We have all been hit by scams, lies, and con games at some point in our lives. The liars that promise you the moon for $99.00 per month and deliver nothing, the con where you lay out the money, get the "training" (that takes three to six months), and then… Yep, the site closes and your money is gone. But the worst is the site that seems legit but turns out to be just another scam in disguise.

 

Want to spot them before you get sucked in? Then make note of this writing. Here are a few ways to determine the safety and worthiness of a site:

 

• No secure web address for the site itself. By that I mean that when you look at the address bar of your browser you don't see http:// or https:// before the site name.

• Free or unsafe code for the site. If your security software says don't go here, pay attention! The site contains viruses, malware, or adware. It may contain a combination of all three.

• Click on the contact link, look around, is there a physical address and a phone number? No? Leave the site because it is fraudulent.

• Still not sure? Use their contact by email, wait 48 hours, and watch your spam folders as well as your main account. No reply? Thought so, it's a scam.

• Final way to tell is to search the site and find the owners name. Is there an about page? Can you find the owner in a web search? No? Then the website is unsafe and will waste your time and money.

 

Now some sites may not have the secure web address but if you research them first you may find that their security is still rather good. It depends on the type of site and the purpose of the site. Continue reading for more tips.

 

Before you sign up for anything grab the website address and run it at http://www.scamadviser.com/check-website for a look-see at how safe a site is to buy from. The Scam Adviser site is free to use and gives you as much information as they can as quickly as they can. It may take a few minutes for the site check to run but it is some really useful information.

 

Another way to check on things is at http://www.whois.com/ for free. This site requires either the owners name or the site address. It tells you how the whole domain is set up, what security they are using, how long they've been online, etc. Who Is has a lot of technical information so it can be a bit difficult to understand.

 

Of course there is always a web search for reviews of the site, product, or service. You may get some conflicting statements in the reviews but overall the reviews are usually correct. Now, I like to run the site owners name through a web search as well. This kind of search lets me  see if they have ever been involved in dirty dealings. You'd be surprised at how many of these so-called "gurus" are con artists hiding behind proxies and the "to-good-to-be-true" offers.

 

A few minutes of research can save you a lot of misery and heartache (not to mention a lighter bank account) in the long run. It is never a waste of time to research before you jump in. From joining a new site on the web to purchasing that new appliance for your home, research first. Who made it? Is it safe? Does it do what it promises? And so on.

 

Protect yourself, your bank account, and your computer. Make sure the site and those running it are legit before you give them anything. Your time is just as valuable as your money and when you waste your time there is no financial gain for you. Be careful, friends, the internet has become a scary place to be.