How to Spot Phishing Links: Safe Links vs Dangerous Links

We click dozens of links every day. Links in emails, URLs from text messages, shared links on social media. But if even one of them is a phishing link, a single click can expose your personal information or cost you money.

This guide explains how phishing links work, how to identify them, and what separates legitimate link-sharing services from malicious ones.

What Is Phishing

Phishing is a cyberattack that impersonates a trusted organization or person to steal personal information, login credentials, or financial data. The most common form involves sending a link that leads to a fake website.

Common Phishing Tactics

Fake Login Pages

Attackers create login pages that look nearly identical to real services (banks, email providers, social media). Only the URL is different. The design is often impossible to distinguish from the original.

Urgency-Driven Messages

Messages like "Your account will be suspended," "Payment failed," or "Take action within 24 hours or your data will be deleted" pressure you into clicking without thinking.

Shortened URL Abuse

Services like bit.ly and tinyurl are used to hide the real destination. You have no way of knowing where the link goes before clicking.

Malicious Attachments

Email attachments may install malware when opened, or contain links that redirect to phishing sites.

How to Identify Phishing Links

1. Check the Domain in the URL

This is the most basic and most effective technique.

Real	Fake
accounts.google.com	accounts-google.security-check.com
www.paypal.com	www.paypa1.com
login.facebook.com	login.facebook.com.fake-site.net

The key is to check the domain immediately before the path. facebook.com and facebook.com.fake-site.net are entirely different sites.

2. Hover Before You Click

On a desktop computer, hovering over a link shows the actual URL in the browser's status bar. If the displayed text and the real URL do not match, it is likely phishing.

3. Check for HTTPS

HTTPS means the connection is encrypted, but HTTPS alone does not guarantee a site is safe. Phishing sites can use HTTPS too. However, never enter login credentials on a site that only uses HTTP (no S).

4. Watch for Suspicious Parameters

URLs containing parameters like redirect=, token=, or verify= may be collecting data or redirecting you to another site.

5. Verify the Sender

Check the sender's email address or phone number carefully. Addresses like support@goog1e.com use subtle character swaps to appear legitimate.

Phishing Link Suspicion Checklist

If any of these apply, do not click:

• The link came from an unexpected sender
• The message demands urgent action
• The domain looks different from the usual one
• The page asks for personal information or login credentials
• The domain has subtle spelling differences (paypa1 vs paypal)
• A shortened URL hides the real destination

How Legitimate Link-Sharing Services Differ

Understanding the difference between phishing sites and legitimate link-sharing services like LOCK.PUB helps you evaluate links with more confidence.

Characteristics of Legitimate Services

• Fixed official domain: LOCK.PUB always uses the lock.pub domain. It does not change between sessions.
• No personal data collection: The password page does not ask for your email, phone number, or bank details.
• Password controls access: The password protects the shared content. It does not steal your account credentials.
• Transparent behavior: After entering the password, you see only the content described (a memo, a link redirect, or a chat room).

Characteristics of Phishing Sites

• Domain changes frequently or uses suspicious subdomains
• Requests login information, personal data, or financial details
• Forces urgent action
• Sends entered information to third parties

Factor	Phishing Site	LOCK.PUB
Domain	Changes every time	Always lock.pub
Data collected	Email, password, card number	None
Purpose	Steal information	Protect content
Password use	Capture your account credentials	Control access to shared content

What to Do If You Clicked a Phishing Link

If you already clicked a phishing link, take these steps immediately:

1. If you entered credentials, change the password for that service right away.
2. Change passwords for any other services that use the same password.
3. Enable two-factor authentication.
4. Check for suspicious login activity on your accounts.
5. If you entered financial information, contact your card issuer immediately.

Daily Habits to Prevent Phishing

• Enable two-factor authentication on all important accounts
• Use different passwords for each service
• When suspicious, type the site address directly into your browser instead of clicking the link
• Keep your browser and operating system up to date
• Use a password manager, which will not autofill on fake sites, helping you detect phishing attempts

Share Links People Can Trust

When you share links through a trusted service, recipients can click with confidence. Create a password-protected link on LOCK.PUB and share it securely.

Create a Protected Link -->