How to Spot a Fraudulent or Fake Burton Website
Scammers build fraudulent websites to steal your money and personal information, and unfortunately, we see fake Burton websites pop up every year. However, with a little bit of diligence and attention to detail, these websites are easy to spot. In this guide, we’ll explain how you can spot a fake burton website and avoid getting scammed.
Fraudulent Burton Websites & Other Internet Scams
Fraudulent Burton websites are just one type of internet scam. There are also fake Burton advertisements and fake Burton emails. You’ll want to be on the lookout for a variety of things to make sure that you don’t become a victim of fraud. Keep an eye out for these common indicators of a fake Burton website.
Lookalike Domains
The main address of a website that you type into your internet browser is called a domain name. For instance, www.example.com. One way that scammers take advantage of online shoppers is by creating authentic-looking domains that are similar to the real thing, but with small differences. For instance, www.example-us.com.
1: Strange-looking logo. 2: Rider wearing non-Burton outerwear.
If you are ever in doubt about the legitimacy of a Burton website, please visit any of the following verified official domains directly.
Other domain names, even ones that look very similar, should not be trusted.
Poor Website Security
There are two main types of website connection protocols: HTTP and HTTPS. The protocol that a website uses will appear as a prefix before the “www” portion of a domain name in the address bar. HTTP is the basic protocol that enables data transmission via the world wide web, while HTTPS is the same but applies encryption to the data transmission. In short, HTTPS is more secure than HTTP.
If you are ever in doubt about the security of a website, look for “https” in the address of the website. Additionally, some browsers will display a small lock icon near the address bar to indicate that HTTPS is in use.
Note: The legitimate Burton website utilizes industry-leading security to protect your personal information and keep you safe while browsing and shopping online. Fake Burton websites often (but not always) do not bother implementing the proper security.
No SSL Certification
Secure Sockets Layer (or SSL) is a standard security technology for establishing an encrypted link between a server and a client. Legitimate websites will always have the proper SSL certificate installed and available to check. Using a resource like Digicert’s SSL Certificate Checker, we can see that www.burton.com is registered by “The Burton Corporation” in Burlington, Vermont, and the website’s security certificate is current and matches.
The actual certificate results from Digicert for Burton.
If you see questionable certificate results, like a strange address, no listed company name, or something else that doesn’t seem right, leave the website immediately.
Fraudulent Burton Advertisements
Occasionally, scammers place fraudulent Burton advertisements on platforms like Google, Bing, Facebook, or Instagram. These ads look official and may appear to link to Burton. However, upon clicking the link, users are directed to a different website that is not associated with Burton. These sites are used to steal personal information, like credit card numbers.
Remember to always check the website domain and security of a website you visit after clicking on an advertisement. If something doesn’t seem right, open a new browser window and visit www.burton.com directly.
Fraudulent Burton Emails
Similar to lookalike domains, fraudulent emails look official, and include authentic-looking return addresses that are similar to the real thing, but with small differences. In general, official email correspondence from Burton will have a sender address that includes “burton.com,” but it is important to remember that it is possible to fake a sender address.
Examples of fraudulent email addresses include:
- help@burt0n.com
- order@burtonofficial.com
- payment@bur1on.com
- customerservice@burton_.com
Additionally, unless you have initiated a customer service request, Burton will never randomly reach out to ask you for sensitive information such as credit card info, or account login information via email, phone, or SMS text. If you receive an unsolicited email, SMS text message, or phone call requesting your login credentials or credit card information, please report the incident to the Burton Guides immediately.
Fraudulent Burton SMS Text Messages
Fraudulent Burton SMS text message scams exist, and we see a few pop up almost every winter season. These text messages may appear authentic, including personal details like your name, address, or even your order number from a purchase made on burton.com. These fraudulent text messages often attempt to solicit personal information including usernames, passwords, or bank information. They may claim that you owe additional money for an order that is in progress or are owed a refund as a way to coerce you into providing sensitive personal account details. They may try to get you to sign up for a giveaway or pretend to offer you something for free. DON'T FALL FOR IT.
Burton will never contact you via text message to collect additional payments, issue refunds, or ask for any personal information. If you receive any text messages attempting to do so, you should immediately be suspicious. Never click on links in text messages unless you are 100% confident in their authenticity. Authentic text messages from Burton will only provide secure "https" links and won't ask you to respond directly. Again, we will never ask for any personal information via text.
If there is any doubt about the authenticity of any communications like SMS text messages, emails, or phone calls, we recommend contacting the Burton Guides directly.
What to do about Fraudulent Burton Websites
The good news is that there is one guaranteed way to avoid fraudulent Burton websites, and that is to only make online purchases via our official website at https://www.burton.com. No matter where you are in the world, if you type the official website domain name into your internet browser, you will be directed to the correct regional Burton website.
Report a Fake Burton Website
If you come across a website that doesn’t seem legit, we want to know about it. Take a screenshot of the suspicious website, email, or ad, and reach out to the Burton Guides to report the incident. Our team takes these reports very seriously and we will pursue the matter immediately.
Red flags to Help You Spot a Fake Burton Website
Generally speaking, there are a few red flags to keep an eye out for to avoid being scammed when shopping online.
- No contact information. Legitimate websites will always provide contact information. Beware of websites with limited customer support contact information (no direct email or phone number).
- Unrealistic discounts. Beware of websites selling current-season Burton outerwear, snowboards, boots, or bindings for more than 60%+ off.
- Strange payment methods. Legitimate websites will allow shoppers to pay for orders with major credit cards, PayPal, and other common methods. Avoid websites that require strange payment methods like gift cards or direct wire transfers. Contact Burton customer service if you have any questions about accepted forms of payment.
This questionable address isn't in Vermont. The inset Google Maps search results show no business registered with Google. There is also no email address or phone number listed for customer service.
What should I do if I got scammed by a fake Burton website?
Unfortunately, Burton is unable to assist shoppers who have fallen victim to fraudulent website scams. If you’ve been coerced into sharing sensitive bank or credit card information, contact your issuing bank and report the incident immediately along with any evidence or documentation that you may have including email correspondence or screenshots. Additionally, we recommend connecting with the local authorities to file an official report and confirm your recourse.
