It is safe to say the internet has changed dramatically since its inception. Because the internet has become an endless source of knowledge and is now accessible from almost any hand-held device if the internet was to just vanish the world would go into a catastrophic melt down!

One thing that is overlooked by people when using the internet is the authenticity of the websites they visit, especially when it comes to online shopping. Everyone is a sucker for online shopping, however the amount of counterfeit products sold to customers or the amount of customers that have been ripped off because they placed an order with a fake site is still growing. It is not just basic shopping that can be affected; holidays, whether it is a rental property or even the purchase of a new holiday home can also be subject to internet fraud; dating websites and also employment websites are also affected by the growing incidence of false information.

The best way to be confident when using the internet is to look for verification, which could either be from the website itself or from an external source. Some external companies can also verify the true identity of websites that you come into contact with, giving you the reassurance that you are dealing with someone trustworthy. Verification websites will also keep your data confidential and not pass them onto to anyone else, most offer a confidentiality contract meaning by law they cannot disclose any of your details to anyone without your permission. An easy way to spot verification is if the website holds a trademark, this could then be searched further using the Trademark Register proving if the website is genuine or fake.

Being able to verify websites is not only good for individuals but also for businesses. When dealing with online sole traders or small independent companies, it is essential that you know exactly who you’re dealing with, after all it all affects YOUR business in the end. Prevention is better than cure so keeping your wits about you and looking into the website’s history will benefit you in the end, even though it may be a little tedious at the start.

Using verification has benefited millions of businesses that were open to fraud and cloning which could have proved disastrous for their business. It has also saved millions of pounds/dollars which could have been wasted on lawsuits and rebuilding a business’ reputation.

A little bit of research goes along way, find out who your working with and cover your back.

Written by George Trudy on behalf of Advert Safe.