Guide · Paying · 4 min read

Is it safe to pay on this website?

Most payment losses come from a few repeat patterns. Here is how to spot them before you enter a card number, and what to do if you already did.

Pay by a method that can be disputed

Credit cards, and in many places debit cards and wallet payments, let you dispute a charge with your bank. Direct bank transfers, gift cards, crypto and “friends and family” payments are hard or impossible to recover. If a shop only accepts those, treat that as the answer.

Check the checkout page address, not just the shop

Many honest shops hand payment to a processor on another address, such as a payment provider's domain. That is normal. What is not normal is a checkout on an unrelated, misspelled or newly registered domain. Look at the address bar before you type your card number.

Use a virtual or single-use card where you can

Many banks and wallet apps issue a virtual card number with a spending limit. If the site turns out to be bad, the exposure is capped.

Be wary of urgency and odd requests

Countdown timers, “only 2 left”, requests to move the chat to another app, or a request to pay outside the site are pressure tactics.

Look up the seller for payment problems specifically

General reviews hide what matters. On CheckMySource the Paying verdict is separate from the others, so you see what people said about checkout, refunds and charges for that site alone.

If you already paid a site you now distrust

  1. Contact your bank or card issuer straight away and ask about a chargeback or dispute.
  2. Keep screenshots, order emails and the site address.
  3. Do not pay again to “release” or “verify” the order.
  4. Report the site to your national fraud service and, if you like, add a report here.

Check the site you are about to use

Type a website and see what people reported about logging in, paying, uploading files and writing notes. No account needed.

Look up a site

Common questions

Is it safe to enter my card number on a site I have never used?
It depends on the site. Check the address, use a payment method you can dispute, and look up what other people reported about paying there.
Which payment method is safest online?
Methods with a dispute route, such as credit cards and reputable wallets, protect you better than bank transfers, gift cards or crypto.
What should I do if I paid a scam site?
Contact your bank or card issuer immediately, keep evidence, do not pay any more fees, and report the site.

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General information, not legal or financial advice. Ratings on CheckMySource report what people said; they are not audits. How ratings work.