online deal looks too good to be true, think twice and double-check things. The easiest way to do this is to simply check out the same product at competing websites (that you trust). If the difference in prices is huge, it might be better to double-check the rest of the website. Check Out the Social Media Links Social media is a core part of ecommerce businesses these days and consumers often expect online shops to have a social media presence. Scammers know this and often insert logos of social media sites on their websites. Scratching beneath the surface often reveals this fu
Disclaimer: This article was originally published in 2018 and has been updated in October 2025 to reflect more current information, resources, and advice. Scams and recovery options continue to evolve, so always double-check with your bank, payment provider, or local consumer protection authority for the latest guidance. So the worst has come to pass - you realise you parted with your money too fast, and the site you used was a scam - what now? Well first of all, don’t despair!! If you think you have been scammed, the first port of call when having an issue is to simply ask for a refund. This is the first and easiest step to determine whether you are dealing with a genuine company or scammers. Sadly, getting your money back from a scammer is not as simple as just asking. If you are indeed dealing with scammers, the procedure (and chance) of getting your money back varies depending on the payment method you used. PayPal Debit card/Credit card Bank transfer Wire transfer Google Pay Bitcoin PayPal Good news: PayPal gives you strong protection. You can file a dispute within 180 days of your purchase. You can get a refund if: Your order never arrives, and the seller cannot provide proof of delivery. The scammer sends you something completely different (e.g., a controller instead of a PlayStation). The product condition was misrepresented (sold as new but arrives used). The item is missing undisclosed parts. The item is counterfeit. Start your claim directly through Pay