The author or owner is usually in the footer, contact page, or "About Us" section
Most websites list who runs them somewhere on the page — you just have to know where to look. The footer (the bottom of the page) often holds a copyright notice with a name or company. The "About Us" or "About" link usually explains who created the site and why. A "Contact" page typically lists an email address or form tied to the person or organization behind it.
If those obvious places are empty, the website's registration records are public. Every domain name (the web address like example.com) is registered through a registrar, and that registration includes owner information. You can search those records free through a WHOIS lookup tool.
The author and the owner are not always the same person. A freelance writer might have written the content, but a company owns the website. When you are trying to figure out who to trust or who to contact, you usually need the owner — the person or organization legally responsible for what is published there.
Key Takeaways
- Check the footer, "About Us" page, and "Contact" page first — most websites list their owner or author in one of these places.
- A WHOIS lookup tool shows you the registered owner of any domain name, including their name and sometimes their address.
- The person who wrote the content and the person who owns the website are often different — know which one you are looking for.
- If a website hides its owner information, that is a red flag that the site may not be trustworthy.
How to use a WHOIS lookup to find the owner
A WHOIS lookup is a free search tool that pulls the registration records for any domain name. Go to a WHOIS search site like whois.com, icann.org, or your domain registrar's lookup tool. Type in the web address (example.com, not https://www.example.com) and hit search.
The results show the registrant name, organization, email address, and sometimes a phone number and street address. This is the person or company that paid to register the domain. If the owner used a privacy service, you may see a proxy company's information instead of the actual owner's — but the registrar can still contact the real owner on your behalf if you have a legal reason to reach them.
The registration date tells you how long the domain has existed. A site registered last week is newer than one registered ten years ago. Newer does not mean bad, but combined with hidden owner information and no "About" page, it is worth noticing.
What to look for on the "About Us" page
A real "About Us" page tells you who the person or organization is, why they created the site, and what they do. It might name the founder, describe the company's mission, or list the team members. Some include photos, credentials, or links to social media accounts you can verify.
A trustworthy "About Us" page is specific. It says "Sarah Chen founded this site in 2019 to help renters understand their rights" rather than "We are passionate about helping people." It names real people and real reasons. If the page is vague, uses only a company name with no human faces, or does not exist at all, that is a signal to be cautious.
If the site claims to be run by an organization (a nonprofit, a government agency, a university), check whether that organization actually exists. Search for the organization's official website separately and see if they mention this site. A scam site might claim to be affiliated with a real organization without actually being connected to it.
How to read the footer and copyright notice
Scroll to the very bottom of any webpage. The footer usually contains a copyright notice that looks like "© 2024 Example Company" or "Copyright 2024 John Smith." That name is the copyright holder — usually the owner of the site.
The footer may also list contact information, a physical address, or links to "Terms of Service" and "Privacy Policy." These documents sometimes name the owner or the company responsible for the site. A privacy policy, for example, usually says who collects your data and how to contact them.
If the footer is blank or missing, or if it lists a different company than the "About Us" page, that is worth investigating. A legitimate site keeps its ownership information consistent across the page.
What to do if the owner information is hidden or missing
Some websites deliberately hide who runs them. They may use a privacy service to register the domain, have no "About Us" page, and list no contact information. This does not always mean the site is a scam, but it is a reason to be skeptical.
If you need to contact the owner and cannot find them, try sending an email to a generic address like admin@example.com or info@example.com. Many sites monitor these addresses even if they do not list them publicly. You can also try searching the site's name plus "owner" or "contact" in a search engine to see if anyone else has written about who runs it.
If the site is asking for money, personal information, or passwords, and you cannot find out who owns it, do not proceed. Legitimate businesses and organizations are transparent about who they are. Hidden ownership is a warning sign.
How to check if a website is affiliated with a real organization
Many scam sites claim to represent real organizations — a government agency, a bank, a charity — without actually being connected to them. If a site claims to be official, verify it independently.
Go directly to the organization's official website by searching for them in a search engine or typing their known web address. Do not click a link from the suspicious site. Once you are on the official site, look for a list of affiliated websites or partner organizations. If the site you are checking is not listed, it is not official.
You can also call the organization directly using a phone number from their official website and ask whether they run the site in question. A real organization will tell you yes or no when ready.
Why author and owner information matters
Knowing who wrote or runs a website helps you decide whether to trust it. A site run by a doctor carries more weight on medical topics than one run by someone with no background in health. A site about housing law run by a legal nonprofit is more reliable than one with no author listed.
Author information also tells you about potential bias. A site about a product run by the company that sells it is not necessarily wrong, but you should know about the conflict of interest. A site about a political topic run by a political organization has an agenda you should understand.
If you cannot find out who runs a site, you cannot assess their credibility or their motives. That missing information is itself information — it suggests the owner does not want to be identified, which is a reason to be cautious.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I find out who wrote a specific article on a website?
Many sites list the author's name at the top or bottom of an article. If no author is listed, the article was likely written by staff and approved by the organization that owns the site. You can contact the site's main email address and ask who wrote it, or check the site's "About Us" page to see who the staff members are.
What is a WHOIS privacy service and why do people use it?
A WHOIS privacy service hides the domain owner's real name and address in the public registration records, replacing them with the privacy service's information instead. People use it to protect their personal information from spam or harassment. It is legal and common, but it does mean you cannot see the owner's details without contacting the registrar.
Is a website less trustworthy if it does not have an "About Us" page?
Not automatically, but it is a yellow flag. Some small or informal sites do not have an "About Us" page. But if a site is asking for money, personal information, or claiming to represent an organization, and it has no "About Us" page and no contact information, that is a strong reason to be cautious.
How can I tell if a website is impersonating a real organization?
Check the domain name carefully — scam sites often use names similar to the real organization but with a slight difference (like example-official.com instead of example.com). Visit the real organization's official website directly and look for a list of their real websites and partners. Call the organization using a phone number from their official site and ask.
What should I do if I find a website with no owner information that looks like a scam?
Do not give it any personal information or money. If it is impersonating a real organization, report it to that organization and to the Federal Trade Commission at reportfraud.ftc.gov. If it is a phishing site or malware site, you can report it to your web browser or to the Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov.