The Tech Grandkid · thetechgrandkid.com/guides/lookalike-websites/
A website looks like your bank or Medicare but might be fake. Here's how to check.
A fake website can copy every logo and color of the real one. The web address is where it gives itself away.
This page is for you if
- A link in an email or text took you to a sign-in page
- You searched for a company and clicked the first result
- The site looks right but something feels off
Why this happens
The FBI says spoofed websites can look nearly identical to your bank or credit card site, and the address may differ by just one letter. The FTC says scammers also pay for search ads that look like real companies or government sites.
Do these steps
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Step 1: Type the address yourself
Type the company's web address straight into your browser, or use the address on your bill or card. Don't use links in emails or texts.
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Step 2: Read the web address
Look closely at the address at the top. Check the spelling. The FBI says scammers change one letter, number or symbol.
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Step 3: Check for .gov
The FTC says most U.S. government sites end in .gov, like medicare.gov. An address ending in .com or .org could be someone else.
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Step 4: Watch for ads in search results
The FTC says the first results may be paid ads marked Ad or Sponsored. Scroll down past them.
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Step 5: Save the real sites
The FBI suggests using bookmarks or favorites in your browser for the sites where you sign in, like your bank.
Already typed your password or card number?
- Change that password now on the real site, and anywhere else you use it.
- Call your bank or card company using the number on your card.
- Report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov or the FBI at ic3.gov.
Check it with the source
We wrote these steps from these official pages. If your screen looks different, the official page is always right.
- FBI: Spoofing and Phishing https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/common-frauds-and-scams/spoofing-and-phishing
- FBI IC3: Account Takeover Fraud https://www.ic3.gov/CrimeInfo/AccountTakeover
- FTC consumer alert: Online search results: the good, the bad, and the scammy (April 2025) https://consumer.ftc.gov/consumer-alerts/2025/04/online-search-results-good-bad-scammy
- FTC consumer alert: Searching for health insurance? Keep scrolling to avoid government impersonators (June 2026) https://consumer.ftc.gov/consumer-alerts/2026/06/searching-health-insurance-keep-scrolling-avoid-government-impersonators
Still stuck?
Tell Buster what you see, in your own words.
Or email us at buster@thetechgrandkid.com. Never send us a password or a code.