Check for spelling and grammar mistakes. These can be a real red flag! Many (but not all) fraudsters operate from non-English speaking countries and therefore the website may not have been translated very well. Read the home page and ‘about’ section to see how it reads.
Check the website has a ‘contact us’ page. Reputable websites always offer a way for customers to get in touch with them by email and usually give an address and phone number too. If these are missing, or if the ‘contact us’ page is just an email address, beware!
Look for 'terms and conditions' and a privacy policy. Real companies will have sections to explain the purchase agreements and the distribution of your data.
Check the returns policy. There will always be a returns policy in place for trustworthy companies. If the website is missing this then it’s probably fake.
Read reviews on the website carefully. Are they all very recent? Are they all written in a similar style? This means the reviews may well be fake.
Does the website have a trust mark? Trust marks are used to indicate that the website has been verified as authentic BUT their logo on a website doesn’t mean that it necessarily has. If it is real, you should be able to click on the logo which will take you to the landing page for the website. If in any doubt, contact the trust mark company directly to ask.
Use a fake website checker. You can search to see who the owner of the website by putting in the domain name here. If it doesn’t look right then avoid like the plague.
Read a full guide on internet shopping and how to avoid scams HERE.
Read a full guide on internet shopping and how to avoid scams HERE.