In a tech-driven world with news just at our fingertips, it can be hard to determine what's true and what's false.

Of all of the misinformation floating online, fake health news can be particularly dangerous, especially if it promotes things like products that actually shouldn't be consumed.

45% of adults surveyed by KFF in 2023 reported that they've heard, and believe, at least one of five false claims about Covid-19 and vaccines that KFF asked them about, prior to being surveyed. One of the incorrect claims was that ivermectin can effectively treat Covid-19, and 34% of those polled believed that it was probably true or definitely true.

"It just is a matter of taking time," says Dr. Seema Yasmin, director of the Stanford Health Communication Initiative at Stanford University. Yasmin is also the author of "What The Fact?!: Finding the Truth in All the Noise."

"And so often when we see people fall for false information, they just haven't taken even a second to do some of these basic checks."

Here are a few indicators that a post online is spreading health misinformation, according to Yasmin and Deen Freelon, professor at the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania.

4 signs of health misinformation online

1. It sounds too good to be true

"If something sounds too good to be true, then do a little bit more investigating," Yasmin says.

Question the credibility of new health information that uses "words like cure, 100% effective [and] guaranteed. You'd be surprised at how quickly the human brain can want to fall for those false promises," she adds.

"You want to do extra digging when those kinds of big promises are attached to a product or something that somebody is selling."

2. It's selling an alternative cure that isn't backed by science

Sometimes you may come across a social media post that is promoting a new alternative approach for treating certain conditions, and you should especially be skeptical about its reliability.

"There are lots of people who have business models that are built on this," Freelon says. "It targets people who are already disillusioned with the medical establishment, in some cases, for good reason. But it says, 'Hey, here's this alternative that you can buy from me.'"

If you've never heard of the treatment or product that's being offered, it's best to double-check its credibility from a reputable health organization or platform before purchasing it.

3. It makes you really emotional

"The other thing to look out for is if you read a thing, like a Facebook status, a tweet, a headline, and it riles you up. It provokes an emotional response. That's a red flag," Yasmin says.

Often, posts about health information that trigger emotional responses are designed "to get us to fall for lies," she says. When you're emotionally triggered by something that you see online, you're more likely to share it with others, Yasmin says, "so falsehoods are often designed to provoke a reaction."

4. It seems 'a little bit ridiculous'

Some health news that you come across online will automatically lead to lots of questions, Freelon notes. If it "seems a little bit ridiculous, or [like] science fiction really," that's a red flag, he says.

Be wary of "things that just go against like the basic tenets of generally accepted like human biology," Freelon says. "The sorts of things that start to fall apart, when you start asking even the most basic questions."

The information the post is sharing may sound terrifying at first but after funneling down the list of questions about if it's even possible, "you realize that this is really built on essentially nothing, or a fundamental misunderstanding of how the human body works," he adds.

Tips for verifying health information online

Now that you know what to watch out for, here's what Yasmin and Freelon suggest for verifying the accuracy of information that you come across while scrolling online:

1. Identify the source of the information. Is an organization or person linked or referred to as being the source of the information?
2. Ask yourself if the source is "really the person who should be speaking on this topic," Yasmin asks, or if they have "a long track record of distributing medically dubious information," Freelon says.
3. Turn to trusted news sites or health organizations to see if they're reporting the same claims. Consider the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or state health organizations. You can also ask your doctor about new medications or products that are being promoted online.
4. Use reverse image search tools for photos that are included in the post if they seem fishy.
5. For studies, look into who has funded the research. This information can often be found near the end of the paper.

Want to make extra money outside of your day job? Sign up for CNBC's new online course How to Earn Passive Income Online to learn about common passive income streams, tips to get started and real-life success stories. Register today and save 50% with discount code EARLYBIRD.

Plus, sign up for CNBC Make It's newsletter to get tips and tricks for success at work, with money and in life.