{"id":11492,"date":"2010-02-21T09:00:33","date_gmt":"2010-02-21T03:30:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/?p=11492"},"modified":"2026-10-13T13:37:58","modified_gmt":"2026-10-13T08:07:58","slug":"scary-short-urls","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/02\/scary-short-urls\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Check Short Links Before You Click (and the ShadyURL Joke)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Short links like bit.ly or t.co hide where they really go, which is exactly why scammers love them. Before you click, it&#8217;s worth knowing how to <strong>check short links<\/strong> safely. Back in 2010 we had fun with ShadyURL, a joke service that turned any link into a scary-looking address full of &#8220;trojan&#8221; and &#8220;exe&#8221; words, so nobody would dare click it. Today the problem is the reverse: dangerous links look perfectly harmless. Here&#8217;s how to check them.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-64401\" src=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/check-short-links-1024x538.webp\" alt=\"How to check short links before clicking\" width=\"1024\" height=\"538\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/check-short-links-1024x538.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/check-short-links-300x158.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/check-short-links-150x79.webp 150w, https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/check-short-links-768x403.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/check-short-links.webp 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>Quick answer:<\/strong> To check a short link before clicking, expand it with a preview trick (add a + after a bit.ly link, or use preview.tinyurl.com for TinyURL), paste it into a URL expander, or scan it with VirusTotal or Google&#8217;s Safe Browsing site status tool. On a computer, hover over the link to see the address; on a phone, long-press it. If the final site looks unexpected, don&#8217;t open it.<\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_89 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6ae87951a9af1\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"ez-toc-cssicon\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #1a202c;color:#1a202c\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #1a202c;color:#1a202c\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6ae87951a9af1\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/02\/scary-short-urls\/#How_to_check_short_links_safely\" >How to check short links safely<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/02\/scary-short-urls\/#1_Use_built-in_previews\" >1. Use built-in previews<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/02\/scary-short-urls\/#2_Hover_or_long-press\" >2. Hover or long-press<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/02\/scary-short-urls\/#3_Scan_it\" >3. Scan it<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/02\/scary-short-urls\/#4_Check_the_final_domain_carefully\" >4. Check the final domain carefully<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/02\/scary-short-urls\/#Warning_signs_of_a_dangerous_short_link\" >Warning signs of a dangerous short link<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/02\/scary-short-urls\/#Turn_on_built-in_protection\" >Turn on built-in protection<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/02\/scary-short-urls\/#The_ShadyURL_joke\" >The ShadyURL joke<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/02\/scary-short-urls\/#FAQ\" >FAQ<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/02\/scary-short-urls\/#Are_short_links_dangerous\" >Are short links dangerous?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/02\/scary-short-urls\/#How_do_I_see_where_a_short_link_goes\" >How do I see where a short link goes?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/02\/scary-short-urls\/#What_should_I_do_if_I_clicked_a_suspicious_link\" >What should I do if I clicked a suspicious link?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_to_check_short_links_safely\"><\/span>How to check short links safely<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1_Use_built-in_previews\"><\/span>1. Use built-in previews<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Bitly:<\/strong> add a plus sign to the end, like <code>bit.ly\/abc123+<\/code>, to see the destination and stats.<\/li>\n<li><strong>TinyURL:<\/strong> put <code>preview.<\/code> before the address, like <code>preview.tinyurl.com\/abc123<\/code>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2_Hover_or_long-press\"><\/span>2. Hover or long-press<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>On desktop, hover over a link and check the address in the browser&#8217;s status bar. On phones, long-press to see the URL before opening it.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"3_Scan_it\"><\/span>3. Scan it<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.virustotal.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">VirusTotal<\/a> checks a URL against dozens of security engines.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/transparencyreport.google.com\/safe-browsing\/search\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Google Safe Browsing site status<\/a> shows if Google has flagged a site.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/urlscan.io\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">urlscan.io<\/a> loads the page safely and shows a screenshot and redirect chain.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"4_Check_the_final_domain_carefully\"><\/span>4. Check the final domain carefully<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Look for misspellings (paypa1.com), extra words (amazon-security-check.com) and unusual endings. Real banks and stores use their own domains.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Warning_signs_of_a_dangerous_short_link\"><\/span>Warning signs of a dangerous short link<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>It arrives in an unexpected SMS, WhatsApp message or email, especially about parcels, payments or prizes.<\/li>\n<li>It urges you to act immediately.<\/li>\n<li>It leads to a login page asking for passwords, OTPs or card details.<\/li>\n<li>It starts a download you didn&#8217;t ask for.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Turn_on_built-in_protection\"><\/span>Turn on built-in protection<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Chrome:<\/strong> Settings &gt; Privacy and security &gt; Security &gt; Enhanced protection warns about dangerous sites and downloads.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Edge:<\/strong> keep Microsoft Defender SmartScreen switched on.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Safari and Firefox:<\/strong> keep fraudulent website warnings enabled.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Phones:<\/strong> keep your operating system and browser updated, and turn on spam filtering for SMS.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Email:<\/strong> Gmail and Outlook flag many phishing links automatically; never ignore their warning banners.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Protect your accounts too: even if you click a bad link, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2015\/11\/secure-google-email-account\/\">2-step verification<\/a> stops most account takeovers.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_ShadyURL_joke\"><\/span>The ShadyURL joke<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>ShadyURL turned our own address into something like a malware download link, as these 2010 screenshots show. It was a great reminder that what a link <em>looks<\/em> like matters.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-11493\" src=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/ShadyURL.png\" alt=\"ShadyURL scary short link example\" width=\"500\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/ShadyURL.png 500w, https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/ShadyURL-150x67.png 150w, https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/ShadyURL-300x135.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Running a site? Use trustworthy <a href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/05\/create-short-urls-for-your-domain-name-to-retweet-easily\/\">branded short URLs on your own domain<\/a> instead of random shorteners, so readers can see where links go. For fun in the other direction, see how to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2007\/10\/how-to-make-a-short-url-longer-and-larger\/\">make a short URL longer<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"FAQ\"><\/span>FAQ<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Are_short_links_dangerous\"><\/span>Are short links dangerous?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Not by themselves. Most are harmless, but they hide the destination, so check unexpected ones before clicking.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_do_I_see_where_a_short_link_goes\"><\/span>How do I see where a short link goes?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Use the service&#8217;s preview (bit.ly +, preview.tinyurl.com), a URL expander or a scanner like VirusTotal.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_should_I_do_if_I_clicked_a_suspicious_link\"><\/span>What should I do if I clicked a suspicious link?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Close the page, don&#8217;t enter any details, run a security scan and change passwords if you typed them anywhere.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Short links like bit.ly or t.co hide where they really go, which is exactly why scammers love them. Before you&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":64401,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"_kad_post_classname":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11492","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blogging"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11492","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11492"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11492\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":65323,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11492\/revisions\/65323"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/64401"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11492"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11492"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11492"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}