Business verification
How do I verify who is behind a website?
Combine domain registration clues, company register checks, contact consistency, and payment behaviour. Registration data alone never proves honesty—look for a coherent identity story.
What this means for you
Knowing a domain exists is not the same as knowing the operator is trustworthy. Build a picture from several independent checks.
Detailed explanation
Domain registration (WHOIS/RDAP) may show creation date, registrar, and sometimes organisation details—often privacy-redacted.
Match claimed company names to the official business register (for example Companies House or your local register) and compare addresses.
Contact emails on free inboxes, mismatched addresses, and brand cloning are caution signals.
A coherent identity still needs safe payment behaviour—registration is not a trust certificate.
Warning signs and signals
- Brand name that does not match register records
- Very new domain claiming long heritage
- Privacy-redacted registration plus pressure to pay irreversibly
- Contact details that bounce or contradict legal pages
Practical verification steps
- Check domain age and registration clues
- Look up the company in the official register
- Compare addresses and names across site, invoices, and register
- Run a Fraudly check and prefer protected payments
What Fraudly can and cannot verify
Fraudly cannot replace a full legal identity investigation.
Redacted WHOIS data is common and not automatically fraudulent.
Key trust concepts
WHOIS / RDAP is ownership context, not a safety stamp
Registration records can show age and registrant patterns—but privacy services hide many details.
Company registration proves existence, not trustworthiness
A registered company can still run scams, clone brands, or disappear after taking payments.
Verified identity and trustworthy behaviour are different
Knowing who someone claims to be is not the same as knowing they will treat you fairly.
Related guides
Reviewed: 8 August 2026
This page is educational decision support. It is not legal, financial, or emergency advice.
