OneTaskBy Tim King · Updated
Phishing URL Checker
Spot Lookalike Domains, Hidden Usernames and IP Hosts in a Suspicious Link
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How the Phishing URL Checker works
This phishing URL checker takes a link from an email, text or message and looks for the tricks used to make fake sites look real. Paste one or more links and each is rated by how suspicious it looks, with every warning sign explained, without the link ever being opened.
What the phishing URL checker looks for
The part of a link that decides where you really go is the registrable domain, the name just before the ending such as .com or .co.uk. Phishing links hide the real domain behind something familiar. A brand name may sit in a subdomain, as in paypal.com.account-check.net, or in the path. Letters may be swapped for look-alikes, such as rn for m or a zero for an o, or replaced with foreign characters shown as punycode.
The checker flags each of these, along with links that use an @ sign to hide the real host, raw IP addresses, very deep subdomains, unusual ports, encoded host names, links carrying another link inside them, and dangerous schemes such as javascript: and data:. It also notes shorteners, plain http, long links and words like verify, login or suspended that are common bait.
Each link gets a level, from low to high, and a summary for the whole list. The check is based on the text of the link alone. It cannot tell if a real site has been hacked, so treat a clean result as a good sign rather than a guarantee.
FAQ
Does this page open the link?
No. The link is only read as text in your browser. Nothing is fetched, so a dangerous link cannot load malware or confirm to the sender that your address is live. That makes it safe to check any link.
How do I copy a link without clicking it?
On a computer, right-click the link and choose Copy link address. On a phone, press and hold the link until a menu appears, then choose Copy. In some mail apps you can hover over it to see the address.
A link was rated low. Is it safe?
It shows none of the usual tricks, which is a good sign. Still, if a message is unexpected or urgent, go to the site by typing its address yourself instead of following the link, or contact the sender.
What should I do if I clicked a phishing link?
If you entered a password, change it at once on the real site and anywhere you reused it, and turn on two-factor login. If you entered card details, call your bank. At work, report it to IT straight away.
See also: all Security & Identifiers tools, Dev Utilities, Formatters & Validators, Data & Encoding, SEO, Accessibility, AI.
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