How to Check a Suspicious Link Before You Click It
Scam links arrive in texts, emails, social media messages, and even QR codes. They all rely on one thing: getting you to click before you think. The good news is that with a two-minute routine, you can inspect almost any link safely and spot the fakes. The core rule is simple — look before you click, and never enter a password or payment on a page you reached from a link you did not expect.
First, read the real web address
Every link has a real destination, and scammers work hard to disguise it. The most important part of any web address is the main domain — the part right before the first single slash. Read it from right to left.
Take this example: account-verify.paypa1-security.com. It looks like PayPal, but the real domain is paypa1-security.com — note the number “1” instead of the letter “l,” and the fact that the real company is nowhere in the actual domain. The real PayPal lives at paypal.com. Everything to the left of the true domain (account-verify, paypa1-security) is just words a scammer can type.
Watch for these tricks:
- Look-alike spelling:
arnazon.com(rn looks like m),g00gle.com(zeros for o’s),micros0ft-support.net. - The brand as a subdomain, not the domain:
paypal.com.secure-login.ruactually goes tosecure-login.ru. - Odd endings: a bank that suddenly lives at
.xyz,.top,.info, or a random country code instead of.com. - URL shorteners (
bit.ly,tinyurl) that hide the real destination entirely.
Hover, do not click
On a computer, hover your mouse over the link without clicking. The real destination appears in the bottom corner of your browser or email program. Compare it to the text of the link — scammers often make the visible text say www.yourbank.com while the real link points somewhere else entirely.
On a phone, press and hold the link (do not tap). A preview menu pops up showing the true URL and options to copy it. Read the domain in that preview before you do anything else.
Check it safely without visiting it
If you want to investigate a link without risking your device, there are safe ways to look:
- Expand a shortened link. Paste a
bit.lyortinyurllink into a link-expander or preview service (many are free) to see where it really goes before you visit. - Scan it with a reputation service. Free tools like VirusTotal let you paste a URL and check it against dozens of security engines. It is not perfect — a brand-new scam site may not be flagged yet — but a known-bad result is a clear warning.
- Copy, do not click. Copy the link text (long-press then “copy”) and paste it into a plain text note so you can read the whole thing slowly, instead of tapping a tiny link by accident.
That Computer Guy’s own Tools page also includes a link and DNS lookup you can use to inspect a domain safely.
The context clues that give scams away
The link itself is only half the story. The message around it usually screams “scam” if you slow down:
- Urgency and threats: “Your account will be closed in 24 hours,” “unusual activity detected,” “your package is held.” Real companies rarely threaten you into clicking.
- Unexpected contact: a delivery notice for a package you did not order, a refund you did not request, a login alert for an account you do not have.
- Requests for passwords, codes, or payment through a link. Legitimate companies do not ask you to “verify” your password by clicking an emailed link.
- Generic greetings and small errors: “Dear Customer,” odd grammar, or a sender address that does not match the company.
The golden rule: verify through a channel you already trust
When a message involves your money, your accounts, or your identity, do not use the link at all — even if it looks fine. Instead, reach the company the way you always do: type the website address yourself, use the app you already have installed, or call the phone number on the back of your card or on a bill. If the message is real, you will find the same alert waiting for you when you log in the normal way. If it is fake, you have lost nothing.
What to do if you already clicked
- Do not enter anything. If a login page opened, close it without typing your password.
- If you did enter a password, change it immediately on the real site, and change it anywhere else you reused it. Turn on multi-factor authentication.
- If you entered card details, call your bank and have the card frozen.
- Run a security scan on your device if you downloaded anything.
Slowing down for two minutes is the whole defense. Read the real domain, hover before you click, verify through a channel you trust, and the vast majority of scam links lose their power. If you are unsure about a message, call That Computer Guy at 812-414-9097 before you act.
⚠ Safety note: If a link came with pressure to act fast, treat it as suspicious. When money or account access is involved, stop and verify by contacting the company through a phone number or website you already know — never one from the message itself.