• en

    • 3% of all websites are scam

    Research & Reports
    Header

    Author: Jorij Facebook

    July 17, 2019

    Scamadviser.com helps over 2.5 million consumers monthly to check if a website is legit or a possible scam. The algorithm of Scamadviser utilizes 40 independent data sources. From the IP address of the web server, the availability of contact details on the website, the age of the URL, ratings on review sites and more. The website warns consumers not only about online shopping scams (webshops that never deliver) but also phishing sites, notorious spammers and online stores selling fake products.

    Based on a recent analysis of 22.5 million websites in its database, 3% of the websites have a trust score below 30%, meaning Scamadviser has serious concerns about the reliability of the website. 13% of all websites have a trust score below 70, meaning that it is wise for consumers to do an additional check before they shop. For exactly this situation, Scamadviser offers an extensive checklist.

    The country benchmark seems to be that 2% to 3% of the websites have a trust score below 30% and 7% to 8% below 70%. Apart from several very small countries (Eritrea, Tuvalu, Benin, Swaziland), China has the most unreliable websites (12%), followed by the United States with 9%. Among the bigger countries, Greece, Hungary, Argentina and Denmark are countries with the least number of online scams. The full table and report are available online.

    Jorij Abraham, the General Manager of the Ecommerce Foundation, elaborates: “The Scamadviser Trust Score is an indication of the reliability of the website. While we continuously expand and improve our algorithm, there is always room for improvement. We see that some countries are combating online scams better than others. Denmark and the Netherlands, for example, are improving the due diligence process before you can acquire a .dk or .nl name. Also, their notice and takedown processes have improved significantly over the last few years. By using algorithms like those of Scamadviser, country registries can clean up their domain names and continuously monitor if new scammers start using their country extension."

    About the Ecommerce Foundation

    Scamadviser has been part of the Ecommerce Foundation since 2018. The Ecommerce Foundation is an independent organization working with NGO’s, ecommerce associations worldwide and other ecommerce institutions with the mission to foster global digital trade.

    Apart from Scamadviser, the Ecommerce Foundation publishes 20+ free ecommerce reports annually about how to sell online in 50+ countries. It is the host of EcommerceWiki.org, an online community for 40.000 Ecommerce Professionals and the initiator of Safe.Shop, the Global Ecommerce Trustmark.

    Country (alphabetically) Average Trust Score Number of Sites with Trust Score  < 30% Share of Sites with Trust Score  < 30% Number of Sites with Trust Score  < 70% Share of Sites with Trust Score  < 70% Number of Sites included in Analysis
    Afghanistan 83 547 4% 2600 17% 15163
    Albania 82 416 5% 1248 15% 8581
    Algeria 79 378 5% 1664 23% 7277
    American Samoa 61 194 22% 400 46% 875
    Andorra 88 30 2% 152 9% 1644
    Angola 83 57 5% 186 15% 1223
    Anguilla 75 116 14% 243 29% 848
    Antarctica 75 4 2% 64 38% 167
    Antigua and Barbuda 84 50 3% 196 13% 1534
    Argentina 93 657 0,6% 3972 3% 115526
    Armenia 83 239 4% 988 17% 5814
    Aruba 89 22 3% 84 10% 857
    Ascension Island 70 11 10% 54 49% 110
    Asia Pacific 98 0 0% 0 0% 12
    Australia 85 16095 3% 87578 15% 594245
    Austria 90 926 1% 6215 5% 128860
    Azerbaijan 87 146 2% 1256 13% 9671
    Bahamas 82 2550 3% 15434 19% 81057
    Bahrain 89 114 2% 412 9% 4841
    Bangladesh 81 3098 6% 9776 19% 52228
    Barbados 84 257 5% 768 16% 4913
    Belarus 78 422 6% 1848 27% 6926
    Belgium 92 580 1% 3006 6% 47596
    Belize 84 421 4% 1663 16% 10480
    Benin 71 181 13% 456 32% 1434
    Bermuda 92 50 0% 903 6% 14745
    Bhutan 83 26 3% 119 15% 787
    Bolivia 89 106 2% 464 9% 4900
    Bosnia and Herzegowina 90 279 3% 969 9% 11043
    Botswana 87 87 6% 183 12% 1515
    Bouvet Island 77 10 10% 20 20% 101
    Brazil 87 2832 1% 15703 8% 199049
    British Indian Ocean Territory 79 38 5% 160 23% 694
    Brunei Darussalam 87 36 3% 145 13% 1102
    Bulgaria 82 1461 2% 10633 18% 59999
    Burkina Faso 78 53 8% 157 23% 671
    Burundi 79 19 7% 58 22% 261
    Cambodia 82 551 5% 1883 18% 10428
    Cameroon 75 355 10% 945 26% 3665
    Canada 88 11710 1% 85993 11% 799768
    Cape Verde 86 19 4% 55 11% 507
    Cayman Islands 89 597 1% 4920 9% 55375
    Central African Republic 87 207 1% 1257 5% 22943
    Chad 79 9 5% 41 24% 171
    Chile 95 285 1% 1405 4% 34213
    China 75 153352 12% 689613 53% 1294266
    Christmas Island 59 38 29% 59 45% 132
    Cocos (Keeling) Islands 75 15 8% 51 28% 179
    Colombia 90 865 2% 4404 9% 51332
    Comoros 80 8 5% 24 15% 159
    Congo 84 8 3% 31 13% 232
    Cook Islands 92 1 0% 17 8% 204
    Costa Rica 90 344 2% 1083 8% 14375
    Cote DIvoire 82 76 4% 352 17% 2065
    Croatia 93 316 1% 2518 6% 40944
    Cuba 85 9 4% 37 16% 228
    Curaçao 84 120 4% 444 15% 2889
    Cyprus 86 1627 3% 8314 14% 58399
    Czech Republic 92 2344 1% 14814 7% 215768
    Denmark 94 1140 0,7% 6400 4% 162658
    Djibouti 88 9 2% 35 7% 514
    Dominica 93 58 0% 1157 8% 14141
    Dominican Republic 85 405 4% 1425 13% 10658
    East Timor 76 5 8% 17 28% 61
    Ecuador 89 226 2% 966 9% 10461
    Egypt 81 1817 4% 9220 19% 48603
    El Salvador 90 49 2% 229 7% 3138
    England 94 0 0% 0 0% 22
    Equatorial Guinea 87 79 1% 535 5% 10800
    Eritrea 68 16 18% 32 36% 88
    Estonia 85 322 3% 1809 16% 11054
    Ethiopia 87 26 1% 163 9% 1741
    European Union 90 0 0% 0 0% 10
    Falkland Islands (Malvinas) 81 3 5% 12 20% 59
    Faroe Islands 92 8 1% 31 4% 714
    Fiji 90 12 2% 65 9% 685
    Finland 92 417 1% 1742 6% 29421
    France 91 11240 2% 38626 8% 462517
    France, MEtropolitan 88 3 6% 4 8% 52
    French Guiana 84 7 7% 13 12% 105
    French Polynesia 93 2 0% 36 5% 689
    French Southern Territories 79 5 11% 8 18% 44
    Gabon 87 256 1% 1136 5% 22098
    Gambia 82 19 5% 57 15% 388
    Georgia 89 306 2% 1287 10% 13083
    Germany 89 15171 2% 61557 8% 818395
    Ghana 77 609 5% 3082 25% 12174
    Gibraltar 85 338 4% 1243 13% 9231
    Great Britain 89 447 5% 761 9% 8834
    Greece 94 511 0% 3363 3% 106262
    Greenland 85 13 5% 45 16% 280
    Grenada 90 7 2% 26 8% 324
    Guadeloupe 89 10 1% 92 9% 1027
    Guam 86 21 5% 70 15% 464
    Guatemala 91 102 2% 416 7% 6189
    Guernsey 86 50 5% 138 14% 963
    Guinea 81 6 3% 37 16% 229
    Guinea-bissau 75 6 10% 17 28% 61
    Guyana 87 19 5% 45 11% 402
    Haiti 82 51 9% 102 17% 588
    Heard and Mc Donald Islands 78 3 9% 10 29% 35
    Honduras 86 95 5% 244 12% 2044
    Hong Kong 79 4303 4% 24080 20% 117961
    Hungary 95 653 0,53% 4170 3% 123235
    Iceland 85 130 4% 481 14% 3481
    India 84 34400 4% 136521 15% 934493
    Indonesia 73 16940 7% 77604 32% 240557
    Iran  79 3948 4% 25533 23% 111607
    Iraq 84 136 3% 712 14% 4940
    Ireland 91 632 1% 3773 6% 59118
    Isle Of Man 85 75 4% 216 12% 1832
    Israel 78 2511 3% 24912 27% 93983
    Italy 91 3570 1% 22469 7% 325019
    Jamaica 89 94 3% 312 9% 3553
    Japan 89 4176 1% 38116 9% 416576
    Jersey 90 36 2% 104 7% 1511
    Jordan 88 246 2% 1095 9% 11804
    Kazakhstan 75 420 3% 6030 37% 16120
    Kenya 84 741 3% 3430 14% 23992
    Kiribati 77 3 6% 14 28% 50
    Korea (North) 76 3 4% 25 37% 68
    Korea (South) 75 5295 4% 50548 34% 147674
    Kosovo 81 18 4% 87 20% 445
    Kuwait 90 156 2% 693 8% 8396
    Kyrgyzstan 78 22 3% 196 29% 676
    Lao Peoples Democratic Republic 83 32 4% 128 17% 772
    Latvia 84 338 4% 1292 14% 9184
    Lebanon 92 212 1% 979 6% 16664
    Lesotho 84 4 3% 21 16% 128
    Liberia 85 8 3% 38 14% 265
    Libyia 85 52 3% 222 13% 1677
    Liechtenstein 90 45 2% 129 6% 2002
    Lithuania 82 595 3% 3450 20% 17253
    Luxembourg 92 403 2% 1358 6% 22556
    Macau 82 66 5% 253 18% 1379
    Madagascar 88 14 2% 87 10% 830
    Malawi 87 12 2% 55 8% 678
    Malaysia 78 4146 4% 22575 22% 102015
    Maldives 91 22 1% 118 7% 1599
    Mali 85 221 2% 1003 7% 14616
    Malta 88 405 3% 1124 8% 14012
    Marshall Islands 78 97 4% 563 25% 2249
    Martinique 89 10 3% 33 10% 321
    Mauritania 86 20 5% 43 11% 396
    Mauritius 89 70 2% 278 9% 3115
    Mayotte 46 31 45% 42 61% 69
    Mexico 91 1403 1% 7862 6% 136648
    Micronesia 81 5 8% 9 15% 62
    Moldova 78 280 6% 1134 26% 4366
    Monaco 91 24 2% 113 7% 1554
    Mongolia 89 50 2% 286 9% 3214
    Montenegro 91 31 2% 132 9% 1435
    Montserrat 81 6 8% 14 19% 74
    Morocco 85 1119 3% 4887 14% 33946
    Mozambique 89 21 2% 105 9% 1153
    Myanmar 88 51 2% 277 9% 2945
    Namibia 91 110 2% 384 8% 4808
    Nauru 97 8 0% 20 1% 1679
    Nepal 85 500 3% 2018 12% 16387
    Netherlands 89 3040 1% 24024 8% 283221
    Netherlands Antilles 88 88 4% 208 10% 2144
    New Caledonia 84 22 8% 48 17% 279
    New Zealand 92 1076 1% 6198 5% 115494
    Nicaragua 90 19 1% 127 8% 1689
    Niger 89 6 2% 28 8% 346
    Nigeria 74 4773 7% 21566 31% 70620
    Niue 76 2 6% 8 24% 33
    Norfolk Island 80 7 9% 12 16% 76
    North Macedonia 84 401 4% 1369 13% 10868
    Northern Mariana Islands 91 2 1% 14 7% 188
    Norway 94 604 1% 3751 4% 85689
    Oman 88 79 2% 374 10% 3782
    Pakistan 79 4278 5% 20163 22% 89835
    Palau 85 0 0% 18 17% 103
    Palestine 79 44 7% 118 20% 591
    Panama 77 28697 4% 204587 26% 783013
    Papua New Guinea 91 9 1% 50 7% 728
    Paraguay 90 36 1% 166 5% 3654
    Peru 89 445 2% 2307 9% 25666
    Philippines 85 2013 3% 8149 13% 63473
    Pitcairn 84 4 5% 12 16% 76
    Poland 89 1266 2% 5797 9% 63938
    Portugal 89 890 2% 4905 10% 51235
    Puerto Rico 92 55 1% 269 7% 4069
    Qatar 88 136 3% 530 10% 5082
    Reunion 91 10 1% 70 8% 882
    Romania 77 2434 6% 9749 25% 39289
    Russian Federation 77 20713 4% 156160 29% 542815
    Rwanda 84 35 2% 178 12% 1451
    Saint Kitts and Nevis 85 319 4% 906 11% 7883
    Saint Lucia 88 14 2% 71 11% 656
    Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 89 64 2% 263 8% 3308
    Samoa 85 10 4% 30 12% 244
    San Marino 91 14 2% 47 6% 789
    Sao Tome and Principe 84 7 5% 14 11% 133
    Saudi Arabia 89 770 2% 3571 9% 39767
    Scotland 92 1 5% 1 5% 22
    Senegal 87 30 2% 193 12% 1662
    Serbia 87 539 3% 2191 11% 19865
    Seychelles 78 779 6% 2972 24% 12446
    Sierra Leone 90 4 1% 20 6% 355
    Singapore 88 1398 2% 8521 10% 87240
    Slovakia 89 281 2% 1309 9% 14197
    Slovenia 90 219 1% 1316 5% 25013
    Solomon Islands 61 22 26% 41 48% 85
    Somalia 76 80 9% 213 24% 873
    South Africa 92 1973 1% 10582 6% 165096
    South Georgia 83 2 9% 3 14% 22
    Spain 92 3138 1% 19661 6% 307797
    Sri Lanka 87 503 2% 2160 10% 21877
    St. Helena 82 3 4% 13 19% 70
    St. Pierre and Miquelon 70 5 15% 13 39% 33
    Sudan 85 22 2% 133 11% 1239
    Suriname 90 31 3% 94 8% 1199
    Svalbard Islands 72 2 17% 4 33% 1

    Report a Scam!

    Have you fallen for a hoax, bought a fake product? Report the site and warn others!

    Report a Scam!

    Scam Categories

    Help & Info

    Scam AlertsLearn about ScamsReliable SitesAdvice for CompaniesResearch & ReportsGlobal Scam Country Guide
    See all

    Popular Stories

    How to Recognize a Scam Website

    As the influence of the internet rises, so does the prevalence of online scams. There are fraudsters making all kinds of claims to trap victims online - from fake investment opportunities to online stores - and the internet allows them to operate from any part of the world with anonymity. The ability to spot online scams is an important skill to have as the virtual world is increasingly becoming a part of every facet of our lives. The below tips will help you identify the signs which can indicate that a website could be a scam. Common Sense: Too Good To Be True When looking for goods online, a great deal can be very enticing. A Gucci bag or a new iPhone for half the price? Who wouldn’t want to grab such a deal? Scammers know this too and try to take advantage of the fact. If an online deal looks too good to be true, think twice and double-check things. The easiest way to do this is to simply check out the same product at competing websites (that you trust). If the difference in prices is huge, it might be better to double-check the rest of the website. Check Out the Social Media Links Social media is a core part of ecommerce businesses these days and consumers often expect online shops to have a social media presence. Scammers know this and often insert logos of social media sites on their websites. Scratching beneath the surface often reveals this fu

    Read more

    How Do I Get Money Back From a Scammer?

    So the worst has come to pass - you realise you parted with your money too fast, and the site you used was a scam - what now? Well first of all, don’t despair!! If you think you have been scammed, the first port of call when having an issue is to simply ask for a refund. This is the first and easiest step to determine whether you are dealing with a genuine company or scammers. Sadly, getting your money back from a scammer is not as simple as just asking.  If you are indeed dealing with scammers, the procedure (and chance) of getting your money back varies depending on the payment method you used. PayPal Debit card/Credit card Bank transfer Wire transfer Google Pay Bitcoin PayPal If you used PayPal, you have a strong chance of getting your money back if you were scammed. On their website, you can file a dispute within 180 calendar days of your purchase. Conditions to file a dispute: The simplest situation is that you ordered from an online store and it has not arrived. In this case this is what PayPal states: "If your order never shows up and the seller can't provide proof of shipment or delivery, you'll get a full refund. It's that simple." The scammer has sent you a completely different item. For example, you ordered a PlayStation 4, but instead received only a Playstation controller.  The condition of the item was misrepresented on the product page. This could be the

    Read more