How do I recognize a scam website?

Unfortunately, it is hard to figure out a scam site just by looking at their web site. Many are really bad and easily recognized, but some are really professional and look legit.

• Do they make extraordinary claims, or threats? Do they say things like "make 3000$ in a week", "your computer has a virus" or offer huge discounts on products or services? Then it could be a scam.
• If the page does not even look legit (e.g. no contact information, typos all over the place, etc.), it probably isn't.
• If you know the brand is legit, check if you are on the right page, or just some that pretends to be. (e.g. paypal is "paypal.com", but anyone can buy the domain "i-pretend-to-be-paypal.com" and use it) - If you are not sure, type in the site address yourself, or find the site through Google.
• Otherwise, search for external verification. Google for them. Look them up and see if:
  • They have reviews on the big review sites (e.g. tripadvisor)
  • They are listed in an official business registry
  • They are mentioned in news reports from reputable sources
  • They have an app (App stores require at least some verification to release an app)
  • They have a twitter account and/or facebook that goes back for many years. Most scams will be exposed after a while, so if the site was there for years it is probably legit. A "fresh" account or page is more or less meaningless - everyone can open one.
  • Their address exists (while you can often not verify the address, it should raise a flag if Google cannot find it or if it is in the middle of a residential area)
• If a site is not legit, you may find some information about that on Google as well (search for "[name of the site] scam")
• If you find nothing, treat it as a scam
• And even if the site is legit, you'll still have to decide if you want to do business with the company behind it, or not.