How to tell if a website is secure

• December 21, 2025

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When you’re browsing the web, it’s easy to feel like you’re in a bit of a digital Wild West. One minute you’re reading a recipe, and the next you’re on a page asking for your email address or credit card details. Knowing how to tell if a website is secure isn’t just for tech experts—it’s a basic survival skill for anyone using the internet today.

The good news is that while scammers are getting smarter, browsers and security tools are getting better at helping us stay safe. You don’t need to be a cybersecurity pro to spot the difference between a legitimate site and a trap. Usually, it just takes a few seconds of looking at the right places to know if you should stay or run.

Start with the Padlock and HTTPS

The first thing most people look for is the little padlock icon in the address bar. This icon indicates that the website is using HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure). When you see that padlock, it means the connection between your browser and the website is encrypted. This prevents hackers from “eavesdropping” on the data you send, like your password or credit card number.

However, it’s important to remember that a padlock doesn’t mean the website owner is honest. It just means the connection is private. Even a scammer can set up a secure connection. Think of it like a locked door: it’s great for privacy, but it doesn’t tell you if the person inside the house is a friend or a burglar. Organizations like Norton point out that while HTTPS is a must-have, it’s only the first step in your checklist.

Double-Check the URL (The “Address”)

One of the most common tricks scammers use is creating “look-alike” URLs. They might use g00gle.com instead of google.com, or wellsfarg0.com instead of wellsfargo.com. This is called typosquatting.

Always take a moment to look closely at the domain name. If the spelling looks even slightly off, or if the site is using an unusual extension (like .biz or .xyz when you’d expect .com), be very cautious. If you’re unsure, it’s always safer to search for the company name on a search engine like Google or DuckDuckGo and click the top result rather than following a link from an email or a social media ad.

Look for “Trust Signals” and Contact Info

Legitimate businesses want you to know they are real. They usually provide a clear way to contact them, such as a physical address, a phone number, or a dedicated support email. If a website only has a vague contact form and no other way to reach a human being, that’s a red flag.

You can also look for trust badges, like “Verified by Visa” or “Norton Secured.” But here’s the catch: scammers often just paste a picture of these badges onto their site. A real trust badge should be clickable and lead to a verification page from the security provider. As NordVPN suggests, if you click a badge and nothing happens, or it just reloads the page, it’s likely a fake.

Watch Out for Too-Good-To-Be-True Deals

We’ve all seen them: ads for brand-name sneakers for $10 or “free” iPhones if you just pay for shipping. If a website is offering prices that are dramatically lower than everywhere else, it’s almost certainly a scam. These sites are designed to steal your credit card information, and the “product” you ordered will never arrive.

If you’re on a shopping site you’ve never heard of, do a quick search for “[Website Name] reviews” or check their reputation on a site like Trustpilot. If the site is new or has a lot of “too good to be true” reviews that all sound the same, trust your gut and walk away.

Let Your Browser Do the Heavy Lifting

Modern browsers like Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge have built-in security features that are incredibly effective. If you see a full-page warning that says “Your connection is not private” or “The site ahead contains malware,” don’t ignore it.

These warnings are based on massive databases of known malicious sites, often powered by services like Google Safe Browsing. While they can occasionally have false positives, it’s much better to be safe than sorry. If your browser tells you a site is dangerous, it’s best to believe it and close the tab.

Summary Checklist

If you’re ever in doubt, run through this quick mental checklist:

1. Is there a padlock and does the URL start with HTTPS? (Necessary, but not sufficient.)
2. Is the URL spelled correctly? (Watch out for zeros instead of “O"s or extra letters.)
3. Is there clear contact information and a privacy policy?
4. Are there “clickable” trust badges?
5. Does the site feel professional, or are there lots of typos and broken links?

Staying safe online doesn’t have to be stressful. By taking just a few extra seconds to verify who you’re dealing with, you can browse with confidence and keep your personal information where it belongs—with you.

• security
• privacy
• web browsing
• safety

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