How to Research New Leads So You Don’t Get Scammed
When a new lead arrives through your website, it can feel exciting, especially if it looks like a perfect fit. But before you invest time or share sensitive information, it pays to vet that lead carefully.
Recently, we received an inquiry from a company calling itself Divine Love Land Care, and something didn’t feel right. By digging deeper, I uncovered multiple red flags that saved us time and potential risk. Here’s exactly how we researched the lead and how you can apply the same steps. We even found a duplicate site with a different URL (see images at the bottom). Save time up front by being cautious!
Trust Your Gut
The first sign that something was off was pure instinct. The email felt a bit too generic, and the website lacked the polish and credibility I’d expect.
Check Official Business Registration
Legitimate U.S. businesses must be registered with their state. I searched the Tennessee Secretary of State database and found no record of Divine Love Land Care.
Review the Domain and Email Details
A quick WHOIS lookup showed the domain owner was hidden and newly registered. For companies claiming years of experience, this is a red flag.
Investigate Contact Info
I googled the phone number listed on the site. No legitimate listings came up. I also checked the address in Google Maps, which revealed no clear business location.
Use Google’s ‘About This Result’ Tool
Clicking the three dots next to the website link in Google search revealed the site used to operate under another name, Ground Zero Land Care, with identical design and text but new contact info.
Dig Deeper: Social & Visual Clues
Check social media footprints, branding consistency, and run a reverse image search to see if images are stolen from other sites.
Review External Ratings and Complaints
Look up the company on BBB, state consumer protection sites, and industry directories. Search ‘[company name] + scam’ to see if others have flagged issues.
Protect Your Business
If you confirm a lead is suspicious, do not respond. Report the site to Google Safe Browsing, and document evidence in case it escalates.
Why Scammers Pretend to Be Leads—and What They’re After
Fake leads aren’t random—they’re designed to trick businesses into giving up money, data, or credibility. Here are common goals:
• Financial theft (fake payments, overpayment scams, requests for gift cards)
• Phishing (banking details, passwords, tax IDs, malware)
• Business identity theft (look-alike websites, stolen info)
• Harvesting contacts or SEO manipulation (getting backlinks, reselling emails)
Quick 10-Minute Vetting Checklist
- Gut check
- Business registration
- Domain details
- Phone/address search
- Google ‘About this result’
- Social presence
- Reverse image search
- Complaint scans
- Ask for proof
- Report and protect
Final Thoughts
Scammers are getting more sophisticated, but a simple 10-minute investigation can save hours of wasted time and potential risk. Whenever a new lead comes in, slow down, trust your instincts, and work through these checks.
