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Malwarebytes Scam Link Check is a free web tool for checking a suspicious URL before you visit it. Paste or type the address to receive a safe, dangerous, or unknown result, along with the reasons Malwarebytes gives and possible next steps. Treat that result as guidance—not proof that a site is harmless.
What Malwarebytes Scam Link Check checks
Malwarebytes announced Scam Link Check on October 5, 2026. The company says the tool analyzes a submitted URL using its threat-intelligence ecosystem and checks for malicious sites, phishing pages, newly registered domains, and redirect chains. A redirect chain can send a visitor through one or more addresses before reaching the final page. Malwarebytes’ launch announcement describes the service and its results.
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The result is labeled safe, dangerous, or unknown. Malwarebytes says it may also show plain-language reasons, a screenshot of the site, and recommended next steps; users can report a suspicious link. The company describes the service as free and says it requires no download, payment, or login.
How to check a link without opening it
- Copy the URL without visiting it. On a phone, press and hold the link and choose the option to copy or preview it; do not tap through to the page.
- Open the Malwarebytes Scam Link Check web tool and paste or type the address into its checker.
- Review the verdict and explanation. If it is dangerous, do not visit the site. If it is unknown, do not treat that as an all-clear; use caution and verify the destination through a trusted source.
Be especially cautious with shortened links: the visible text may not reveal the destination. Check the copied URL before opening it.
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What a safe result does—and does not—mean
A safe label is not a guarantee. A link checker can only assess what its systems identify at the time of checking; a site can change, and a result cannot establish that every page or later redirect is harmless. Malwarebytes’ Scam Guard Lite help page cautions users to remain alert regardless of the label and says a comprehensive assessment would require deeper inspection of website code and network traffic. That warning is stated for Scam Guard Lite, not as a published technical specification of the standalone Link Check.
The launch announcement describes how Malwarebytes says Scam Link Check works, but the available materials do not establish an independent test of its detection accuracy. Use the result as one input, not as a substitute for checking whether the link came from a legitimate source.
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If you already opened a suspicious link
- Do not enter a password, payment information, or other sensitive details on the page.
- If you entered account credentials, contact the relevant service using its official app or a web address you type yourself, and change the exposed password. If you reused it elsewhere, update it there too.
- If you provided card or bank details, contact your bank through a known official channel promptly.
- Use Malwarebytes’ recommended next steps or seek further guidance through Scam Guard, where available.
Scam Link Check, Scam Guard, and Scam Guard Lite compared
These names describe related but different workflows. Choose according to whether you need to check a copied URL, ask about suspicious material, or assess a page already open in your browser.
| Tool | Best suited to | How Malwarebytes describes it |
|---|---|---|
| Scam Link Check | Checking one copied URL before visiting it | Free web tool that analyzes a submitted URL and returns a verdict and explanation. Launch announcement. |
| Scam Guard | Getting guidance about suspicious messages, links, phone numbers, or screenshots | Broader assistant; availability depends on plan and platform. Product page and desktop feature help. |
| Scam Guard Lite | Examining a page already open in a supported browser | Browser Guard feature that Malwarebytes says analyzes on-device using a downloaded model. Its help page says browsing history is not saved or sent to an AI cloud. Help article and Browser Guard article. |
Do not assume the privacy details of one workflow apply to another. Malwarebytes’ Scam Guard privacy help says personal information is removed from a submitted item before it is sent to the server for analysis, and chat messages and screenshots may be stored on its servers for up to two hours before automatic deletion. Those disclosures concern Scam Guard; they do not establish the same handling for every Scam Link Check submission. Avoid submitting passwords, payment details, or other sensitive information. Scam Guard privacy help.
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How to interpret Malwarebytes’ Scam Guard risk statistic
Malwarebytes said roughly one in five Scam Guard submissions were flagged high-risk. The company defines high-risk as potentially leading to a loss of at least $1,000 or other personal harm. Its September 2, 2026 press material says the figure came from anonymized proprietary systems observed from April 15 through July 14, 2026. It describes Scam Guard submissions—not the share of all links, scams, or people affected—and is not an independent validation of Scam Link Check. Malwarebytes’ press material.
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