This free online store safety checker helps you investigate an unfamiliar seller before buying. Follow 10 guided checks covering website identity, independent reviews, payment safety, and customer support. StoreCheck is a manual research tool—not an automated fraud detector or a guarantee that a store is safe.
THE CIRCUIT EDIT / READER TOOL / VERSION 2.0
StoreCheck Guided Store Audit
Investigate an unfamiliar online store before paying. Follow ten checks, collect your own evidence, and receive a careful next-step recommendation. This is a manual decision aid—not a live scanner or a guarantee.
10 evidence checksColor-coded findingsPrivate in your browserDownloadable report
Before you start: Use the store’s exact domain and check independent sources. Green means you did not record a concern after checking, not that the seller is certified safe. Red signals a concern, amber means unclear, and gray means not yet checked. Never paste passwords, addresses, payment details, or identification documents into this worksheet.
Evidence checklist progress0 of 10 checks recorded — no risk score
0✓ Checked, no concern
0! Concerns
0? Unclear
10– Not checked
Check the evidence, one step at a time
Read each action, investigate outside the store, then choose what you found. You can add a short evidence note for your report.
01
IDENTITY · IMPORTANT
Confirm the exact store address
Impersonators can copy a known retailer’s design but use a lookalike domain.
How to verify: Open the brand’s official site independently. Compare the registered domain carefully, including spelling and extra words. Do not trust a logo, social ad or padlock alone.
– Not checked
Add your evidence note (optional)Short notes help you remember why you chose this status.
02
OWNERSHIP
Verify the seller behind the website
A street address, company number or logo may be copied from an unrelated business.
How to verify: Look for a legal business name and independent ways to contact it. Where available, cross-check official business records and, for branded goods, authorized-seller information.
– Not checked
Add your evidence note (optional)Short notes help you remember why you chose this status.
03
OFFER
Compare the real product and its price
Very low prices and mismatched specifications can signal a misleading offer; discounts alone are not proof of fraud.
How to verify: Compare the exact product model, condition and full cost with two established sellers. Check whether descriptions and photographs match the advertised item.
Add your evidence note (optional)Short notes help you remember why you chose this status.
04
INDEPENDENT EVIDENCE
Check reviews outside the shop
Testimonials on a store’s own site may be selected, fabricated or unrelated to genuine orders.
How to verify: Search the exact domain and seller name together with “review,” “complaint,” and “refund.” Prefer detailed, dated reports across independent sources. No reviews means uncertainty, not guilt.
– Not checked
Add your evidence note (optional)Short notes help you remember why you chose this status.
05
FULFILMENT
Read shipping and return conditions
Missing delivery estimates, unclear customs fees and unusable return details can make a purchase expensive or impossible to remedy.
How to verify: Check estimated delivery, total taxes and duties, return location, deadlines, postage fees and contact options. Look for contradictions between product pages and checkout.
– Not checked
Add your evidence note (optional)Short notes help you remember why you chose this status.
06
CHECKOUT · IMPORTANT
Inspect payment method and checkout
Pressure to send irreversible payments or leave a protected marketplace is a particularly important warning sign.
How to verify: Use the normal checkout, check what dispute rights your payment provider offers, and decline requests for gift cards, cryptocurrency or transfers to a personal account. Rights differ by country and payment method.
– Not checked
Add your evidence note (optional)Short notes help you remember why you chose this status.
07
DOMAIN RECORDS
Check the domain’s registration details
A recent registration or unexpected ownership changes can add context, but established domains can also be compromised.
How to verify: Use ICANN Lookup to review available registration dates. Some details may be private or unavailable; never treat an older registration as a certificate of trust.
Add your evidence note (optional)Short notes help you remember why you chose this status.
08
TECHNICAL SIGNALS
Review browser security warnings
A security-warning service may identify known threats, but a clean result does not assess deliveries, honesty or refunds.
How to verify: Check the exact store address in Google Safe Browsing and pay attention to real browser warnings. Absence of a warning means only that no warning was reported there at that moment.
Add your evidence note (optional)Short notes help you remember why you chose this status.
09
SELLER BEHAVIOUR
Watch for pressure and inconsistencies
Urgency tactics, switching conversations to private chats and changing seller details can make independent verification harder.
How to verify: Pause if the seller refuses verifiable answers, moves you off-platform or changes the payment instructions. Keep copies of the offer and messages before making any decision.
– Not checked
Add your evidence note (optional)Short notes help you remember why you chose this status.
10
PRE-PURCHASE CONTACT
Test customer support before paying
A seller may show impressive contact details that do not work. A helpful reply is useful context, but it does not prove the shop is genuine.
How to verify: Using the store’s published contact channel, ask a specific question about delivery to your country, returns or a product specification. Check whether the reply is consistent with the published policy. Do not share passwords, card details or identity documents, and do not make a purchase merely to test support. No answer may mean an unresolved check rather than fraud.
– Not checked
Add your evidence note (optional)Record the date and whether the answer matched published policies.
NOT YET REVIEWED
Begin with the first check
Each choice updates the colored indicators. Review your findings to see prioritized actions; the tool does not declare any store safe or fraudulent.
Verify independently and record only what you actually found.
Sample scenario only — not a check of a real retailer.
Advanced: export structured JSON for your own records
This file contains your manually entered findings and is intended for future import into automation systems. It is saved directly to your device. StoreCheck does not automatically send it to Make or any other service.
Privacy & limitations: This version runs in your browser; no form submission, remote checking, automatic storage or AI verdict is implemented. Information you enter is included in reports only when you choose to copy or download. A malicious site may pass every manual check; if the seller insists on an unsafe payment or impersonates a brand, do not proceed. Payment protections and remedies vary worldwide.
Want to Learn More About Fake Online Stores?
Explore our complete guide to 12 warning signs,
safer payment choices, and practical steps to take
before buying from an unfamiliar online store.
