Scams involving websites that impersonate official sites

Scams involving websites that impersonate official sites are no longer limited to poorly written emails (phishing); by 2026, cybercriminals will be able to clone government websites and corporate portals identically in a matter of seconds thanks to generative AI, causing even experts and specialists in the field to fall into the trap.

A 360-degree brand spoofing attack that combines the urgency of an SMS (smishing), phone calls (vishing) and fake websites that appear genuine can be extremely dangerous. In this scenario, traditional security advice is no longer sufficient, and it becomes necessary to incorporate new measures to protect against identity spoofing.

In this article, we reveal the warning signs you should look out for to identify a fake website – signs that the human eye often overlooks; we explain which sectors are most prone to this type of impersonation; and we show you how to secure your browsing and your digital identity so you don’t become the next victim.

How to identify a fake website? A checklist to save you trouble

More and more sophisticated deception techniques are emerging, designed to lure you into a trap without you realising it. With the hustle and bustle of daily life and, above all, users’ blind confidence that they won’t fall for scams, criminals are bringing out their best weapons. To avoid falling into the trap of scams involving websites that impersonate official sites and to check that a website is genuine, it is essential that you follow this safety checklist:

The URL Scam

In Spain, domain names usually end in .es or .gob.es in the case of public bodies. If you try to access one via a URL ending in .online, .net or .com-tramites.es, you are on a private website. Furthermore, domains using characters from other alphabets that are visually identical to ours, or subtle variations that the human eye fails to notice, are also common—such as hacienda-gob.es instead of hacienda.gob.es.

In this regard, one practice that can protect your data is to bookmark the websites you usually visit, so that you can access them directly from this section.

The Myth of the Padlock

The HTTPS protocol (and its padlock) indicates that communication between your computer and the website is encrypted, but nowadays anyone can obtain a free SSL certificate in a matter of seconds. That is why virtually all phishing websites usually display a closed padlock. For this reason, you should check the website’s credentials; you can use, for example, the malicious link checker provided by the National Cybersecurity Centre (CNCS).

The speed trap

Many websites are slow and take longer than usual to load. This problem may be due to unoptimised images, inadequate hosting, too many scripts or connection issues. For this reason, if a website loads too quickly, it is usually a red flag and you should be wary.

Visual and UX cues

The advent of Artificial Intelligence has made the day-to-day work of graphic designers and interface developers easier, as they rely on it or have even outsourced the creation process entirely. However, anyone can misuse Generative AI tools to create a website in a matter of seconds. Websites designed to deceive users contain grammatical errors, as well as a sloppy and disorganised layout.

The Most Commonly Impersonated Types of Official Websites Today

In a society where the number of fraudsters is growing and new scams are emerging, there are several types of websites (or domains) that are the main targets of fraudulent attempts:

The Business of Administrative Procedures (Fake Agents)

One of the most damaging types of fraud, due to its appearance of reliability and legality, is that related to public administration services. This sector is not immune to scam attempts by websites impersonating official sites, and fraudsters exploit people’s need and urgency to carry out or complete administrative procedures to go all out.

In this type of scam, they pose as the authorities, charging a much higher price for services that are free:

• Immigration Appointments: In many regions, securing an appointment for fingerprinting, asylum or residence renewal has become a real ordeal. If you come across a website that mimics the Ministry’s official portal, promoting ‘priority processing’ or ‘immediate availability’ but demands payment, it is a scam, as the appointment is a free service.
• Civil and Land Registries: As with other types of websites, scammers copy the official website so that users believe they are on the genuine site and charge an extra fee of up to €50 for a simple extract, when the regulated cost is approximately €9.

Other High-Risk Sectors

The risk of fraud is not limited solely to the handling of administrative procedures; in fact, this is just one of many sectors vulnerable to attacks by cybercriminals. More generally, people often receive fraudulent messages relating to their day-to-day activities, such as:

• Banking and Fintech: Hackers are turning to new banking scam tactics: messages or calls warning of suspicious transactions, followed by a request to update the mobile app; pretending to change an email address and asking for personal identification, including passwords and other details; and SMS messages purporting to be from your own bank, accessing your text message history.
• Logistics: There is a proliferation of messages from cybercriminals posing as Correos and warning of a problem with a parcel delivery. Those expecting a parcel fall into the trap and click on the link in the message, which leads to a fraudulent website.

The risk of digital identity theft and certificates

So far, we have looked at the most common methods used to deceive people (phishing, vishing and fake websites), as well as the types of websites most frequently impersonated and the warning signs you should look out for to check whether a site is, in fact, fraudulent. However, if you have come across this post too late and have already found yourself caught up in a fraudulent situation (you have handed over your ID or personal details to unauthorised third parties), you may face serious consequences: scams carried out in your name and identity theft.

For this reason, it is very important that, whenever you need to submit applications, complete administrative procedures (whether public, private, personal or corporate) or even obtain a digital certificate, you remember the latent danger of scams involving websites that impersonate official sites. Verify your identity through official bodies or authorised service providers such as Viafirma.

Ensure security and safe browsing with Viafirma

By using recognised digital solutions for electronic signatures and certificate management, you ensure that your identity is protected under the strictest security and legal compliance standards. In practice, they act as a shield against identity theft, giving you the freedom to act with the certainty that your signature and personal data remain under your sole control.

Among the features of our digital certificate manager, two-factor authentication stands out as the last line of defence. Although, of course, it never hurts to rely on additional measures such as installing a phishing-blocking extension in your browser, verifying that you are on the government website via the Directory of Electronic Offices on the General Access Point, or checking for trust seals.

Expert tip: In any case, if you suspect a URL, don’t click on it. That’s the biggest mistake. Type the name of the organisation directly into your trusted search engine and always access the site from the first verified organic results. That way, you can be sure you’re visiting the right place.

Looking for complete peace of mind when carrying out your digital transactions? Don’t leave your security to chance. Contact us today to centralise, protect and manage your certificates with Viafirma technology.