Website Spoofing and Typosquatting: How Scammers Use Fake Domains to Trap Scam Victims through Social Engineering Techniques

Website spoofing and typo domains (also known as typosquatting) are common techniques used by scammers, cybercriminals, and fraudsters to deceive internet users. By creating deceptive websites that appear legitimate, criminals aim to steal sensitive information, distribute malware, or lure victims into scams like pig butchering scams, phishing, or fraudulent investment schemes. Below, we’ll explore the most common methods scammers use to spoof domains and how they exploit them to trap unsuspecting victims.

Typosquatting: The Use of Misspelled Domain Names

Typosquatting involves registering domain names that are deliberately misspelled versions of legitimate, well-known websites. Scammers rely on the fact that users may accidentally type a web address incorrectly and end up on the fake site instead of the intended legitimate site.

Example techniques:

Omitting a letter: For example, typing “googel.com” instead of “google.com.”

Swapping adjacent letters: Common in typosquatting, this includes domains like “amzon.com” instead of “amazon.com.”

Adding extra characters: Domains that add extra letters like “faceebook.com” can trick users into believing it’s the real website.

Changing domain extensions: Switching “.com” to “.co” or “.net” is a common strategy. Scammers may use “paypal.co” to deceive someone intending to visit “paypal.com.”

These sites often look identical to the real ones, and scammers may install malicious software or steal login credentials, leading to identity theft or further fraud.

Homograph Attacks: Using Look-Alike Characters

A homograph attack involves using characters from different alphabets that look nearly identical to those in the legitimate domain name. Scammers take advantage of the fact that many characters in non-Latin scripts resemble Latin letters, and they replace letters in a legitimate URL with these characters.

Example:

Replacing the letter “o” in “google.com” with a Cyrillic “о” (which looks visually identical but is a different Unicode character).

Using accented letters like “paypaĺ.com” instead of “paypal.com.”

These fraudulent URLs can be hard to detect by simply glancing at the address bar, making them highly effective for phishing attacks.

Homograph attacks, also known as IDN (Internationalized Domain Name) homograph attacks, exploit visually similar characters from different writing systems or character sets to deceive users into thinking they are visiting legitimate websites. Below are 55 pairs of look-alike characters used in homograph attacks:

• a (Latin) and а (Cyrillic)
• o (Latin) and ο (Greek)
• i (Latin) and і (Cyrillic)
• e (Latin) and е (Cyrillic)
• c (Latin) and с (Cyrillic)
• p (Latin) and р (Cyrillic)
• x (Latin) and х (Cyrillic)
• s (Latin) and ѕ (Cyrillic)
• r (Latin) and г (Cyrillic)
• u (Latin) and υ (Greek)
• h (Latin) and һ (Cyrillic)
• w (Latin) and ѡ (Cyrillic)
• y (Latin) and у (Cyrillic)
• d (Latin) and ԁ (Cyrillic)
• n (Latin) and п (Cyrillic)
• b (Latin) and Ь (Cyrillic)
• v (Latin) and ν (Greek)
• m (Latin) and м (Cyrillic)
• l (Latin) and ӏ (Cyrillic)
• k (Latin) and κ (Greek)
• f (Latin) and ғ (Cyrillic)
• t (Latin) and τ (Greek)
• g (Latin) and ɡ (Cyrillic)
• z (Latin) and ʐ (Cyrillic)
• q (Latin) and զ (Armenian)
• A (Latin) and А (Cyrillic)
• B (Latin) and В (Cyrillic)
• C (Latin) and С (Cyrillic)
• E (Latin) and Е (Cyrillic)
• H (Latin) and Н (Cyrillic)
• I (Latin) and І (Cyrillic)
• J (Latin) and Ј (Cyrillic)
• K (Latin) and Κ (Greek)
• M (Latin) and М (Cyrillic)
• N (Latin) and Ν (Greek)
• O (Latin) and О (Cyrillic)
• P (Latin) and Р (Cyrillic)
• S (Latin) and Ѕ (Cyrillic)
• T (Latin) and Τ (Greek)
• V (Latin) and Ѵ (Cyrillic)
• W (Latin) and Ѡ (Cyrillic)
• X (Latin) and Χ (Greek)
• Y (Latin) and Ү (Cyrillic)
• Z (Latin) and Ζ (Greek)
• r (Latin) and г (Cyrillic)
• d (Latin) and ԁ (Cyrillic)
• q (Latin) and ԛ (Cyrillic)
• L (Latin) and ʟ (Cyrillic)
• F (Latin) and Ғ (Cyrillic)
• p (Latin) and ρ (Greek)
• a (Latin) and α (Greek)
• i (Latin) and ι (Greek)
• u (Latin) and ц (Cyrillic)
• n (Latin) and η (Greek)
• v (Latin) and ѵ (Cyrillic)
• L (Latin) and ӏ (Cyrillic) – the latter is a straight line like a lowercase “L.”
• G (Latin) and Ϭ (Coptic) – similar to the uppercase “G.”
• S (Latin) and Ƨ (Latin retroflex S) – an unusual character that can look like an “S.”
• d (Latin) and ԁ (Cyrillic) – they appear almost identical.
• a (Latin) and ɑ (Latin script) – a subtle difference, with “ɑ” being the Latin script for a turned “a.”
• t (Latin) and т (Cyrillic) – difficult to differentiate at a glance.
• r (Latin) and ṛ (Devanagari) – both appear similar in many fonts.
• u (Latin) and µ (Greek Mu) – common confusion, especially in technical URLs.
• p (Latin) and ⍴ (Mathematical symbol rho) – looks like a stylized version of “p.”
• k (Latin) and ĸ (Greenlandic) – a unique character that closely resembles the Latin “k.”

These character pairs are used to create URLs that appear legitimate at first glance, tricking users into believing they are visiting trusted websites when, in fact, they are accessing malicious ones.

Subdomain Spoofing and URL Masking

Subdomain spoofing is another tactic where fraudsters create a URL that looks like a legitimate domain by placing a subdomain that resembles a trusted brand in front of their malicious domain.

Example:

“paypal.com.fakesite.com”: This might trick a user into thinking it’s a legitimate PayPal website, while in reality, it’s hosted on “fakesite.com.”

Criminals exploit the fact that users may focus on the familiar brand name at the beginning of the URL, ignoring the real domain that follows. These sites often host phishing forms or malicious software.

Using HTTPS and SSL Certificates

While users are often taught to trust websites that display the HTTPS prefix and a padlock symbol in their browsers, scammers have caught onto this practice and now use legitimate SSL certificates on fake domains. The presence of HTTPS may give users a false sense of security, leading them to trust a spoofed website.

Scammers can easily obtain SSL certificates for malicious websites. As a result, many phishing sites now appear secure, tricking users into submitting personal and financial information on these sites.

URL Shorteners and Redirects

Scammers often use URL shorteners (like bit.ly or tinyurl.com) to mask the actual domain they’re sending victims to. These shortened URLs may be shared through emails, social media, or text messages. Once clicked, the user is redirected to a malicious or spoofed site.

How they work:

A URL like “bit.ly/abcdef” may look harmless, but when clicked, it redirects the user to a fake login page that mimics a trusted website like a bank or online store.

Scammers may use multiple redirects to mask the final destination, making it harder for users to detect malicious intent.

Cloned Websites and Fake Login Pages

Fraudsters often create exact clones of legitimate websites, copying design elements, logos, and even login forms. When a user unknowingly enters their credentials on these pages, the information is captured and sent to the attacker, who can then use it for further fraud, such as draining bank accounts or committing identity theft.

Example in scams like pig butchering:

In pig butchering scams, scammers might set up fake cryptocurrency investment platforms that look almost identical to legitimate ones. Victims are lured into thinking they’re investing in real assets, only to realize later that the site is fraudulent and their money is gone.

Exploiting Similar Domains for Email Scams

Scammers frequently create look-alike email addresses based on spoofed domains to launch phishing attacks. These emails often appear to come from trusted sources, such as banks, employers, or family members, urging recipients to click on links or download attachments.

Examples:

An email from “support@faceboook.com“ (with an extra “o”) may appear to be from Facebook’s support team but is actually a scammer attempting to steal credentials or deliver malware.

In some cases, scammers may use domain names with minor differences to impersonate a well-known business, leading to fraudulent invoices or financial requests being approved.

Combo-Squatting

In combo-squatting, scammers combine the legitimate brand name with additional keywords to create convincing but fraudulent domains. For instance, they might add words like “support,” “login,” or “secure” to make the URL appear more authentic.

Examples:

“paypal-support.com” could trick users into thinking they are visiting PayPal’s customer support page.

“amazon-login.com” might lead users to believe it’s a legitimate login page for their Amazon account, while it’s a phishing site.

Domain Hijacking and DNS Spoofing

Domain hijacking occurs when scammers gain unauthorized access to the domain registration and transfer the domain to their control. Once in control of the domain, they can create fraudulent pages or redirect users to malicious websites. DNS spoofing (also known as DNS poisoning) involves corrupting the Domain Name System so that users are directed to fraudulent websites without even knowing the domain has been compromised.

Social Engineering Techniques and Psychological Manipulation

Scammers don’t just rely on technical tricks but also employ social engineering and psychological manipulation to convince victims to visit spoofed domains. They may use urgency, fear, or promises of rewards (like investment returns or prizes) to trick users into visiting fake websites and submitting personal information.

How to Protect Yourself from Spoofed Domains

1. Always double-check the URL before entering sensitive information. Pay attention to slight misspellings, misplaced characters, or unfamiliar extensions.
2. Use browser extensions or tools that identify potentially dangerous websites.
3. Avoid clicking on suspicious links in emails or messages, particularly those from unfamiliar senders.
4. Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) wherever possible to add an extra layer of security.
5. Report suspicious websites to your browser or cybersecurity firms. Visit reporting.AgainstScams.org to learn how to report.

Summary

Website spoofing and domain manipulation are evolving tactics that scammers use to exploit users’ trust and trick them into handing over personal information or money. As criminals become more sophisticated in their methods—leveraging typosquatting, homograph attacks, and social engineering—users must remain vigilant, informed, and cautious to avoid falling victim to these deceptive strategies. The rise in HTTPS adoption for fraudulent sites adds another layer of difficulty in identifying legitimate websites, making education and awareness key tools in the fight against cybercrime.