If you are going to purchase or rent online, check these before buying

Check for free if  you can buy safely

Online Shopping Checker

You can search products with Google Reverse Image Search: See 4. Then you usually get many alternatives but you do the shopping at your own risk.

Google Images

1. Trust the browser. You might have across messages which say that the page or site you’re about to visit is not safe/secure and suggest that you do not visit the site. When you get a warning like this, from Chrome, Safari, Edge, Firefox then heed the warning and stay safe. The browsers make this suggestion based on data as well as user reports, so trusting your browser is a good idea.

2. Click in Chrome address bar the HTTPS button or other browsers' locks to see if Connection is secure.

3. Don’t be conned by “trust signals” (awards, security logos, etc.) But anyone can falsify these elements on their website. When in doubt, contact the issuing organization for the trust mark to verify the company's legitimacy.

4. Type the name of the brand into a search engine and see if any sites pop up flagging it as a scam. If you have difficulties to find results, that can be a sign it’s not a safe place to purchase from.

Do a reverse image search. Take a screenshot or get the URL for one of the images on the site, preferably a product shot. Go to images.google.com and enter it into the search. See if that same photo shows up for other brands or listings, or is even just stock photography. Sometimes these are provided by wholesale companies to brands that are buying and reselling, but they can also be stolen from mainstream brands. Lifted images are a huge red flag.

5. Check reviews before purchasing products online. If the online company is a legitimate website (not a scam site) and has been around for a while, there should be authentic third-party reviews from previous customers.

6. Check the company’s social media presence if they appear to have a genuine following and legitimate posts.

7. Review the company’s contact info. Does it have a physical address, phone number, and email contact? Make sure that locations are real on Google Maps:

Google Maps

8. A company claims it’s been in the e-business for many years. Webarchive lets you check what the site looked like years ago and if the merchant is telling the truth.

Wayback Machine

9. Is for instance the price too good to be true? If it sounds too good to be true
it probably isn't true. When you spot a deep discount in online ads, classified sites, or auction sites, start by comparing the price of that item on from multiple retailers as, well as the manufacturer.

10. Does the website accept credit cards? Credit cards are the safest method of making online purchases, as it's easier for credit card companies to refund any money lost due to fraud. Websites that don't accept credit cards should raise a red flag, as it's often more difficult for fraudulent websites to become certified by credit card companies.

Free Download Link: Printable Signs

11. Read to their shipping as well as exchange and return policies carefully. If the terms/conditions are clear, then the company is probably genuine. Obviously, you should buy anything from a website which does not mention and exchange or return policy.

12. Check for a Website Privacy Policy. Is the website asking for unnecessary information? Entering your name, email, phone number, billing/shipping address, and some payment information on a checkout screen isn’t uncommon, but be wary of any retailer that requires entering additional information, like your social security number, social media accounts, or other sensitive information.