Check before you pay
Website legit checker: is this site legit?
Paste the address of a shop, a link from a text message or an ad you are not sure about. We check how old the domain is, whether it copies a well-known brand, what the site itself shows, and whether people have complained about it here.
What the checker looks at
No single signal proves a website is fake. Several together usually do. These are the checks, and the warning sign for each.
| Check | What it tells you | Warning sign |
|---|---|---|
| Complaints filed here | Whether the site belongs to a company people have complained about on Complain.biz, and what we found when we checked who runs it. | A company we could not verify, or one that no longer trades. |
| Copycat names | Whether the address imitates a well-known brand: a swapped letter, an unusual ending, or the brand name next to words like "outlet" or "verify". | amaz0n-deals.shop instead of amazon.com. |
| Malware and phishing lists | Whether the address is on the threat lists of Cloudflare's security filter, which blocks known malware and phishing sites. | Any listing at all: leave the site. |
| Domain age | When the domain was registered, from the public registry record. | Weeks or a few months old. |
| Popularity | Where the site ranks among the most visited websites in the Tranco list. | A "big brand" shop that almost nobody visits. |
| Secure connection | Whether the site loads over a valid HTTPS connection. | No HTTPS on a page that asks for card details. |
| Forwarding | Whether the address sends you on to a different website. | A link that bounces you to another domain. |
| Contact details | Whether the homepage shows a contact page, an email address or a phone number. | No way at all to reach a person. |
| Policies | Whether privacy, terms and returns pages are linked from the homepage. | No returns policy, or one without a return address. |
| Prices and pressure | Discounts of 70% or more and "closing down" sales on the homepage. | 80% off everything, today only. |
| Payment methods | Whether the site asks for gift cards, crypto or bank transfers only. | "We only accept bank transfer." |
| Whether the domain can receive email at all. | An orders@ address that bounces. |
Popular websites people ask about
We checked who runs 3,127 companies and read what their customers report. These are the websites people most often ask about. Open one for the full check and the complaints filed here.
| Website | Type | Our check | Complaints |
|---|---|---|---|
| Is Wish legit? | Retail Company | Legit | 7,163 complaints |
| Is Cash App legit? | Payment Providers | Legit | 2,147 complaints |
| Is Binance legit? | Crypto / DeFi / Blockchain | Legit | 1,092 complaints |
| Is Vinted legit? | Fashion | Legit, mixed reviews | 341 complaints |
| Is Booking.com legit? | Hotels / Motels | Legit, mixed reviews | 336 complaints |
| Is AliExpress legit? | Retail Company | Legit, mixed reviews | 237 complaints |
| Is Crypto.com legit? | Crypto / DeFi / Blockchain | Legit, mixed reviews | 210 complaints |
| Is SHEIN legit? | Fashion | Legit | 188 complaints |
| Is Coinbase legit? | Crypto / DeFi / Blockchain | Legit | 172 complaints |
| Is ROMWE legit? | Fashion | Legit, mixed reviews | 168 complaints |
| Is Mercari legit? | Retail Company | Legit, mixed reviews | 162 complaints |
| Is eBay legit? | Retail Company | Legit, mixed reviews | 95 complaints |
| Is Viagogo legit? | Entertainment Company | Legit | 73 complaints |
| Is StockX legit? | Retail Company | Legit | 65 complaints |
| Is Venmo legit? | Payment Providers | Legit, mixed reviews | 46 complaints |
| Is Etsy legit? | Luxury | Legit, mixed reviews | 32 complaints |
| Is Poshmark legit? | Fashion | Legit, mixed reviews | 16 complaints |
| Is Depop legit? | Fashion | Legit | 14 complaints |
| Is Temu legit? | Retail Company | Legit, mixed reviews | 9 complaints |
| Is Airbnb legit? | Apartments / Cabins / Lodges | Legit, mixed reviews | 8 complaints |
| Is Craigslist legit? | Online Services | Legit, mixed reviews | 7 complaints |
| Is Overstock.com legit? | Interior shops | Legit | 3 complaints |
| Is Facebook Marketplace legit? | Social Media | Legit | 3 complaints |
| Is Vrbo legit? | Apartments / Cabins / Lodges | Legit | 3 complaints |
| Is SeatGeek legit? | Entertainment Company | Legit | 2 complaints |
| Is GOAT legit? | Fashion | Legit | 1 complaint |
| Is Klarna legit? | Payment Providers | Legit | 1 complaint |
Websites we couldn't verify
For these companies we could not find who runs the site, or a licence the business needs. That is not proof of anything, but it is the first thing to settle before you pay. The complaints filed here tell the rest.
| Website | What we found | Our check | Complaints |
|---|---|---|---|
| Is FireKirin legit? | We could not find out who operates FireKirin, an online fish and slot game platform that presents itself as sweepstakes gaming, or whether it holds any gamin... | Couldn't verify | 708 complaints |
| Is Riversweeps legit? | Who actually runs Riversweeps is something we could not confirm: the casino-style sweepstakes games, played online and on shop kiosks, come with pages that n... | Couldn't verify | 417 complaints |
| Is Z MASTERMINE PTE legit? | We could not confirm who runs Z MASTERMINE PTE, a Singapore-registered name that appears on card statements for goods ordered through online ads. | Couldn't verify | 208 complaints |
| Is Orion Stars legit? | We could not confirm who runs Orion Stars, a fish and slot game platform sold as social gaming, or whether it holds a gaming licence. | Couldn't verify | 147 complaints |
| Is Planet 7 Casino legit? | We could not confirm who licenses Planet 7 Casino, an online casino running Realtime Gaming slots: its terms name a company on Anjouan in the Comoros and a l... | Couldn't verify | 80 complaints |
| Is PlaySpot legit? | PlaySpot is, or was, a phone app paying points for playing mobile games, and we could not find out who runs it: its website no longer loads and we found no c... | Couldn't verify | 80 complaints |
| Is Bingo Winner legit? | Bingo Winner is an iPhone bingo game promising cash prizes, and we could not trace its developer, JoyBox Studio Limited, to any registered company or address. | Couldn't verify | 73 complaints |
| Is Ouyi Group Limited legit? | We could not establish who is behind Ouyi Group Limited, a name that turns up on payments for online orders but on no shop we could find. | Couldn't verify | 61 complaints |
| Is Ruby Slots legit? | Ruby Slots presents itself as an online casino for real-money play from the US, but we could not confirm who runs it or which gaming licence it holds. | Couldn't verify | 42 complaints |
| Is Freewallet legit? | We could not confirm where Wallet Services Ltd, the company named behind Freewallet, is registered, or whether it holds a licence to look after crypto. | Couldn't verify | 29 complaints |
| Is Claw Blast legit? | We could not confirm who is behind Claw Blast: no developer, website or Google Play listing turned up, and the only App Store game with that name appeared in... | Couldn't verify | 29 complaints |
| Is BitBetWin legit? | We could not find the company behind BitBetWin, a live crypto sweepstakes site linking to fish and slot game apps, or any gaming licence it holds. | Couldn't verify | 28 complaints |
| Is Azure Hand Casino legit? | Azure Hand Casino offered real-money casino games online and also appeared under the True Blue Casino name, yet we could never find who ran it or a gambling ... | Couldn't verify | 23 complaints |
| Is BY SOFIAS AUSTRALIA legit? | We could not find out who was behind BY SOFIAS AUSTRALIA, an online shoe and clothing store whose website named no company, street address or business number. | Couldn't verify | 22 complaints |
| Is CoinField legit? | We were unable to confirm that CoinField, a cryptocurrency exchange run by Manticore Labs, held the trading registration its business needed. | Couldn't verify | 21 complaints |
How to spot a fake website
- 1
Read the address letter by letter
Copycat shops change one letter ("rn" for "m", a zero for an "o") or add a word: nike-outlet-sale.com. On a phone the address bar hides most of it, so tap it and read the whole thing.
- 2
Check how old the domain is
A shop that claims to have been selling since 2010 but whose domain is six weeks old is lying about one of the two. The checker above shows the registration date.
- 3
Look for a way to reach a person
A real business lists an email address, a phone number or at least a contact page that works. If all you find is a chat bubble that never answers, walk away.
- 4
Distrust prices that are too good
Real brands do not sell new trainers at 80% off. Neither does a "closing down" shop that opened last month. The bigger the discount, the harder you should look.
- 5
Read the returns page
Fake shops copy policies from real ones. Look for a return address. If there is none, or it is a home address on another continent, whatever you send back will not come back.
- 6
Pay with a method that protects you
Card payments and well-known payment services offer buyer protection. Gift cards, crypto and bank transfers do not, which is exactly why fake shops ask for them.
- 7
Open the social links
Real businesses have posts and followers going back years. Fake shops link to empty pages, or to the accounts of the brand they copy.
- 8
Search what others went through
Search the name of the shop on Complain.biz. Complaints about parcels that never came or refunds that never arrived tell you more than any review widget on the shop itself.
Common fake websites and how to recognise them
| Type | How it works | The tell |
|---|---|---|
| Fake shop | A polished store sells brand clothing, furniture or electronics far below normal prices. You pay and nothing arrives, or something cheap and different does. | A young domain, huge discounts, no real contact details. |
| Copycat brand site | A copy of a well-known shop or login page on a look-alike address, built to take your card details or password. | The address: one letter off, or the brand plus "outlet", "sale" or "verify". |
| Delivery fee text | A text says a parcel is waiting and asks for a small redelivery or customs fee. The page behind the link collects your card details. | The link is not on the courier's own domain. |
| Ticket resale | Tickets for sold-out concerts or matches, often offered through social media and paid by bank transfer. | Pressure to pay fast, by a method you cannot reverse. |
| Pets for sale | Photos of puppies or kittens at a low price, followed by extra fees for transport, insurance or vaccinations. | The seller will not video call, and the fees keep growing. |
| Investment platform | A dashboard shows fast-growing profits. To withdraw, you first have to pay a "tax" or "unlock" fee. | You can deposit, but never withdraw. |
| Tech support pop-up | A page claims your computer is infected and shows a phone number to call for help. | Real companies do not put phone numbers in warning pop-ups. |
| Rental listing | A home for rent below market price. You are asked for a deposit before you can see it. | The landlord is "abroad" and cannot show you the place. |
Questions about checking a website
How do I check if a website is legit?
Paste the address in the checker above. It looks at the age of the domain, whether the name copies a well-known brand, known malware and phishing lists, the secure connection, the contact details and policies on the site, and the complaints filed on Complain.biz. Then read the address letter by letter yourself, and be wary of prices far below what other shops charge.
Is a website safe if it has HTTPS and a padlock?
Not necessarily. The padlock only means the connection is encrypted, so nobody can read what you send along the way. Certificates are easy to get, and most fake shops have one too. It protects what you send, not who you send it to.
How reliable is the result?
The checker reads public signals and counts the warning signs. A brand-new shop can be honest, and an old domain can change hands. Treat many warning signs as a reason to stop and look further, and few warning signs as a good start, not a guarantee.
Why does the checker say a site looks like a well-known brand?
Its address is one or two letters away from the brand's own domain, or it puts the brand name next to words like "outlet", "sale" or "verify". Brands sometimes register these spellings themselves to protect customers. When the address forwards you to the brand's own website, the checker tells you so.
Can a legit website still have complaints?
Yes. Big, real companies get complaints every day: parcels that never arrive, refunds that take weeks, customer service that goes in circles. Legit means a real business runs the site. How it treats customers is what the complaints show.
A website did not deliver what I paid for. What now?
Report it through our website. We help you write an effective complaint in minutes, with your order details and what you want back. Our AI models are trained on thousands of effective complaint letters. Your complaint gets its own public page, so the next person who checks the site is warned.
Why can the checker not read some websites?
Some shops block automated visits or build their homepage with scripts, so there is little for us to read. The checker then shows what it could check: the domain, its age, its popularity, the secure connection and the complaints filed here.