Is that link safe?
We all receive emails and texts from various sources, some of which may be legitimate and some of which may be malicious. How can you tell the difference and avoid clicking on links that could compromise our security or privacy? Here are some tips to help you check if a link is safe before you click on it.
1. Look at the sender's address and name. Is it someone you know and trust, or is it a generic or unfamiliar name? Does the email address match the sender's name, or does it look like a random string of letters and numbers? If you are not sure about the sender, do not click on any links in their message.
2. Look at the subject line and the message content. Is it relevant to you, or does it sound too good to be true, urgent, or threatening? Does it have spelling or grammar errors, or use an unusual tone or language? If the message seems suspicious, do not click on any links in it.
3. Hover over the link with your mouse cursor, but do not click on it. You should see a preview of the URL that the link will take you to. Does it match the expected website, or does it look different or unfamiliar? Does it have a secure protocol (https://) or an unsecure one (http://)? Does it have a domain name that you recognize, or does it have a long string of characters or numbers? If the link looks suspicious, do not click on it.
4. Use a link scanner tool to check the link for malware, phishing, or other threats. There are many online tools that you can use to scan a link before you click on it, such as VirusTotal, URLVoid, ScanURL, etc. Just copy and paste the link into the tool and see what results it gives you. If the link is flagged as unsafe, do not click on it.
Check if a Website is Malicious/Scam or Safe/Legit | URLVoid
Scan url link Check for Phishing, Malware, Viruses, blacklist
5. Use common sense and trust your instincts. If something seems off about an email or text message, or if you are not expecting a link from someone, do not click on it. It is better to be safe than sorry when it comes to your online security and privacy.
6. If you think it might be urgent and you know the sender, reach out to them on a separate channel such as a secure messaging app or phone call and verify it’s something they sent you, but only click the link after you’ve scanned the link using a scanner provide in step 4.