Is It a Scam?
Verified legitimacy checks on 62 popular websites, apps, and services. Data sourced from BBB, SEC filings, and public records.
Is Temu a Scam?
temu.com
Temu is a legitimate e-commerce platform owned by PDD Holdings (NASDAQ: PDD), the same company behind Pinduoduo. While it is a real business, consumers should be aware of quality concerns, long shipping times, and data privacy considerations.
Is Shein a Scam?
shein.com
Shein is a legitimate fast-fashion retailer headquartered in Singapore. It is one of the largest online fashion companies globally with concerns around quality, labor practices, and environmental impact.
Is Wish a Scam?
wish.com
Wish is a legitimate e-commerce platform (NASDAQ: WISH) that has faced significant challenges including FTC action over misleading advertising and a 95%+ stock decline from IPO.
Is AliExpress a Scam?
aliexpress.com
AliExpress is a legitimate e-commerce platform owned by Alibaba Group (NYSE: BABA), one of the world's largest tech companies. It connects international consumers with Chinese merchants.
Is Coinbase a Scam?
coinbase.com
Coinbase is a legitimate, publicly-traded cryptocurrency exchange (NASDAQ: COIN). It is one of the largest and most regulated crypto exchanges in the United States.
Is Robinhood a Scam?
robinhood.com
Robinhood is a legitimate, publicly-traded financial services company (NASDAQ: HOOD). It offers commission-free trading and is regulated by SEC and FINRA.
Is Cash App a Scam?
cash.app
Cash App is a legitimate mobile payment service owned by Block, Inc. (NYSE: SQ). It is one of the most popular P2P payment apps but users are heavily targeted by scammers.
Is Zelle a Scam?
zellepay.com
Zelle is a legitimate bank-backed payment network owned by Early Warning Services, LLC, which is owned by seven major US banks including Bank of America, Chase, and Wells Fargo.
Is Upwork a Scam?
upwork.com
Upwork is a legitimate freelancing platform publicly traded on NASDAQ (UPWK). It connects businesses with freelancers for various services with payment protection.
Is Fiverr a Scam?
fiverr.com
Fiverr is a legitimate freelance marketplace publicly traded on NYSE (FVRR). It connects buyers with freelancers offering digital services with buyer protection.
Is OnlyFans a Scam?
onlyfans.com
OnlyFans is a legitimate content subscription platform that has paid over $15B to creators. However, many scams IMPERSONATE OnlyFans or fake creators.
Is TikTok Shop a Scam?
tiktok.com/shop
TikTok Shop is a legitimate e-commerce feature within TikTok owned by ByteDance. While real, product quality and seller reliability vary significantly.
Is Binance a Scam?
binance.com
Binance is the world's largest cryptocurrency exchange. While real, it has faced serious regulatory issues including a $4.3B US settlement in 2023.
Is Facebook Marketplace a Scam?
facebook.com/marketplace
Facebook Marketplace is a legitimate Meta feature for local buying/selling. While real, it is HEAVILY targeted by scammers with limited buyer protection.
Is Poshmark a Scam?
poshmark.com
Poshmark is a legitimate social commerce marketplace owned by Naver Corporation (acquired for $1.2B). It specializes in secondhand fashion with strong buyer protection.
Is Mercari a Scam?
mercari.com
Mercari is a legitimate online marketplace owned by Mercari, Inc. (TSE: 4385), a Japanese public company. Popular for selling used items with buyer protection.
Is Crypto.com a Scam?
crypto.com
Crypto.com is a legitimate cryptocurrency exchange based in Singapore with over 80 million users. Known for its Visa card and major sports sponsorships.
Is DHgate a Scam?
dhgate.com
DHgate is a legitimate Chinese e-commerce platform founded in 2004. However, it is notorious for selling replica/counterfeit goods which may be illegal to purchase.
Is PayPal a Scam?
paypal.com
PayPal is a legitimate, publicly-traded payment processor (NASDAQ: PYPL) founded in 1998. One of the world's largest online payment platforms with over 430 million active accounts.
Is Venmo a Scam?
venmo.com
Venmo is a legitimate mobile payment service owned by PayPal (NASDAQ: PYPL). Designed for payments between people you know and trust, not strangers or purchases.
Is eBay a Scam?
ebay.com
eBay is a legitimate, publicly-traded e-commerce marketplace (NASDAQ: EBAY) founded in 1995. One of the world's largest online marketplaces with strong buyer protection.
Is Amazon a Scam?
amazon.com
Amazon is a legitimate e-commerce giant (NASDAQ: AMZN) and one of the world's most valuable companies. Strong buyer protection, but third-party sellers vary.
Is Etsy a Scam?
etsy.com
Etsy is a legitimate, publicly-traded marketplace (NASDAQ: ETSY) for handmade, vintage, and unique items. Strong buyer protection but quality depends on sellers.
Is StockX a Scam?
stockx.com
StockX is a legitimate resale marketplace for sneakers, streetwear, and collectibles. They authenticate items before shipping, though no system is perfect.
Is Depop a Scam?
depop.com
Depop is a legitimate peer-to-peer fashion marketplace owned by Etsy (NASDAQ: ETSY). Popular for secondhand and vintage clothing.
Is Affirm a Scam?
affirm.com
Affirm is a legitimate, publicly-traded BNPL company (NASDAQ: AFRM). Founded by PayPal co-founder. No hidden fees, but interest rates can be high.
Is Klarna a Scam?
klarna.com
Klarna is a legitimate Swedish fintech and one of the largest BNPL providers globally. Over 150 million users worldwide.
Is Afterpay a Scam?
afterpay.com
Afterpay is a legitimate BNPL service owned by Block, Inc. (NYSE: SQ), same company as Cash App. Interest-free if paid on time.
Is Kraken a Scam?
kraken.com
Kraken is a legitimate cryptocurrency exchange founded in 2011. One of the oldest and most trusted exchanges with strong security.
Is Gemini a Scam?
gemini.com
Gemini is a crypto exchange founded by the Winklevoss twins. NY regulated, but Gemini Earn program had serious issues with Genesis bankruptcy.
Is Swagbucks a Scam?
swagbucks.com
Swagbucks is a legitimate rewards/survey site owned by Prodege, LLC. Real payouts via PayPal, but earnings are modest - not a get-rich scheme.
Is Survey Junkie a Scam?
surveyjunkie.com
Survey Junkie is a legitimate market research platform. Real PayPal payouts, but like all survey sites, earnings are modest.
Is Walmart a Scam?
walmart.com
Walmart is a legitimate Fortune 1 retailer (NYSE: WMT) and the world's largest company by revenue. The official Walmart.com is completely safe, but third-party Marketplace sellers vary in quality.
Is OfferUp a Scam?
offerup.com
OfferUp is a legitimate local marketplace app for buying and selling used items. While the platform is real, it has minimal protection against scams and users should exercise caution.
Is Craigslist a Scam?
craigslist.org
Craigslist is a legitimate classified ads platform operating since 1995. While the platform itself is real, it has virtually no buyer/seller protection and is notorious for scams.
Is Airbnb a Scam?
airbnb.com
Airbnb is a legitimate, publicly-traded vacation rental platform (NASDAQ: ABNB). It is one of the world's largest hospitality companies with strong host and guest protections.
Is Booking.com a Scam?
booking.com
Booking.com is a legitimate travel booking platform owned by Booking Holdings (NASDAQ: BKNG). One of the world's largest online travel agencies with 28+ million listings.
Is DoorDash a Scam?
doordash.com
DoorDash is a legitimate, publicly-traded food delivery service (NYSE: DASH). The largest food delivery company in the US with over 32 million customers.
Is Uber a Scam?
uber.com
Uber is a legitimate, publicly-traded rideshare and delivery company (NYSE: UBER). One of the world's largest transportation platforms operating in 70+ countries.
Is Instacart a Scam?
instacart.com
Instacart is a legitimate, publicly-traded grocery delivery service (NASDAQ: CART). The largest grocery delivery platform in North America partnering with 1,400+ retail banners.
Is TaskRabbit a Scam?
taskrabbit.com
TaskRabbit is a legitimate gig economy platform owned by IKEA since 2017. It connects people with local "Taskers" for errands, handyman work, moving help, and more.
Is Indeed a Scam?
indeed.com
Indeed is a legitimate job search platform owned by Recruit Holdings (TSE: 6098). The world's #1 job site with over 300 million unique visitors monthly. However, scammers post fake jobs.
Is LinkedIn a Scam?
linkedin.com
LinkedIn is a legitimate professional networking platform owned by Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT). The world's largest professional network with 1B+ members. However, scams exist on the platform.
Is Rakuten a Scam?
rakuten.com
Rakuten is a legitimate cashback and rewards platform owned by Rakuten Group (TSE: 4755). Formerly known as Ebates, it has paid over $3.7 billion in cashback to members.
Is Honey (PayPal Honey) a Scam?
joinhoney.com
Honey is a legitimate coupon and rewards browser extension owned by PayPal since 2020. It automatically finds and applies coupon codes at checkout.
Is Nextdoor a Scam?
nextdoor.com
Nextdoor is a legitimate neighborhood social network (NYSE: KIND). While the platform is real, it has become a hotspot for scams including fake contractor ads, phishing, and marketplace fraud.
Is Telegram a Scam?
telegram.org
Telegram is a legitimate encrypted messaging app with 900M+ users. While the platform is real, it has become a MAJOR hub for cryptocurrency scams, fraud schemes, and illegal activity.
Is Lyft a Scam?
lyft.com
Lyft is a legitimate, publicly-traded rideshare company (NASDAQ: LYFT). The second-largest rideshare service in the US with millions of rides completed daily.
Is Grubhub a Scam?
grubhub.com
Grubhub is a legitimate food delivery service owned by Just Eat Takeaway (AMS: TKWY). One of the largest food delivery platforms in the US, partnering with 365,000+ restaurants.
Is Vrbo a Scam?
vrbo.com
Vrbo is a legitimate vacation rental platform owned by Expedia Group (NASDAQ: EXPE). Formerly "Vacation Rentals by Owner," it lists over 2 million vacation properties worldwide.
Is Expedia a Scam?
expedia.com
Expedia is a legitimate, publicly-traded online travel agency (NASDAQ: EXPE). One of the world's largest travel companies, owning Vrbo, Hotels.com, Travelocity, and more.
Is Ticketmaster a Scam?
ticketmaster.com
Ticketmaster is a legitimate ticket sales platform owned by Live Nation Entertainment (NYSE: LYV). The world's largest ticket marketplace, though controversial for fees and pricing practices.
Is StubHub a Scam?
stubhub.com
StubHub is a legitimate ticket resale marketplace owned by Viagogo. One of the largest secondary ticket markets with a FanProtect guarantee, though fees can be significant.
Is Wayfair a Scam?
wayfair.com
Wayfair is a legitimate, publicly-traded online furniture and home goods retailer (NYSE: W). One of the largest online furniture sellers with over 33 million products.
Is Target a Scam?
target.com
Target is a legitimate Fortune 500 retailer (NYSE: TGT). The 7th largest retailer in the US with 1,950+ stores and a comprehensive online shopping platform.
Is Chewy a Scam?
chewy.com
Chewy is a legitimate, publicly-traded online pet retailer (NYSE: CHWY). The largest online pet retailer in the US, known for exceptional customer service.
Is Newegg a Scam?
newegg.com
Newegg is a legitimate electronics retailer (NASDAQ: NEGG) founded in 2001. While the company is real, customer service issues and third-party seller problems have increased complaints.
Is Back Market a Scam?
backmarket.com
Back Market is a legitimate refurbished electronics marketplace headquartered in Paris. They connect buyers with certified refurbishers, offering warranties on all devices.
Is Chime a Scam?
chime.com
Chime is a legitimate financial technology company offering mobile banking services. Accounts are held at partner banks (Bancorp Bank, Stride Bank) which are FDIC insured.
Is SoFi a Scam?
sofi.com
SoFi is a legitimate, publicly-traded financial services company (NASDAQ: SOFI). A full-service digital bank offering loans, banking, investing, and insurance.
Is Wise (TransferWise) a Scam?
wise.com
Wise is a legitimate, publicly-traded international money transfer service (LON: WISE). Formerly TransferWise, it offers low-cost international transfers used by millions.
Is The RealReal a Scam?
therealreal.com
The RealReal is a legitimate luxury consignment marketplace (NASDAQ: REAL). While the company is real, it has faced lawsuits over authentication accuracy and financial struggles.
About Our Verification Process
Our verification database analyzes popular websites, apps, and online services to help you determine if they're legitimate or potential scams. We examine:
- SEC & Public Filings — For publicly traded companies
- BBB Ratings & Complaints — Better Business Bureau profiles
- Regulatory Licenses — FINRA, FinCEN, state licenses
- Consumer Reports — FTC complaints, news coverage
- Domain Age & History — WHOIS records, web archives
Disclaimer: Our assessments are for informational purposes only and should not be the sole basis for financial or personal decisions. Always conduct your own research.