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The Internet is not a safe place anymore. If you find a phishing or scam website, it’s obvious that you might want to report it.
Reporting such websites is recommended because it helps the authorities to take them down and protects users on the Internet from getting scammed or downloading viruses.
Fortunately, you can report a website on the Internet in various ways and places. Before we tell you about the ways, let’s first find out how you can spot a scam website.
How to spot scam websites? Are there ways for it?
In 2023, things are getting more advanced, And now there are ways to spot spam websites. Let’s find out how.
Is the website using HTTPS?
HTTPS means (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure), which differs from HTTP. Websites with the HTTPS padlock symbol in the address bar are usually safe to browse. If the website is not using HTTPS, it’s probably a scam.
Are the users conscious?
If you want to determine the safety of any website, then see what the Internet says about it. You can look for the reviews on Quora or Reddit to determine if there are any red flags. People are very vocal about scam websites; you will likely find a trail.
Is the design basic?
Each professional website has a good appearance and design. If the design is not up to the mark, it can be a scam website. Scam websites do not care about the design or aesthetic, but professional websites do.
Is the contact information there?
If the website provides clear and accessible contact information well like an email address or phone number, it’s likely to be legitimate. But if you see the absence of these things, you have your answer.
Typos and Grammatical errors
Low-quality or potentially malicious websites usually have a lot of typos and grammatical errors. But you will not see these things on a professional website.
Absence of SSL certificates
If the website is legitimate, it takes all the necessary steps to achieve security badges on the website, like an SSL certificate. But if you see that the SSL certificate is not there, you are dealing with a scam website.
Ways to report a website – Methods you can use to make reporting easy
Let’s discuss the three wonderful ways to report a website you consider spam.
Reporting a scam website to Google
The first way is to report a website to Google so it will block it from loading in Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Opera, and many other browsers. Once Google takes action, it removes the site from Google search. It also blocks emails that contain the site’s URL from arriving in Gmail.
Google will also prevent the website from linking to other Google products like Google Maps, YouTube, and Blogger.
If you want to report a site to Google, follow these steps:
- First of all, launch the SafeBrowsing Report page.
- Type in the site’s URL that you consider spam.
- Complete the well, CAPTCHA.
- Briefly write a reason for your report
- Click Submit Report.
Reporting scam website of Microsoft
Once you report a website to Microsoft, it will block it in Internet Explorer and Microsoft Edge. After Microsoft considers the website spam, it will also block emails containing the link in Outlook.com. Along with that, the site will also be removed from Bing and Yahoo searches.
The steps are very easy to report a website to Microsoft.
- First of all, Go to the Microsoft SmartScreen report page.
- Next, you must type the URL into the “which site do you want to report box.”
- It’s important to specify which threat you found on the site. For instance, if the site is phishing related, select that button. Select the “Malware or other threats” button for all other dangerous sites.
- The next step is all about specifying what language the site is in.
- Complete the CAPTCHA.
- Click Submit.
Reporting website to McAfee
The third method is all about reporting a website to Report McAfee. Almost all of us use this anti-virus and our computer. Once you report a website to McAfee, it will block the site from loading for users who use McAfee. By taking this action the website can be down soon enough.
The steps are very simple if you want to report a website to McAfee.
- First of all go to the Customer URL Ticketing System.
- Select “McAfee Real-Time Database”.
- Now type the spam website URL into the text box.
- Click Check URL.
- The next part is suggesting categories. You can select between different options like spam urls, malicious sites and phishing.
- Ensure you type your reason for categorising the website.
- Lastly, click Submit URL for Review.
Report a site to IC3
The IC3, also known as the Complaint Center, is a website operated by the FBI. It serves as an excellent platform for reporting websites that promote illegal content, Phishing or Scam.
To report such sites to the IC3, simply visit their File a Complaint page. Make sure to carefully read and agree to the terms before completing the report form.
Other Tips
- To report phishing sites to the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), you can email to phishing-report@us-cert.gov.
- You can also report a site to the FTC after going to report fraud.ftc.gov.
Tips to stay secure while browsing websites
We have talked about different ways through which you can report a spam website. At the same time, you must stay secure while browsing the internet. There are some tips for that.
Use Anti-virus software
Good antivirus software can detect and block potential malware or spam websites, so it is important to use one.
Private browsing mode
To ensure complete safety, make sure that you browse websites in a private browsing or incognito way.
Don’t leave personal information
It doesn’t matter if you sign up for any website; refrain from providing unnecessary personal information.
Update your system regularly
Regular updates can fix many bugs on your system, so you must update your system and software regularly.
Don’t click on links
Spam websites can be a place of malicious activities, so refrain from clicking on any link.
Consider using an ad blocker
When you have an ad blocker installed on your computer, you cannot be directed to potentially harmful websites. Ad blocker on your device is a good idea.
Stay secure with PureVPN
You can use a reliable VPN service, like PureVPN, to help prevent a Spam attack. PureVPN allows you to effectively encrypt your network traffic. It can also help you with IP whitelisting, network isolation, and traffic encryption to equip you against spam websites.
Here are some added benefits.
- Remain well anonymous online and hide your IP address with PureVPN while browsing websites.
- Securely host private servers with a Dedicated IP address.
- Get global connectivity with PureVPN’s extensive server of 6500+ servers in 70+ locations.
- Enjoy PureVPN’s DNS leak protection feature.
- Encrypt your network traffic and operate safely with advanced AES 256-bit encryption.
Conclusion
So there it is. Your guide to report a spam website. Make sure you check about the authenticity of the website before proceeding with our given tips. And always remember to use a reputable VPN to keep yourself secure.
Frequently Asked Questions
Spammers on the internet come with an agenda. Most of the time, they launch fake marketing schemes to get money. And sometimes, their main agenda is hacking into your system.
Free VPNs are not secure because they have limited features and less privacy. While browsing the internet, going for a paid and reliable VPN is always a good idea.
Yes, spam websites have advanced hacking software; if you are not careful, they can hack into your system. For next level security, it is recommended to use a VPN.
Marrium Akhtar
July 12, 2023
10 months ago
