Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsDon’t open a suspicious link just to see where it goes. Preview its destination without activating it, check whether the actual domain fits the message, and verify the claim through the organization’s official app, website, or independently found phone number. Browser warnings and URL scanners can add useful signals, but neither a clean result nor a familiar-looking message proves a link is safe.
1. Pause before responding to the message
Stop if an unexpected email, text, or message asks you to sign in, pay, share a one-time code or personal information, or act urgently. A familiar sender name or company logo is not enough to establish that the message is genuine; senders and brands can be impersonated. Microsoft advises against opening links or attachments in a message you suspect is a scam, and the FTC likewise recommends caution with unexpected messages. Microsoft’s phishing guidance and the FTC’s phishing advice explain how to recognize and handle them.
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2. Preview the destination without opening it
On a computer
Hover over the link without clicking. Read the address preview or status-bar destination and compare it with the link text and the organization the message claims to represent. Pay particular attention to the controlling domain: a familiar company name appearing elsewhere in a long address does not mean that company controls the site. Look for misspellings, extra words, or a domain unrelated to the claimed sender. Microsoft recommends hovering over suspicious links and comparing the displayed address with the link text; the FTC also advises checking links before opening them.
If the destination is hidden or unclear
If the preview is missing, obscured, or shows a shortened link you cannot confidently assess, leave it unopened and verify the message another way. Do not treat HTTPS or a padlock as proof that the site belongs to the organization it claims to represent. Those indicate an encrypted connection, not the identity or honesty of the site operator.
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3. Verify the claim through a separate route
If a message says your account is locked, a package is delayed, or a payment failed, check the claim without using its link or contact details. Open the service’s official app, use a bookmark you already trust, or type a known address yourself. You can also find a phone number on a bill, membership card, or official website and contact the organization there. Do not sign in or call a number supplied only in the suspicious message. This independent check is especially important when the message asks you to disclose information, pay, or act quickly.
4. Treat browser warnings as a useful signal, not a safety certificate
Browsers and security tools may check a URL against lists of reported threats. Microsoft says Defender SmartScreen checks URLs against a dynamic online list of reported phishing, malware, exploit, and scam sites. If a warning appears, stop rather than continuing because the message says the page is legitimate. Microsoft’s SmartScreen documentation describes how the feature works.
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No warning is not proof that a link is safe. A new or unreported page may not appear on a reputation list, and a clean result only means the tool did not flag the address under its current checks. Do not use the absence of a warning as a substitute for verifying the sender’s claim.
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5. Be careful before submitting a URL to a scanner
A URL reputation scanner may provide additional signals, but it cannot authenticate the sender’s story or guarantee that a destination is safe for every person or at a later time. Check the scanner’s submission terms before pasting in a link. VirusTotal says that standard URL submissions are added to its dataset and made accessible to its community; its documentation also describes sharing reports with examining partners. Avoid submitting URLs that contain password-reset tokens, invitation codes, private document paths, personal information, or other confidential identifiers. See VirusTotal’s explanation of how it works and its standard URL submission documentation.
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VirusTotal documents a separate Private Scanning service that requires a license. Its documentation says those analyses are limited to the submitting organization and retained for a configured period, but the material is still processed on VirusTotal infrastructure; it is not a local-only scan. See VirusTotal’s Private Scanning documentation and its Private Scanning FAQ.
6. Report suspicious messages or sites
If a message looks suspicious, use the phishing-report feature in your email or messaging service rather than opening the link to investigate. Microsoft describes ways to report suspicious messages and websites, and the FTC recommends reporting phishing. In Microsoft Edge, an unsafe-site reporting option is also available. Reporting controls and labels differ between products and can change, so follow the current instructions in the service you use. Microsoft’s guidance and the FTC’s advice describe reporting routes.
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Which check should you use?
| Check | What it helps establish | Limitation |
|---|---|---|
| Hover or destination preview | Whether the address appears to match the displayed link and expected organization | Shows a destination; does not prove the page is benign. Microsoft; FTC. |
| Independent verification | Whether the organization confirms the claimed account or transaction issue | Use an app, site, or contact detail found outside the message. Microsoft; FTC. |
| Browser or device reputation warning | Whether the tool recognizes the URL as reported or suspicious | List-based checks may miss new or unreported pages. Microsoft SmartScreen documentation. |
| Public URL scanner | Additional reputation and vendor signals | Submitting a URL may share it and its report; avoid sensitive links. VirusTotal; submission documentation. |
| Service reporting control | Sends a suspicious message or site to the provider for review | Controls and labels vary by service. Microsoft; FTC. |
Use these checks together when appropriate. For a message asking you to sign in, pay, disclose personal information, or act urgently, confirming the claim through a separate trusted route is more useful than relying on a scan alone.
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