Recommendation

Proceed

Overall Summary

Safe

Why we think so

Chess.com is a well-established website that ranks #93 globally with over 204 million monthly visits, primarily from the US and India. It offers online chess games, puzzles, and community features. The site uses robust technology stacks including CloudFlare for CDN and security, Adobe and Google analytics tools, and multiple advertising and privacy technologies. Chess.com has active social media presence and multiple contact emails listed, demonstrating organizational transparency. No listings on crypto scam or Google Safe Browsing blacklists. User reviews highlight challenges with cheating detection, account bans, billing, and customer support. Legal disputes include a high-profile defamation case settled in 2023 and a proposed 2024 data privacy class action. Overall, Chess.com appears technically reliable and widely used, but users should be mindful of support and billing concerns.

Confidence Score

83%

Risk Insights

🌐

Strong Traffic and Infrastructure

Over 204 million monthly visits globally

Uses CloudFlare CDN and reputable tech stack

Valid SSL certificate ensures secure connections

⚠️

User Complaints on Support and Billing

Customers report difficulty reaching human support

Billing disputes, including charges post-cancellation

Fair-play bans sometimes perceived as unfair

📜

Legal Disputes Resolved or Pending

2018 defamation lawsuit settled in 2023

Proposed 2024 class action over data privacy

No current legal barriers to access or use

Contradictory Signals

While Chess.com is technically reliable and popular, some user experience problems affect perception.

Signal A: High platform popularity and robust technical setup

Signal B: User complaints about service and billing issues

Category Scores

Identity 85/100

Reputation 75/100

Technical 90/100

Content 80/100

Legal 60/100

Business Validity 90/100

Red Flags & Warnings

Users report opaque fair-play enforcement leading to account bans and slow appeal processes.
Complaints exist about confusing billing, including charges after cancellation and difficulties obtaining refunds.
Customer support accessibility is limited mostly to AI-driven support widgets, frustrating some users.

🔎 Detailed Checks & Analysis

Domain Traffic and Popularity

Score: 90/100

Passed

"High traffic and broad international user base with primary traffic from US and India."

Reason: Chess.com ranks #93 globally with over 204 million monthly visits, confirming it is a widely used platform.

Technical Infrastructure

Score: 90/100

Passed

"DNS and SSL records are valid; multiple security and privacy tech integrated."

Reason: The domain uses current SSL certificates, CloudFlare CDN, and reputable analytics and advertising technologies.

Ownership and Contact Transparency

Score: 85/100

Passed

"Contact info includes support, press, and account review emails, supporting organizational legitimacy."

Reason: Chess.com provides multiple official contact emails and maintains active social media channels.

Blacklist and Malware Checks

Score: 95/100

Passed

"No recorded phishing or malware associations."

Reason: No listings detected on Google Safe Browsing or crypto scam blacklists.

User Reviews and Complaints

Score: 60/100

Passed

"Chess.com responds to some complaints though appeal and support can be slow; many issues are typical of large online platforms."

Reason: Complaints relate mainly to user support, billing, and cheating enforcement rather than outright fraud.

Legal and Trademark Status

Score: 65/100

Passed

"Several trademarks unrelated to Chess.com brand exist; no trademark conflicts reported."

Reason: Chess.com settled a defamation lawsuit in 2023 and faces a proposed privacy class action; no active litigation blocking use.

Your Next Steps

1

If you subscribe, monitor billing closely to avoid unwanted auto-renewals or charges.
2

Use Chess.com's report features to flag any suspected scammers or policy violations.
3

Be aware that customer support may be automated and patience may be required to resolve issues.
4

Stay updated on the ongoing data privacy class action for any impacts on your data rights.

Evidence & Citations

Chess.com Technology and Traffic Overview
Shows site popularity, technologies used, and infrastructure details.
Chess.com WHOIS, DNS and SSL information
Includes domain registrar, SSL validity, and DNS configuration.
Chess.com Complaints and Scam Reports Summary
Contains user-reported issues about cheating enforcement, billing, and scams.
Chess.com Crypto Scam Blacklist Check
No appearance in crypto scam blacklists.

🕵🏻 Keep investigating

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