Recommendation

Caution

Overall Summary

Suspicious

Why we think so

The website theathletic.com appears to be a legitimate sports news platform associated with The New York Times Company. It has substantial monthly visits (~559K) with a principal audience in the United States. The domain is well established since 2000, demonstrating technical stability with secure SSL certificates and reputable DNS providers. However, there is a significant and consistent pattern of customer complaints on the Better Business Bureau (BBB) platform, highlighting issues related to unauthorized subscription charges, lack of renewal notifications, difficulties in cancellation, and unresponsive customer service. Legal disputes include a class action about auto-renewal disclosures and a privacy-related arbitration over user data sharing. No verified reports suggest users have lost money due to fraud, but consumer allegations indicate concerns about billing and cancellation practices. Users should approach with caution and carefully review subscription terms before engagement.

Confidence Score

70%

Risk Insights

🛡️

Established Domain Ownership

Registered since 2000 under The New York Times Company

Clear registrant contact and organization info

Linked to a known and respected media company

⚠️

Customer Billing Complaints

Multiple BBB reviews accuse unauthorized subscription charges

Reports of lack of renewal notifications and refund denial

BBB rating of D- due to unresolved complaints

⚠️

Legal Actions Underway

Class action lawsuit over auto-renewal billing disclosures

Data privacy arbitration over sharing viewing history

Ongoing disputes heighten caution advised

Contradictory Signals

While the domain is established and technically sound, consumer reports indicate significant trust issues with billing and customer service.

Signal A: Strong technical and identity signals

Signal B: Frequent user complaints and legal disputes

Category Scores

Identity 90/100

Reputation 50/100

Technical 85/100

Content 80/100

Legal 40/100

Business Validity 60/100

Red Flags & Warnings

Numerous BBB complaints describe unauthorized charges and denial of refunds, indicating suspicious billing behavior.
Ongoing legal actions related to subscription billing and privacy policies indicate unresolved compliance and trust issues.

🔎 Detailed Checks & Analysis

Identity verification

Score: 90/100

Passed

"Registrant information is clear with verified organization and contact details."

Reason: Domain ownership tied to The New York Times Company since 2000 confirms legitimate and stable identity.

Reputation assessment

Score: 50/100

Failed

"BBB rating is D- with unresolved complaints alleging deceptive billing and refund issues."

Reason: Customer feedback reveals numerous complaints about unauthorized charges and poor customer service.

Technical infrastructure

Score: 85/100

Passed

"Technical data confirms secure, consistent infrastructure without red flags."

Reason: Website uses valid SSL, Cloudflare DNS, and standard advertising/tracking technologies common for established media companies.

Content quality

Score: 80/100

Passed

"High traffic volume and user engagement support content legitimacy, with no scam-related content found."

Reason: The site provides substantial sports news content aligned with its described purpose.

Legal and compliance

Score: 40/100

Failed

"No scam verdict, but legal disputes may affect consumer trust until resolved."

Reason: Ongoing lawsuits and arbitration involving subscription renewals and privacy violations indicate legal risk.

Business validity

Score: 60/100

Failed

"Consumer allegations and BBB rating suggest caution before engagement."

Reason: While technically legitimate and well-trafficked, business practices raise concern due to customer billing disputes.

Your Next Steps

1

Verify subscription terms and auto-renewal policies before subscribing.
2

Monitor official communications regarding legal case outcomes.
3

Avoid providing billing information without clear understanding of subscription conditions.
4

Report unauthorized charges to payment providers and BBB if suspected.

Evidence & Citations

Domain and technology profile for theathletic.com from SimilarTech
Provides detailed tech stack, domain age, and traffic data
Traffic and engagement statistics from SimilarWeb API for theathletic.com
Confirms substantial traffic and audience location.
Consumer complaints and reviews about The Athletic at BBB
Multiple user reports of billing and cancellation issues indicating possible fraud concerns.
Legal disputes against The Athletic relating to automatic renewals and data privacy
Discusses ongoing litigation and arbitration.
WHOIS registration details showing domain ownership by The New York Times Company
Verifies domain registration since 2000 and reputable ownership.

🕵🏻 Keep investigating

Recommended →

🌐 Scan another website

Run another instant due diligence scan on any website URL. Verify before you trust!

Vet suspicious ticket resale websites

Scammers clone legitimate ticket exchanges or invent resale hubs that require wire transfers and Zelle deposits. ScamAI...

Read playbook →

Check government tax refund portals for authenticity

Fraudsters spoof tax agencies during filing season, promising fast refunds if you hand over SSNs and card data. ScamAI p...

Read playbook →