{"id":101455,"date":"2026-05-26T09:00:04","date_gmt":"2026-05-26T07:00:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.viafirma.com\/?p=101455"},"modified":"2026-05-20T10:29:26","modified_gmt":"2026-05-20T08:29:26","slug":"scams-involving-websites-that-impersonate-official-sites","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.viafirma.com\/en\/scams-involving-websites-that-impersonate-official-sites\/","title":{"rendered":"Scams involving websites that impersonate official sites"},"content":{"rendered":"

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<\/strong>, causing even experts and specialists in the field to fall into the trap.<\/p>\n

A 360-degree brand spoofing<\/strong> 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<\/strong> to protect against identity spoofing<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

In this article, we reveal the warning signs<\/strong> you should look out for to identify a fake website \u2013 signs that the human eye often overlooks; we explain which sectors are most prone to this type of impersonation<\/strong>; and we show you how to secure your browsing<\/strong> and your digital identity<\/strong> so you don\u2019t become the next victim.<\/p>\n

How to identify a fake website? A checklist to save you trouble<\/h2>\n

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\u2019 blind confidence that they won\u2019t 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:<\/p>\n

The URL Scam<\/h3>\n

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\u2014such as hacienda-gob.es instead of hacienda.gob.es.<\/p>\n

In this regard, one practice that can protect your data<\/strong> is to bookmark the websites you usually visit, so that you can access them directly from this section.<\/p>\n

The Myth of the Padlock<\/h3>\n

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<\/strong> in a matter of seconds. That is why virtually all phishing websites usually display a closed padlock<\/strong>. For this reason, you should check the website\u2019s credentials<\/strong>; you can use, for example, the malicious link checker provided by the National Cybersecurity Centre<\/a> (CNCS).<\/p>\n

The speed trap<\/h3>\n

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<\/strong>, it is usually a red flag and you should be wary.<\/p>\n

Visual and UX cues<\/h3>\n

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<\/strong> tools to create a website in a matter of seconds.<\/strong> Websites designed to deceive users contain grammatical errors<\/strong>, as well as a sloppy and disorganised layout.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Most Commonly Impersonated Types of Official Websites Today<\/h2>\n

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:<\/p>\n

The Business of Administrative Procedures (Fake Agents)<\/h3>\n

One of the most damaging types of fraud, due to its appearance of reliability and legality<\/strong>, is that related to public administration services. This sector is not immune to scam attempts by websites impersonating official sites, and fraudsters exploit people\u2019s need and urgency to carry out or complete administrative procedures<\/strong> to go all out.<\/p>\n

In this type of scam, they pose as the authorities, charging a much higher price<\/strong> for services that are free<\/strong>:<\/p>\n