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Safe browsing check · runs on your device

Suspicious Link Checker

Before you click, sign in or pay, check the address for the tricks scammers use. Nothing you paste leaves your browser.

Safe browsing check

Check for common warning signs before you interact with a website. This is guidance, not a live security scanner.

Paste the link without opening it. On a phone, press and hold the link and choose Copy.

What are you trying to do?
Does the site show HTTPS without a browser warning?
How did you reach the website?

What we test, what we do not, and what we store

Full method →

We test

  • Visible warning signs in the text of the address: look-alike or mistyped brand names, misleading subdomains, a hidden destination after an @ sign, raw IP addresses, mixed alphabets, link shorteners, risky file downloads and redirect parameters
  • How you reached the link and what you are about to do, because the same link is riskier when it arrived in a message and asks you to sign in

We do not test

  • Whether the page is actually malicious: we do not open the link or check blocklists
  • Whether a clean-looking address is safe: a clean result is not a safety guarantee
  • The content of the page, the sender or the message around the link

What we store

  • Nothing: the link and your answers are analysed in your browser and never sent to us
  • Anonymous usage counts only: which tool was completed and a coarse result category, never what you typed, your IP address or your results. Nothing is sent if your browser signals Global Privacy Control or Do Not Track.

Third parties that see data: None. This tool makes no network request with your link.

What the suspicious link checker looks for

Most phishing and scam links rely on a trick in the address itself, because the address is the one thing a person can read before clicking. This checker reads the link the way a careful friend would. It finds the real domain (the part that decides who owns the site), compares it with brands that are often impersonated, and looks for the patterns attackers use to disguise where a link goes. Everything happens in your browser: the link is never uploaded, logged or opened.

The tricks it recognises

  • Misleading subdomains. In paypal.com.secure-login.example the owner is secure-login.example, not PayPal. Domains read from right to left.
  • Mistyped and swapped letters. Names like paypa1 (a one for an L) or rnicrosoft (r and n for m) are built to pass a quick glance.
  • Look-alike alphabets. Some letters from other alphabets are visually identical to Latin ones. Domains that mix alphabets are flagged.
  • Hidden destinations. An @ sign, a link shortener or a redirect parameter can make a link start with one name and end somewhere else.
  • Raw IP addresses and odd ports. Real services use names.
  • Direct downloads. A link that points straight at an installer or archive deserves more caution than a web page.

Why the questions matter

The same link can be fine or dangerous depending on context. A perfectly ordinary address in an unexpected message that asks you to sign in is a classic phishing setup, while the same address typed by you is much safer. The three questions adjust the advice to your situation, and a browser warning always outranks everything else on this page: if your browser says the site is dangerous or the certificate is wrong, stop.

What this tool cannot tell you

It cannot prove a website is safe or malicious. A brand-new scam domain with no obvious tricks will look clean, and a legitimate site can have an unusual address. It does not check blocklists, open the page or see the message around the link. Use it as a second pair of eyes, then confirm through a route you trust: type the real address yourself, open the official app or call a number printed on a card or the company's own website.

If you already clicked

Do not panic. If you only opened the page, close it. If you typed a password, change it immediately on the real site and anywhere you reused it, then turn on two-step verification. If you entered card details, call your bank. Our guide on what to do if you clicked a phishing link lists the steps in order.

Last reviewed 2026-10-29. Found a mistake? Report a correction (how we handle them).

Fix it and learn more

How to spot fake login pages and lookalike domainsLearn how to read a web address, catch lookalike domains and fake login pages, and what to do when a page asks for your password after a message or ad.What to do if you clicked a phishing linkClicked a suspicious link or typed a password on a fake page? Follow these steps in order: what to change, check and report, and what can wait.Fake virus warnings and malicious popups: what to doPopups claiming your device is infected are scams. Learn to spot them, close them safely and clean up notification and extension settings.

Also check your…

Scam and Phishing Message CheckerPaste a message to spot urgency, impersonation and payment red flags. Never uploaded.Website Safety CheckerCheck a site's HTTPS, certificate, security headers and domain age.Personal Security CheckupAnswer a few questions and get a personalised, prioritised action plan.DNS LookupSee a domain's A, MX, NS, TXT and other DNS records.

Frequently asked questions

Can this tell me whether a link is safe?

No. It can show warning signs in the address, but it cannot prove a site is safe. A clean result means "no obvious tricks in the text of the link", nothing more.

Is the link I paste sent to your servers?

No. The analysis runs in your browser. We only count that a check was completed, never the link or your answers.

Why does a link from a message get a stricter result?

Unexpected links in messages are the most common way phishing starts. Typing the address or using a bookmark removes the attacker from the route, so it is the safer habit even for addresses that look fine.

Does a padlock or HTTPS mean the site is trustworthy?

No. It means the connection is encrypted and the certificate matches the domain. Scam sites get free certificates too, so the padlock says nothing about who runs the site.

What should I do with a link that scores badly?

Do not open it or enter anything. Go to the real service by typing its address or using its app, and report the message as phishing in your email or messaging app.