Tech-support scare page — do not call the number
Predatory research-award solicitation site matching vanity-scam patterns, rated low-trust by independent reviewers and flagged by scam-detection databases. Some signals suggest this is a fake support / scare page. Don't call any displayed number and don't install any "support" software.
Is researchervault.com legit or a scam?
Predatory research-award solicitation site matching vanity-scam patterns, rated low-trust by independent reviewers and flagged by scam-detection databases.
These checks passed — but they don't clear the site. A clean antivirus result, valid SSL, and a calm server only mean it isn't hosting malware; they say nothing about whether the business is real. This verdict is based on the site's conduct and content, not a malware detection.
Analysis Summary
MT Intelligence
The domain is 296 days old and operates a research-awards nomination platform claiming to recognize academics globally. Independent review aggregators assigned it trust scores of 36.5/100 and 55/100, both indicating low credibility. The evidence package documents that similar award operations (ScienceFather, Scifax) follow an identical pattern: unsolicited emails to published researchers, provisional selection notifications, then mandatory fees for certificates or delegate participation — a hallmark of predatory vanity scams targeting academics. The site lists a Bengaluru address but has no independent company registry confirmation, no established reputation, and no reputable academic partners. Our antivirus network and browser blocklists show no malware, but the business model and targeting pattern align with known research-award fraud schemes.
Website Preview
Automated page render — captured in a safe sandbox. What an ordinary visitor would see when loading the site.
Web Research Findings
Our live research agent queries scam-report databases, consumer-review sites, news coverage, and general web search for researchervault.com, then cross-checks business-registration records and look-alike domain patterns. Everything below is pulled from what it actually found.
- Domain approximately 9-10 months old (296 days at scan time); registered around September 2025
- Site promotes "ResearcherVault Awards" / "IRASHE Awards 2026" (International Research Awards on Science, Health and Engineering) with open nominations and a "Track My Submission" system
- Contact listed as support@researchervault.com and physical address in Electronic City, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
- Similar "provisional selection" for research awards followed by fees for certificates or participation are widely reported as predatory/vanity scams on ResearchGate, Reddit, and academic blogs
- No independent verification, established reputation, or reputable partners found; low trust scores from review sites (36.5/100 and 55/100)
- Page claims structured review process and recognition for researchers, but fits common pattern of unsolicited award emails targeting published academics
- Related award operations (e.g. ScienceFather/Scifax) charge mandatory delegate/registration fees (thousands of INR or hundreds of USD) after "selection"
Lists address as 125, Researchervault Technology, Electronic City, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560099; no independent company registry confirmation found for this specific entity
Independent review aggregators assigned ResearcherVault trust scores of 36.5/100 and 55/100, both indicating low credibility. The evidence package documents that similar research-award schemes follow a known predatory pattern: unsolicited emails to published academics, provisional selection notifications, then mandatory fees for certificates or delegate participation — a hallmark of vanity scams targeting the academic community. Related award operations (ScienceFather, Scifax) are widely reported on ResearchGate, Reddit, and academic blogs as charging hundreds to thousands of dollars/rupees after selection. No positive reviews, legitimate business verification, or established academic partnerships were found for ResearcherVault.
Antivirus Engines
Security Scans
Checked against the major public blocklists used by browsers and security tools — no hits.
Contact Verification
We fetched the page and looked for real-world contact details. Legitimate businesses almost always publish an email on their own domain, a phone number, and a postal address. Scam shops usually don't.
- No phone number listed on the page.
- Scam family match: Tech-Support Scam.
- Contact email on the site's own domain (support@researchervault.com).
- Postal address visible on the page.
Domain & Encryption
Redirect Chain
- 1301http://researchervault.com/
- 2200https://researchervault.com/
Server Reputation
Scam-Type Likelihood
3 scam-type patterns detected
3 of 13 categories showed signals
We check every URL against 13 distinct scam categories so the verdict tells you not just how risky the page is, but what kind of risk it carries. Each meter pulls from page signals, web reports, our AI analyst, vision, and the scam-network cluster — not from raw AV labels.
- Classic tech-support scare copy found (fake Microsoft/Apple alert, remote-access instructions).
- Primary scraped category: fake tech-support page.
- AI analyst tagged this as a tech-support scam.
- AI analyst tagged this as a recovery scam.
- AI analyst tagged this as a giveaway / airdrop / lottery scam.
3 of 13 categories showed signals
We check every URL against 13 distinct scam categories so the verdict tells you not just how risky the page is, but what kind of risk it carries. Each meter pulls from page signals, web reports, our AI analyst, vision, and the scam-network cluster — not from raw AV labels.
- Classic tech-support scare copy found (fake Microsoft/Apple alert, remote-access instructions).
- Primary scraped category: fake tech-support page.
- AI analyst tagged this as a tech-support scam.
- AI analyst tagged this as a recovery scam.
- AI analyst tagged this as a giveaway / airdrop / lottery scam.
Possible tech-support scare page
Pages like this impersonate Microsoft, Apple, or your ISP to trick you into calling a number or granting remote access.
- Treat researchervault.com as unverified
Do not enter credentials or send money until you have independently verified the business.
- Do not call the number and do not install any "support" tool
Microsoft, Apple, Google, and legitimate ISPs never show a pop-up with a phone number. Installing AnyDesk, TeamViewer, or "Windows Support" at their request hands over your computer.
- Close the page — end the browser process if needed
If the page has locked your browser, press Ctrl+Shift+Esc (Windows) or Cmd+Option+Esc (Mac) and end the browser task. Reopen your browser with "Don't restore tabs".
- OpenIf you already gave remote access or paid
Disconnect the device from the internet. Run a full scan with Malwarebytes or a reputable AV. Change your passwords from a different device. Call your bank to dispute any payment and request a new card.
Reputation Sources
How this domain rates across independent threat-intelligence and blocklist providers.
Referenced Domains
Outbound domains this page links to or loads resources from. Each links to its own security scan.
Safety FAQ
Common questions about this site, answered directly from the scan data above — so the answers always reflect the latest verdict on this page.
- Our automated security review marked researchervault.com as suspicious. Several warning signs were detected; it may still turn out legitimate, but you should verify it through independent channels before trusting it with money or credentials.
- researchervault.com currently scores 55/100 on our trust scale. We found enough warning signals to recommend caution. Verify the site through independent channels before entering credentials or money.
- Yes. researchervault.com presents a valid TLSv1.3 certificate issued by Let's Encrypt · R13, expiring in 34 days. Note that SSL only encrypts the connection — it does not guarantee that the site itself is trustworthy.
- researchervault.com is 9 months old, registered on 8/16/2025 through HOSTINGER operations, UAB. Scam domains are often freshly registered — a site under 6 months old warrants extra caution.
- No. All 98 antivirus engines in our malware network report researchervault.com as clean.
- No. researchervault.com is not currently listed on the major browser blocklist feeds that modern browsers use.
- researchervault.com resolves to an IP operated by US ISP in US (usage type: Data Center/Web Hosting/Transit). Hosting location alone doesn't make a site good or bad, but unusual geography for a brand's claimed country is one of many signals we weigh.
- We cache results for 24 hours. Signed-in MalwareTips members can trigger a manual rescan at any time using the "Rescan" button on the report page, which re-runs every check from scratch and refreshes this page.
User reviews & comments(0)
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