Online store fraud check

Do 15 reliability checks at once 

How does it work?

Our tool now makes it possible to pass a URL through multiple reliability checks at the same time. We have compiled a comprehensive list of trustworthy websites that specialize in analyzing and reporting the safety and legitimacy of other websites. By simply entering the URL you want to check, our tool will automatically redirect it to a range of these specialized sites. This saves you time and effort as you no longer have to visit each site individually.

What to Expect

When you enter a URL, our tool generates links to various security checking websites. You can choose to open each link individually or use our new feature to open all links at once in new tabs. Please note that this may generate multiple pop-ups, so make sure you allow pop-ups for our website in your browser settings.

Important Reminder

While our tool provides access to a variety of website auditing resources, it is important to remember that no tool can guarantee 100% accuracy. We recommend using our URL Fraud Check tool as part of broader security awareness. Combine it with your own judgment and additional security measures for a comprehensive approach to online safety.

Other recommended fraud checking sites

In addition to our advanced URL Fraud Check tool, we would like to draw your attention to some additional, high-quality websites that specialize in assessing the reliability and security of online trading parties. These sites provide in-depth analysis and can be a valuable addition to your security checks. Unfortunately, we were unable to include these sites in our tool above.  

Recommended websites for security checks

Below is a list of carefully selected websites that you can use to further investigate the reliability of a website:

Police Trade Party Control - Visit Politie.nl

The Dutch police provide a platform to monitor trading parties, which is essential for safe online transactions and avoiding scams.

Scamdoc.com - Visit Scamdoc

Scamdoc uses an advanced algorithm to evaluate the reliability of websites, helping you understand the potential risks of online interactions with unknown websites.

Fraud Detector - Visit Fraud Detector

Fraud Detector is a Dutch website that focuses on testing the reliability of websites, with useful tips and advice to prevent online fraud.

Pergamon Interactive Site Check - Visit Pergamon Interactive

This tool provides detailed analysis of websites, including security ratings and user feedback, to help you assess a site's credibility.

Tips: Check manually

You can also check for yourself whether a site is reliable. In our opinion, this is still the best way to check reliability. 

1. Check the contact details

It is super important to check if there are contact details on the site. And take this seriously, because scammers are smart and often use fake addresses and phone numbers. So, what can you do?

Address : 

Verify that the specified address really exists. A quick search on Google can clarify a lot. Also check that the address is not used for other purposes.

Phone number: 

Try calling the number. If the number is incorrect or cannot be reached, this could be a sign of fraud.

Chamber of Commerce and VAT numbers: 

This can be more difficult, especially with international websites. However, in the EU it is mandatory for entrepreneurs to identify themselves. Is this information missing? Then be alert.

E-mail address: 

Check if the email address matches the website's domain name. An email address that matches the domain name is a good sign. Send an email and wait for a response. 

This contact information can usually be found under sections such as "About Us" or "Contact Us". Not there? Then look into it 

privacy policy or terms and conditions.

2. Check the payment options

It is important to see if the website offers payment options such as Afterpay, Billink or Klarna. These services offer the option of paying afterwards and are often not used by fraudulent websites. Offering PayPal is also a good sign, as fraudsters usually do not use this.

If these payment options are not available, it is advisable to be extra alert. Other payment methods such as iDEAL or credit cards do not offer a complete guarantee that you are not dealing with a fraudulent party. It happens that fraudsters show logos of payment options such as Klarna and PayPal, but these are not available at checkout. In such a case it is wise not to proceed with the payment.

Also keep in mind that an iDEAL payment can be riskier than a credit card payment, especially for international transactions. Therefore, always check where the website is actually located. A .nl domain name does not automatically mean that you are dealing with a Dutch company. We will investigate this further in the next step.

3. Check server location and registration date of the domain name

When checking the reliability of a website, it is important not only to investigate the location of the server and the registration details of the domain name, but also to pay attention to the registration date of the domain name. Fraudsters often establish recently registered domain names to conduct their fraudulent activities. So a short history of a domain name can be an indication of a potentially unreliable website.

Reliable websites often have a longer history, which is reflected in an earlier registration date. This information can be found in the WHOIS data, specifically under the entry 'registration date'.

You can find out the WHOIS details, including the registration date, via this link . If you notice that the website has been established recently, be extra careful, especially if other indicators also point to possible fraud.

When checking the WHOIS data, also look for terms such as "redacted for privacy". Although the identity is often shielded, the country of registration is usually not hidden. Look at the country code behind "registrant country". If this country differs from what you expect based on the address details on the website, then that is a clear warning sign.

To check the server IP and location you can use this link . Be extra alert if the IP address is in an unexpected country or if the website uses services such as Cloudflare, which mask the actual IP location. These factors may indicate attempts to hide the true nature of the website.

4. Check the website on search engines

An effective way to check the reliability of a website is to use search engines such as Google or DuckDuckGo. It is important to formulate the search query in a specific way. In the example below, replace 'examplesite.nl' with the name of the website you want to investigate:

"examplesite.nl" -site:examplesite.nl

This search ensures that you get results about the website in question, but excludes results that come directly from the website itself. The quotes are crucial in this search; don't forget this one.

You can further refine the search by adding additional terms. For example, adding the word "scam" can be very revealing. Type this query into the search bar of Google or another search engine and replace 'examplesite.nl' with the name of the website you are researching.

"examplesite.nl" scam OR fake OR fraud -site:examplesite.nl

However, be careful when interpreting positive reviews. Fraudsters are aware of the impact of good reviews and therefore often use fake reviews to increase their credibility. Therefore, do not focus too much on positive reviews and be critical when assessing the information you find.

5. Too good to be true

In the search for great deals on the Internet, it is important to remain vigilant for offers that are 'too good to be true'. Fraudsters capitalize on consumers' desire for cheaper products and services, and therefore often present their items at unrealistically low prices, almost always including the promise of free worldwide shipping. This is a strategy to attract the widest possible audience. However, in reality, shipping, especially internationally, is a complex and expensive affair. Most reputable websites therefore limit their shipping options to a select number of countries.

It is also important to be critical of advertisements you encounter on social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, or via Google. Many people assume that these platforms exert some form of control over advertisers, but this is not the case. These platforms generally take no responsibility for any damages resulting from transactions with advertisers on their sites.

So be extra alert for attractive sales stories and incredibly low prices. If an offer seems too good to be true, it often is. It is always wise to do additional research about the seller and the products offered before making a purchase to avoid possible disappointment or fraud.

6. The importance of SSL certificates

SSL certificates are for the security of websites, but it is important to know that not every SSL certificate is the same. In the past, most fraudulent websites did not have HTTPS security (indicated by SSL certificates), but today this is no longer always the case. SSL certificates are less expensive these days, and sometimes even free. Fraudsters often opt for these free options, such as the certificates issued by "Let's Encrypt", which typically have a validity of three months.

While using a Let's Encrypt certificate is not in itself an indication of fraud – many legitimate and reputable websites also use them – it is still important to remain vigilant. You can check a website's SSL certificate by clicking the lock in front of the domain name in the address bar of your browser. When you click this, a menu will open where you can select the 'Secure Connection' option to view the certificate.

When checking the certificate, pay attention to the period of validity and whether the name "Let's Encrypt" is mentioned. Also check that the name of the website matches the name in the certificate. Inconsistencies or irregularities can be a sign to be extra careful. It is good practice to perform this check as part of your overall assessment of a website's security and reliability.

7. An unprofessional website

First of all, pay attention to the domain name: does it seem strange to you, or does it end with an unusual extension such as .xyz, .top or .tk? This could be a sign to be careful. Even small additions to well-known names can indicate a fake website.

Another important point is the presence of language errors or the use of standard layout texts that have not been adapted. A professional and reliable site offers clear and complete information, divided into various sections or subpages. Are essential subpages missing, such as those on shipping, payments and regulations, or are they incomplete and filled with placeholder text such as 'lorem ipsum'? This could be a red flag.

The presence or absence of a quality mark is also a point of attention. If there is no quality mark to be found, be extra alert. And if there is a quality mark, always check it. Unfortunately, there are many websites that use fake quality marks.

Finally

It is important to remain critical and alert, especially with offers that seem too good to be true. While our tips can help you, your own judgment is always most important.

We would also like to give you an extra tip: preferably pay at international web shops with PayPal, and if that is not possible, with Visa or Mastercard. We recommend that you refrain from paying with iDeal at these shops. If something goes wrong, it is often easier to get your money back through a chargeback with PayPal or your credit card company. This is because with iDeal you are dependent on the cooperation of foreign banks, and unfortunately they do not always cooperate.

If you do become a victim of online store fraud, first contact your bank or credit card company. Try to find out if you can get your money back through them. Don't forget to report it to the police. In some cases, this can help freeze the fraudster's bank account and get your money back. However, keep in mind that with international fraud, even the Dutch police are limited in what they can do for you. That's why it's important to always stay alert and cautious, especially around the holidays when fraudsters are more active.