Image Source: Pixabay
By Teri O.
While shopping online for something using Microsoft Edge as a browser, the Microsoft Shopping tool showed me a much cheaper price for the product on a website that I actually thought was Overstock.com at first glance. Amazingly, it was a quarter of the cost of the same item at Walmart and Amazon, so I was pretty excited.
I went to the site and was almost getting ready to buy the item because it was such a great deal. But then I started noticing the red flags. Just last month I’d written an article about fake college websites, and this site had many of the same characteristics. Yep, the old adage is true: “If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.”
For one thing, the domain name wasn’t Overstock.com; it was just a bunch of random letters. The URL alone was enough to make me think twice, but that got me started digging deeper into the website. Here’s what I found:
Even though the site had a logo that resembled Overstock’s, it wasn’t exactly the same. The “About Us” page and social media links didn’t go anywhere. There were over a dozen reviews for this product, all five stars, and every single one of them was a brief generic statement of glowing praise with no specific details given about the item.
According to Google Maps, their warehouse address was actually an apartment in Los Angeles! I looked up their area code and it was in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. And finally, I found three other websites of the same design with similar names: Florida Shop, Detroit Store, and Kansas Outlet. Tried-and-true all-American names, right? But really just a network of scammers!
I’m kind of embarrassed to admit that I almost fell for it, but I sure was glad I didn’t. Now I can see how this might happen to anyone–especially if you’re in a hurry, or tired, or sick, or just not paying attention, and it’s something that you want badly enough–in particular if it’s normally a bit expensive but is supposedly selling for a super low price.
Even as consumers of information, we still have to practice “buyer beware.” However, it’s ridiculous that Microsoft Shopping is serving online shopping ads to get you to purchase from scam vendors! It didn’t give any indication that it was an ad, either. It gave the impression that it was a vetted site, right up there with Walmart and the rest.
Seriously, how does this represent the “trust and integrity” that Microsoft likes to harp about? I would have never stumbled upon this site if it wasn’t for Microsoft pushing it on me under the guise of savings. It’s absolutely crazy for your own browser to be pushing scams on you. You’d think Microsoft would only accept advertising from legitimate companies and provide a direct way to report scam/phishing sites encountered in their Shopping assistant.
Needless to say, I will never trust any suggestions from the Microsoft online shopping feature ever again!
How to Spot a Fake Website
Spotting a fake website is a bit like learning to read subtle tells in a conversation — once you know what to look for, the red flags become much easier to catch. Here’s an overview of key signs that indicate a website might be fake.
- Irregularities in the domain name. Scammers may use any random domain name, but they often register look‑alike domains with subtle differences to trick users. These fake sites may mimic real ones but with misspellings, extra characters, or URLs that don’t end in .com (Examples include amaz0n.com or paypal.support.) Always double‑check spellings and domain endings.
- Poor design, grammar mistakes, or low‑quality images. Scammers often rush to publish fake sites and usually have poor English skills. Sloppy writing, dummy placeholder text, pixelated logos or inconsistent branding are dead giveaways.
- Too-good-to-be-true offers. Huge discounts, free items, or unrealistic deals are classic bait.
- Strange or missing contact information. Legitimate businesses provide a real physical address, customer service number, and professional email address. Fake sites often hide or fake this info.
- Pressure tactics or pop‑ups demanding action. Fake sites may have countdown timers or push urgent messages such as: “Activate now!” or “Download this to continue!” These are common in phishing and scam pages.
How to Stay Safe When Shopping Online
- Check reviews and reputation. Search the company name + “scam” or “reviews” before buying. Many fake sites have no online footprint — or lots of complaints.
- Use security tools. VPNs, password managers, and browser security features help flag risky sites.
- Avoid clicking links in emails or ads. Instead, type the website address manually into your browser.
- Trust your instincts. If something feels “off” — design, tone, urgency — pause and verify.
Anyway, the moral of this story is, use common sense when shopping online. Only buy from well-known retailers. And if an offer seems too good to be true, it probably is!
