How to check if a website is safe before sharing your information: expert guide

A website might look completely safe – a professional-looking logo, checkout page, and even showing a secure connection – but in reality, it’s a scam site. Everything sensitive you type into the forms on that site might be going directly to scammers.

Today, it’s become harder to tell if a website is safe. You can still check the address, your browser’s security settings, and, of course, verify the business independently. Another good idea is to consider what the page is asking for. If it’s an online store asking for your email password, that’s a red flag.

In this guide, I’ll show you what to check before you share information on a site you’re not sure about. I’ll also talk about how Bitdefender helps you spot risky websites, and also what to do if you’ve already shared something sensitive.

Why a convincing website might still be unsafe

Scammers today simply copy the format of an original website that many people recognize. They can copy the page layout, branding, and login system of a business you personally trust. That’s the whole point.

With phishing websites, scammers’ goal is often to harvest payment information or passwords. For example, a fake checkout page accepts your card information without placing an order. A phony account page could ask you to sign in so someone else signs in later using your credentials. However, legitimate businesses may still collect a lot of private information. It’s important to be aware of what you’re sharing, even with a genuine company.

Even so, website safety can be determined using several checks together. The URL tells you where you are, while connection security protects information during transmission. Researching the business might tell you who runs it. Finally, the form itself tells you what the business wants from you.

Warning signs to notice before filling a form

Before entering any information on a website, notice whether the page behaves differently than what you’re familiar with. You should stop and investigate first if you notice:

• A slightly different address. Swapped letters, extra words added, or a new domain ending.
• Pressure or threats. A threat or a countdown related to your account. This is clearly a severe red flag.
• Unexpected requests. A shopping page asking for your banking login or a “giveaway” pressuring you for identity documents.
• Conflicting business details. Inconsistent or different company names, found across the contact page, policies, and checkout areas.
• Instructions to bypass security. Pages telling you to ignore browser warnings or to disable protection.

Also, be wary of too-good-to-be-true offers, such as a high-end electronics shop selling products at a fraction of the usual price. Second, be especially careful around pop-ups claiming your device is infected and directing you to call or reach out to a number or email address. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) warns against using the phone numbers contained in such messages.

Scammers today use AI to polish their website copy. Even if everything reads perfectly, think about the request and check the address.

How to check a website before sharing your information

Before you enter any information into a website, there are checks you should do. Here’s a more detailed take on what I’d suggest you do.

1. Check the actual website address

Check the actual address in your browser’s address bar. Don’t let a logo or page title fool you. On mobile, tap the address bar to inspect a URL that’s been shortened.

Let’s say it’s yourbank.example.com. The domain points to example.com. Adding “yourbank” to the beginning doesn’t make that page your bank’s website. Likewise, a brand name that follows a slash doesn’t tell you anything about ownership.

Bitdefender’s explanation of phishing domains describes how criminals use misspellings and misleading subdomains to appear as genuine companies – at first glance.

If an unfamiliar message takes you to a login page, use the company’s official app or a bookmark you saved instead. Check the account there. Never use the suspicious page’s own support details to confirm if that page is real.

2. Page encryption and browser alerts

Check if the website has “https://” in the address bar. This means the connection is encrypted, or that information is secured in transit. In Google Chrome, you can click/tap the icon next to the address to reveal information about the site’s connection. Still, that doesn’t tell you if the site is fake, because a fraudulent website can also use encryption.

Never enter sensitive information on an HTTP page (without the “s” at the end). Your browser may also report an alert about the site’s certificate or that the site is dangerous, in which case you should leave the page immediately.

3. Use a website checker

You can use a checker like Bitdefender Link Checker to determine if an address is risky. It’s a free tool that scans sites for threats like malware and phishing. Simply copy the website address into Bitdefender’s checker and run it. You don’t need the full Bitdefender plan to use this online tool – only submit the full address of the suspicious page. Don’t submit links containing your password resets or personal documents.

4. Research the business yourself

Conduct an investigation on the business. Use Google or another search platform to find details about this business’s name and exact domain with words like “scam,” “review,” or “complaint,” followed by the exact URL of the site. You might find some shocking results. Make sure to read reviews from several sources.

Also, remember that ratings and comments for that same page may be manipulated by other scammers to make the page look trustworthy or like a successful business. Furthermore, verify the contact information too. Check which verified channels the business is available in and try contacting those.

5. Check domain history

You can pull domain information via ICANN’s registration lookup. Look for the registration date, where shown, and compare it with what the website claims. A recently registered domain is worth looking into, especially if the site claims to have operated at that address for years. Even so, a new domain or even an older domain isn’t a guarantee that it is a safe business. The devil is in the details, as always.

Registration privacy can also hide the owner’s personal details. However, registration privacy is also common and isn’t an indicator of a threat on its own. I suggest you use domain history to find inconsistencies.

6. Check the privacy and purchase information

A problem may hide in the privacy policy. Before you create an account or upload anything, read what that policy says about sharing, collection, and deletion of personal information. A legitimate business should post a business name and a clear way for visitors to ask privacy questions. For purchases, check the refund, delivery, and returns. The FTC recommends you do exactly that.

For example, a clothing shop with another company’s name in its return policy turns out to be a scam. Policies must describe the service you’re using. Contradictory or missing information is a red flag. A policy page can also be copied. What you’re looking for is consistency and professionalism across the business.

7. Understand what is being asked of you

If the task you’re required to complete shouldn’t logically require a passport or ID scan, then don’t comply. A newsletter usually only needs an email address. A delivery just needs an address. Be vigilant of this.

Even so, some services need to verify identity thoroughly, but still double-check the organization behind the request before you upload anything. A business may use an external verification provider, for example. Confirm that relationship on the business’s official site or ask the support team.

Verification codes are another risk. Only enter a code for an action you initiated on a verified service. The FTC says scammers try to hijack these codes to access accounts. They can then change your password and lock you out, or hoover funds or ID information. When you don’t need an associated service, leave the optional personal fields blank.

Website checks for common situations

I’ll share what to do in common situations where you’re expected to enter information. Here are some examples to focus on:

Website or request	Check before continuing
Online store	Verify the seller, returns policy, total cost, and payment method
Bank or email login	Access the official app or the official site you used to access via bookmark, especially after a suspicious account warning
Delivery payment	Verify the tracking number via the official website before paying any fees
Job application	See if there’s a vacancy in the employer’s career pages before providing any information
Identity verification	Confirm who needs the document, why it’s necessary, and if an external provider is authorized

Regarding online purchases, be extremely careful around sellers. Sellers may insist on using gift cards – a known scam – cryptocurrency, or direct transfers. It’s difficult to recover such payments. Where you can, paying via credit card might provide you with an evidence trail so you can dispute fraudulent charges later on – if the order never arrives or something else goes wrong.

What to do if you’ve already shared your information

If you have already shared information, close the page. Save the message, website address, and any receipts for future reporting. Don’t interact with the site any further. Here are more tips:

• You entered a password – update/change your password. If you used it for any other accounts, change those too.
• You shared card details or sent money – contact your bank or payment provider as soon as possible. Explain what happened in detail.
• You uploaded identity documents – contact the authority that issued those documents. Follow the identity theft procedures in your country.
• You installed software – stop using the program immediately. Run a security scan.

If your account is affected, sign out of all other sessions where possible. Then review your recovery information, and enable multi-factor authentication on all accounts going forward. Ensure you check out any email forwarding rules you didn’t create. Readers from the US can use identitytheft.gov for recovery guidance and reportfraud.ftc.gov for reporting a scam. For anywhere else, contact your local reporting service.

You might have just visited the page. That doesn’t mean everything’s compromised, so don’t panic. Close the page and check for any surprise downloads. Update all of your software. If you suspect a risky download or notice your device is behaving abnormally, you should run a security scan.

How Bitdefender protects your information on unsafe websites

Bitdefender Premium Security includes Scam Protection Pro, which provides Web Scam Protection. It focuses on browsing activity and specializes in detecting the newest scam patterns and tactics, helping you spot a scam page before you share your information. This means it can interrupt a risky connection before a convincing scam page has the chance to defraud you.

Bitdefender Premium Security also includes the browser extension Web Sage. Its Malicious Page Blocker blocks dangerous websites before they load, and Search Advisor shows safety ratings next to search results. A free Standard version of Web Sage is available with a free Bitdefender account, while Web Sage Premium, included with Premium Security, adds In-Browser Web Scam Protection and Safe Shopping, among other features.

Sometimes, Bitdefender protection may block a page you think you can trust. If that happens, investigate through the official app of the business you’re trying to reach. Don’t disable protection features just because the page has familiar branding.

What got you there

A scam website often begins with an account alert or a message. Bitdefender Email Protection checks your connected Gmail and Outlook messages, while labeling your incoming messages as safe or unsafe. You need to connect the supported account for that protection to work.

Furthermore, Scamio Pro – included with Scam Protection Pro – can also inspect suspicious links, messages, and other content you submit. Simply describe the situation without including any unnecessary personal details or passwords.

Overall, these features help you detect scams, but they can’t guarantee that a legitimate business will handle your information appropriately. I suggest you’re always on the lookout for what a website requests, even when there’s no warning. Before you subscribe, check the current plan requirements regarding which features you can use.

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Final word

An account alert or delivery message can lead you to an unsafe website. Before sharing any information, check the URL, follow security warnings, and ensure the business request makes sense. HTTPS, positive reviews, and a clean scan are positive clues. However, that isn’t a guarantee.

If a page feels wrong to you, use the company’s official app instead. Otherwise, contact the business yourself, or leave. You don’t have to complete a form just because it’s there in front of you.

For even more protection while you browse, consider Bitdefender Premium Security. It includes Scam Protection Pro and Bitdefender Web Sage Premium, offering you phishing defenses that can help detect and block dangerous pages. Meanwhile, you must follow cybersecurity best practices and stay in control over what information you share online.

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