Consumer Alert: Beware of Fake Websites

NASHVILLE – Many consumers are aware of common email scams such as those informing you of foreign lottery winnings or a request from your “bank” that does not look quite right, but the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance (TDCI) Division of Consumer Affairs warns Tennesseans about another online scam tactic: fake websites.

“Con artists are always looking for new ways to scam people out of their hard-earned money,” said TDCI Deputy Commissioner Bill Giannini. “A phony website posing as a legitimate business is one of many online ploys used by crooks. Consumers must stay vigilant and informed to avoid these ever-changing schemes.”

Fake websites often look and feel real. In fact, most fake websites are direct replicas of genuine websites. These sites may have very similar domain names to their authentic counterparts and will attempt to coerce you to give personal information or download software. Other fake sites may use real business information for a business that does not actually have a website.

The latter instance occurred recently in Knoxville to Cupp’s Auto Sales. Scammers created a fake website using Cupp’s Auto Sales business information to trick buyers into purchasing nonexistent vehicles. Unfortunately for these unsuspecting consumers, Cupp’s Auto Sales does not currently have a website.

So how can you identify fake websites? Here are a couple of ways you can protect yourself:

• Use the contact information provided on the website to reach out to the business. If you reach an automated voice messaging system, a number that is not in service or nobody answers during regular business hours, this is a red flag.
• Look at the google SafeBrowse report by typing this URL before the site address: http://google.com/safebrowsing/diagnostic?site.
• Visit www.whois.net to see domain ownership information. Simply type in the companies URL in the search box and click on the magnifying glass icon. Verify that the results page matches up with the information displayed on the website such as their country, contact information and length of time the website has been in existence.                                                           

If you are a business owner and you discover a fake website posing as your business, you can use the www.whois.net to discover its host. At that point you can contact the host and report the site as fraudulent. Once the host verifies the site is fraudulent they will take down the site.

As a good rule of thumb for consumers, research before you buy or download from any website and make sure that the website is an authentic and trusted source. By making the above steps part of your web browsing routine, you will be one step ahead of scammers.

For more consumer tips and resources, visit the Division of Consumer’s Affairs at wehelpconsumers.tn.gov.

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