Recently a friend emailed me a link to a software website. On the site they proclaimed to be selling OEM (Original equipment manufacturer) software at a very steep discount.
OEM software is typically the software that is bundled with or installed on a new PC. OEM software also has different “licenses” than regular “boxed” software sold through a retail outlet. Most the time the license is tagged to the hardware it was sold with.
The computer hardware is actually the “license owner” in a weird kind of way. That’s why on eBay, when I buy software, most of the time, I get a piece of hardware (part of the PC the OEM software came with.) along with the CD.
Now there is nothing wrong getting OEM software. Lots of times, vendors who buy off-lease equipment (computers, etc. whose rental leases have expired) and will split off the software that came with the computer and resell it elsewhere.
BUT….ah, you knew I would stop yakking and get to it!
How the heck do you tell if a website is on the up and up and selling legit products software?
Or is it just some scummy Internet con artist with a slick website crammed full of pirated crap-ola, poised to capture and fence off your precious credit card number?
To check out a website to see if its legit follow these 7 simple steps:
Step 1 - Just how slick is it?
Look at the web page design. You can buy some very professional cool and slick looking website templates very cheaply. Is if full of picture of people with “clear-skinned smiles”, or lots of bouncing, hopping, graphics?
Even if they use a professionally designed template or website, most small businesses do some type of customizing to their websites. They add pictures of themselves, their storefront, their offices, etc. They change and mismatch colors, add clip art, etc.
Professional fraudsters don’t. There is no need. They have their good buddy Ivan or Sam create a very nice vanilla site, where they throw up stock photos and get on with the business of robbing you of your identity and credit card info. No need to customize any for that. .
Now amateurs (baby crackers/hackers) tend to like LOTS of customization. Dark, broody backgrounds with neon fonts in hard to read styles and as many annoying banner ads or animated graphics/cartoons as possible. They like to offer “free” stuff, i.e. software, music, etc. so they can also download their little Trojans along with them.
Step 2 - Search for “Reviews” or “Comments” on the web
I always “google” the actual web address of a site to see what folks are saying about it. If something is hot or popular, someone has either written a review, a blog or posted a comment on it somewhere in a public forum. These could be from satisfied users or from paid affiliates.
You can also add the words: “sucks”, “ripped off”, etc. to the list. Granted you will only find the negative people posting these but they act as a balance for any over hyped items you find.
Step 3 - Icons and links are dead
Bogus sites seldom take the time to keep links live to other sites. If they have icons that proclaim them members of a “Better Business” this or that, click on the icon or link shown. If it is dead or just goes somewhere else on the website, get your “suspicious” antenna up.
Legitimate sponsoring organizations usually require their members keep a “live” (clickable) link back to them. Or you can open another browser window and visit the sponsoring group’s membership list on your own. Are they listed or reviewed there as promised?
Step 4 - No way to keep in contact
Most folks install ways for you to keep in contact with them and their company. Newsletters, ezines, blogs, sales letters, phone numbers or just posted emails for “feedback”, “support”, “customer service”, etc.
Also, be leery of the “online comment” form. Many people use these “fill in the blank” forms. However, if this is the only way you find to reach them, this is not good. No contact information is a very bad sign
Step 5 - No Physical Location
Due to fears of, (I don’t know what) some people never list their business’s street address on their websites. Bad sign, folks. I always look for an address. No “addy”, no “moola”.
Now the street address could be as fake as “1313 Mockingbird Lane” (the Munsters home address) for all I know, but human nature being what it is, most are probably mailbox deliverable.
Instead of a street address, some people use a Post Office or private mailbox address. No problem but they had better have a working phone number to act as backup.
Have I ever called a number posted online just to see who picked up? You bet ya. Called this one guy once at o’dark in the morning and got a very groggy solopreneur (wrong number, don’t ya know). But hey he sold me a book, because after the call, I knew he was “real” person.
Called another and got a “this number has been temporary disconnected”. Hmmm….can we say “bugged out”?
Step 6 - Try WHOIS
Who’s on first…? Huh? What’s a WHOIS?
WHOIS is a domain name lookup tool. It can be found all over the web but I use www.whois.net or www.networksolutions.com
The idea is the surf to www.whois.net, plug in “Technoweasel” in the “WHOIS Lookup” you will find my website’s Registrant (that would be me) the address I used when I created my domain name, and the domain (website) host that I am using.
Now all of this could be bogus…but since you have to pay for a domain name with a working credit card, the address and name were legit at the time of registration.
Check out the age of the site. I created my domain in 2001. If a site has only been in “business” for a few months…do a real gut check before passing out any credit card info.
Step 7 - Are they are a Blacklist?
Check out www.spamhaus.org and squidguard to see if their domain names are listed. If their name is on a well-respected blacklist, then you are probably better off blacklisting them too.
Is the web host in China, Eastern Europe, South America or South East Asia? Fifty percent of all spammers are Americans but they like to host their “ugly American” email and websites overseas.
Step 8 - The last one…
Yeah, I know I only promised seven, but it’s an oldie but a goodie…”If it’s too good to be true…” Just remember that bogus sites, email scams and all internet fraud in general rely on your human nature to want pick the sweetest berries without the thorns.
Honor your feelings. Your best defense is often your own intuition. If something about a website or email gives you that itchy-scratchy on the back of the neck or that sinking in the belly then don’t buy from them. The only times I have regretted buying something on line has been from violating this last rule! Honor your feelings.
Take five minutes and check out a site using the above steps before you just jump in and plop down your hard earned cash.
