How to check whether a website is official?
A fake website can copy a logo, a visual identity, a payment page or a form. The question is not only whether the site looks serious, but whether it is attached to the identity it claims to represent.
In 30 seconds
- Check the exact domain, not only the design of the site.
- Be careful with variants, hyphens, typos or unusual extensions.
- An official site should be confirmable from an independent reference point.
- Kicklinks can provide proof of attachment between a website and an identity.
The risk
Fake websites are often used to collect payments, credentials, documents or contact requests. They exploit visual familiarity: logo, colors, legal mentions and layout.
Signals to check
- Domain name close to the real one but not identical.
- Missing coherent legal information or vague company details.
- Unexpected payment or login form.
- Link received only by email or private message.
- No public attachment to a verifiable identity.
What website proof should show
Website proof should show the domain concerned, the identity claiming it, the state of the proof and the possibility to check or revoke this attachment.
The exact domain.
The attached identity or organization.
The current status of the proof.
The control method or context when relevant.
A PDF certificate after certification.
Concrete scenario
A customer receives a link to a payment site. The design looks right, but the domain is not the one they already know.
A Kicklinks proof lets them open a verification page and see whether the domain is actually attached to the expected identity.
What Kicklinks brings
Kicklinks helps make the attachment of a domain more readable. The public can consult a proof page instead of relying only on the design or the claims of the site.
Good reflex
For a payment, login or document upload, always check the domain from an independent source and avoid blindly following a received link.
Frequently asked questions
Is a well-designed website necessarily official?
No. Design, logos and text can be copied. The domain and its attachment to an identity are more important.
Does Kicklinks replace legal notices?
No. Legal notices remain necessary depending on the context. Kicklinks adds a proof and attachment reference point.
What if two websites claim to be official?
Look for an independent source, compare the domains and prefer the one that provides a verifiable and coherent proof.
Also read
Make your official website verifiable
Give your visitors a clear verification point to distinguish your domain from copies or imitations.
