Recommendation

Proceed

Overall Summary

Safe

Why we think so

Sephora.com is a major online retailer specializing in beauty and cosmetics, with about 76 million monthly visits globally and a strong presence in the United States. The website employs reputable technologies and security features like GeoTrust TLS certificates, uses established content delivery networks such as Akamai and CloudFlare, and maintains an active domain registered since 1996. Its trademark registrations confirm legitimate brand ownership tied to a major cosmetics company based in France. Physical retail locations across multiple U.S. states, with customer scores averaging above 4 stars, reinforce the brand's market presence. There are no indications of phishing or scam listings for the domain. Public records show multiple lawsuits, primarily related to consumer protection and privacy, with some settled by Sephora with penalties. Customer complaints often concern service issues like returns and refunds rather than fraud. Overall, Sephora.com appears to be a legitimate and widely recognized ecommerce site in the beauty sector with strong brand protections and standard security practices.

Confidence Score

90%

Risk Insights

🛡️

Established Brand and Web Presence

Domain registered since 1996

Hosts ~76 million monthly visits

Top 500 global site rank

✅

No Known Scam or Phishing Flags

Absent from phishing and scam blacklists

Secure SSL and DNS in place

Active trademark protections

⚠️

Customer Experience Risks

Consistent complaints about returns and refunds

Some customer service dissatisfaction reported

Lawsuits focus on privacy and advertising

Contradictory Signals

While Sephora.com is well-established and legitimately owned, some users report dissatisfaction related to service; these issues do not necessarily imply scam but could affect user trust.

Signal A: High Brand Reputation with Longstanding Domain

Signal B: Presence of Multiple Customer Complaints and Legal Cases

Category Scores

Identity 95/100

Reputation 85/100

Technical 90/100

Content 90/100

Legal 75/100

Business Validity 90/100

Red Flags & Warnings

Customer complaints about return policies and damaged shipments may impact user experience.

🔎 Detailed Checks & Analysis

Domain age and registrar

Score: 90/100

Passed

"Older domains registered with established registrars reduce risk of fraud."

Reason: Sephora.com domain dates back to 1996 and is registered with a reputable provider, indicating longstanding ownership and credibility.

Web traffic and rank

Score: 95/100

Passed

"Very high traffic sites are more likely to be legitimate due to user base size."

Reason: High monthly visits (~76 million) and strong global rank (#453) support high trust and popularity.

Security features (SSL, DNS)

Score: 90/100

Passed

"Proper SSL and DNS configuration are fundamental security measures."

Reason: Active GeoTrust SSL certificate and secure DNS setup help protect user data and site authenticity.

Presence in scam and blacklist databases

Score: 100/100

Passed

"Absence from blacklists supports safe browsing claims."

Reason: No matches found in Google Safe Browsing or crypto scam blacklists, indicating no known malware or phishing.

Brand trademark registrations

Score: 90/100

Passed

"Trademark registration is a strong sign of legitimate brand protection."

Reason: Multiple live trademarks confirm registered ownership of the SEPHORA brand, protecting consumers from counterfeit products.

Physical presence and reviews

Score: 85/100

Passed

"Real-world retail locations corroborate online business validity."

Reason: Numerous physical stores with positive customer ratings add legitimacy to the online site.

Negative reports and lawsuits

Score: 70/100

Passed

"Legal issues common in large retailers should be noted but do not indicate fraud here."

Reason: Some lawsuits and customer complaints exist, mostly related to service and regulatory compliance, but no fraud or scam allegations against the domain directly.

Your Next Steps

1

Use Sephora.com directly via bookmarks or official apps to avoid phishing clones.
2

Review customer service policies carefully before purchasing, especially for returns and refunds.
3

Verify official promotions and communications only through Sephora.com and recognized channels.
4

Monitor for updates on legal or privacy practices if you are a frequent user.

Evidence & Citations

SimilarTech profile for sephora.com
Traffic and technical stack details showing high legitimacy.
WHOIS and SSL data for sephora.com
Domain age since 1996 and valid SSL certificate indicate stable ownership and security.
USPTO trademark search for SEPHORA
Registered trademarks for SEPHORA brand owned by French parent company.
Google Safe Browsing status for sephora.com
No detected phishing or malware threats.
Customer reviews and complaints summary
Service complaints common; no widespread fraud linked to sephora.com.
Lawsuits and legal disputes involving Sephora
Privacy and advertising lawsuits noted, some settled with penalties.

🕵🏻 Keep investigating

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