What does the padlock symbol mean on a website?

The padlock (🔒) in your browser address bar means the connection between your device and the website is encrypted — your information is scrambled so others cannot read it. Always look for the padlock before entering a password or payment details.

How do I know if a website address is real?

Look at the main domain — the part just before .com or .ca. A real RBC website is at rbc.com. A fake one might be at rbc-security.com or rbc.login-verify.info — the part after "rbc" is the giveaway. Real companies own their own domain directly.

Spotting a Fake Website

By Aaron Kramer, Two Birds Innovation · March 2026

Criminals create fake websites that look almost identical to real banks, government sites, and stores. Here are three quick checks that take less than 10 seconds each:

Check 1: The padlock

Look for a padlock symbol (🔒) at the start of the address bar at the top of your browser. If the padlock is there, the connection is encrypted — your information cannot be read by others on the same network.

No padlock? Leave immediately. Do not enter any information.

Check 2: The web address

Read the address in the address bar carefully. The real name of the website is the part just before .com or .ca. For example:

✅ rbc.com — real
❌ rbc-alert.info — fake
❌ secure-rbc.com — fake

Check 3: Your instincts

If something feels off — unusual spelling, odd layout, prices that seem too good to be true — trust that feeling and leave. Search the website name plus the word "scam" on Google.

Never follow a link to log in

If you receive an email or text saying your account needs attention, do not click any link. Open a fresh browser tab and type the bank or company address yourself. This guarantees you are on the real website.

Want to learn more?
Module 5: Email & Messages goes deeper on this topic.
Go to module → All Tips →