Check the URL. Fake news sites will use a similar URL to a legitimate site to fool readers. For example, compare http://abcnews.com.co/ to the ABC Network News site http://abcnews.go.com. The logo and the url are almost identical, and at a glance or on a mobile device you might never notice.

Check for an "About" page. Is there one at all? If so, does it make clear who is responsible for the site? If staff are listed, look critically at them. Perform a separate search on the staff members. Are they real people? Did you find other sources referencing them or perhaps a LinkedIn profile? If so, are they experts on the topic they wrote about?

Check for sponsorship. Look for a corporate logo or statement indicating "Paid Post," "Advertisement'" or "Sponsored by." Fake stories used to sell products are known as "native advertising."

Check Quotes. Fake news, believe it or not, relies on fake or manipulated information to make it seem real. Search any quotes to see if they were reported on any legitimate media and in what context.

Check links and citations. Are claims made without evidence to back them up? Check for attributions, citations, or links to any other sources. Do those refer to specific people or organizations? Do the links point directly to another source, or just a homepage and not another story?

Check images. Fake news relies on images from real news stories or other events that fit the narrative. Use a Google Reverse Image search or Tineye.com to track down the source of images.