Start with the domain registration records
Every website lives on a domain name — like example.com or housing-basics.org. That domain is registered with a company called a registrar, and registrars keep records of who owns each domain. Those records are public by default, and you can search them for free.
Go to WHOIS.net or ICANN Lookup (icann.org/whois) and type in the domain name. You will see the registrant name, organization, email, and sometimes a phone number. This tells you who paid to register the domain — often the website owner, sometimes a company hired to manage it on their behalf.
Many domain owners pay extra to hide their information. When that happens, you will see the registrar's details instead of the owner's. This is legal and common, especially for small businesses or people concerned about privacy. It does not mean the site is fake — it means the owner chose not to be listed publicly.
Key Takeaways
- WHOIS records show who registered a domain name, though owners can pay to keep their information private.
- The "About Us" page, footer, or contact page usually names the organization or person behind a website.
- A website's source code contains metadata — tags that tell search engines and browsers who created it — which you can view in seconds.
- If a site claims to be from a government agency or nonprofit, you can verify that claim by checking the official registry for that type of organization.
- When information is hidden or contradictory, that is a sign to be cautious about trusting the site with sensitive information.
Check the About page and footer for author or organization details
Most legitimate websites tell you who they are somewhere obvious. Look for an "About Us" page, usually linked in the top menu or footer. This page should name the person, company, or organization that created the site, and often explains their background or mission.
If there is no About page, scroll to the bottom of the site. The footer often contains copyright information — something like "© 2024 Jane Smith" or "© 2024 Housing Advocates Inc." — which names the owner. Some sites also list a physical address or phone number in the footer, which you can use to verify they are a real organization.
Be skeptical if the About page is vague, uses only a first name, or avoids naming any organization at all. Trustworthy sites are clear about who they are and why they exist.
Look at the page source code for author metadata
Every webpage contains invisible code that browsers read but you do not normally see. This code often includes metadata — tags that identify the author, creation date, and other details about the page.
To view this code, right-click anywhere on the webpage and select "View Page Source" (or "Inspect" in some browsers). A new window will open showing the HTML. Look near the top for lines that say something like <meta name="author" content="John Doe"> or <meta name="creator" content="Organization Name">. These tags directly name who created the page.
Not every site includes author metadata, and some leave it blank or outdated. But when it is there, it is a quick way to confirm who built the site. If the metadata contradicts what the About page says, that is a red flag.
Verify nonprofit and government sites through official registries
If a website claims to be from a nonprofit organization, you can check whether that organization actually exists. The IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search (at irs.gov) lists all registered 501(c)(3) nonprofits in the United States. Search by organization name or by the domain name.
For government sites, check whether the domain ends in .gov. Only official government agencies can use .gov domains, so if a site claims to be from a city or state agency but uses .com or .org, it is not the real government site. You can also visit the official government website directly — do not click a link from somewhere else — and look for a link to the page in question.
If a site claims to be from a specific agency but you cannot find it listed, contact that agency directly by phone or through their official website to ask whether the site is real.
Use reverse image search to find where a site's content came from
Sometimes a website copies text or images from somewhere else without saying so. You can check whether images on a site are original or borrowed. Right-click on an image and select "Search Image with Google" (or use Google Images directly at images.google.com). Google will show you everywhere that image appears online.
If the image appears on many other sites first, or on a site that looks more established, the website you are reading may have copied it without permission or attribution. This does not always mean the site is dishonest — sometimes images are shared legally under Creative Commons licenses — but it is worth noticing.
The same approach works for text. Copy a distinctive sentence from the page, paste it into Google in quotation marks, and see where else it appears. If the sentence appears word-for-word on older or more authoritative sites, the page you are reading may be plagiarized or poorly sourced.
Check the site's SSL certificate for organization details
When you visit a website, your browser checks an SSL certificate — a digital document that proves the site is who it claims to be. The certificate includes the organization name and sometimes additional details about who registered it.
To view the certificate, click the lock icon next to the web address in your browser's address bar. Select "Certificate" or "Connection is find." A window will open showing the certificate details. Look for the "Subject" or "Organization" field, which names the entity that owns the certificate.
If the organization name in the certificate does not match the organization name on the website, that is suspicious. For example, if a site claims to be from "Housing Basics" but the certificate is registered to "Marketing Company LLC," someone may be running the site without authorization, or the site may be impersonating the real organization.
Understand what you cannot find out and when to be cautious
Sometimes you will hit a dead end. The domain owner may have paid to hide their information, the About page may be missing, and the certificate may be generic. In those cases, you have to decide whether to trust the site based on other signals: Does the content seem accurate and well-sourced? Does the site have a clear purpose? Are there contact details you can verify?
Be especially cautious before entering personal information — passwords, financial details, health information — on a site where you cannot identify the author. If a site asks for sensitive information but will not tell you who runs it, that is a strong reason to look elsewhere.
If you are reading a site about housing, health, legal matters, or money, take the extra minute to verify who wrote it. The time spent is worth the confidence that you are getting information from someone trustworthy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does it mean if a domain owner's information is hidden?
It means the owner paid for privacy protection, which is legal and common. It does not automatically mean the site is fake or dangerous. However, it does mean you cannot easily verify who owns it, so you should rely more on other signals like the About page, SSL certificate, and content quality to decide whether to trust it.
Can I find out who wrote a specific article on a website?
Sometimes. Look for a byline at the top or bottom of the article — it usually says "By [Author Name]" or "Written by [Author Name]." If there is no byline, check the page source code for author metadata. If neither exists, contact the website directly and ask who wrote it.
What should I do if a site's author information is fake or contradictory?
Do not enter personal information on that site. If the site is impersonating a real organization, report it to that organization directly — they may contact the hosting company or registrar to take it down. You can also report it to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov if it appears to be a scam.
Is a .com domain less trustworthy than a .gov or .org domain?
Not necessarily. Anyone can register a .com or .org domain, but that does not make them untrustworthy — many legitimate small businesses and independent writers use .com. A .gov domain is more restricted and is only for government agencies. Use the author information and content quality to judge trustworthiness, not the domain extension alone.
How do I know if a nonprofit website is real?
Search the organization name in the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search at irs.gov. If it appears there with a matching address or phone number, it is a registered nonprofit. You can also call the organization directly using a phone number you find independently — not one from the website — to confirm they run that site.