Before you wire money, sign a contract, or hand over sensitive information, take five minutes to run a quick legitimacy check on the business. Here are the seven signals that matter most.
1. State Business Registration
Every legitimate business must be registered with its state. Search the state Secretary of State website (or use ProofReports) and confirm the entity is active — not dissolved or revoked. Bonus points if you can verify the registered agent is a real person or professional service.
2. Domain Age
Scammers spin up fresh domains weekly. A domain registered less than 6 months ago for a company claiming decades of experience is a serious red flag. Use WHOIS or ProofReports to check.
3. Google Business Profile
Look for a verified Google Business Profile with real reviews. Watch for profiles with suspiciously round review counts or reviews that all arrived within the same week.
4. BBB Accreditation
The Better Business Bureau isn't perfect, but an active accreditation with a B+ or higher grade, combined with low complaint volume, is a positive signal.
5. Website Legitimacy
Check for SSL (padlock icon), a physical address, phone number, privacy policy, and terms of service. Missing all of these on a professional services website is suspicious.
6. Social Media Presence
Legitimate businesses typically maintain at least 2–3 active social profiles. LinkedIn is especially important for B2B companies. Absence of any social presence is a yellow flag.
7. Search for Complaints
Google "[company name] scam" or "[company name] complaint" and scan the first page of results. Check Reddit and the BBB complaint database for any patterns.
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