Protect Yourself from Scam in 2020 using this Scam-Avoidance Checklist
I’m helping others avoid & fight scam. I’d love for you to join me!
As I’ve shared in a previous post, I was recently a victim of a job aptitude tests and assessment website.
The rogue website actually had all the signs of a scammer website and to make matters worse, I was in a hurry and did not do a thorough check before signing up.
So I’ve come up with this quick scam-avoidance checklist for anyone to use when evaluating a website before making a purchase.
My Scam-Avoidance Checklist
- What is the company’s business registration number or ID? Legitimate companies are registered businesses in their home country. This business ID should be visible on the website and easy to find. If it is hidden or not shown, consider this a RED FLAG. You can use the business ID to check with official government websites to see whether the company is still a valid business and can even get names of the directors in the company.
- What is the company’s physical address and phone number? Real companies offer a way for you to reach them by phone in case you need to speak to a real person. Even pure online companies like Amazon.com provides their phone number.
- Check review on Google Maps. Legitimate companies will have their business listed in Google Maps. Here you can verify details on the website to see if they match and also read past customer reviews. Unlike customer review sites like Trustpilot or Yelp, which allows companies to block negative reviews, it is much harder for companies to block negative reviews on Google. So definitely check this.
- Check social account activity. Good and honest companies are responsive to customers. They reply to comments, likes, and questions. They actively interact. So check Twitter and Facebook and Instagram to see if there are any recent activities. Try to interact and see how well they respond. Fake companies are slow at replying and worst do not answer questions properly giving unclear answers. If the scam company is run by Indians or Russians, it’s even easier to detect. They typically have poor command of English.
- They use a premium SSL certificate. Nowadays all websites are encrypted and use HTTPS connections. Even scammer websites! This is because there is a free option offered by Letsencrypt.org. But unlike scammers, most real businesses use expensive, paid SSL certificates; not free certificates like Letsencrypt. So check the certificate they use on the website. Click on the padlock in your browser’s address/URL bar and click “more details” to view more information about the SSL certificate being used.
Conclusion
If you have been scammed, do not keep it to yourself. Tell the world, lodge a complaint, and share your experience with others.
Not all complaints will lead to a successful recovery or refund but if we don’t call the scammers out they will continue to prey on innocent people.
I thank you for reading this and I hope you join me in spreading tips to avoid scam and encouraging others to do the same.
You’re the best.

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