Don’t Open That Link! 10 Websites to Check Suspicious Links
Online investigators need to have a handy list of websites that can check suspicious links for phishing and malware without opening them
Almost every online fraud case that I worked on had suspicious links involved. Sometimes it’s phishing emails, social media posts, or Dark Web links but it’s always something that you don’t want to click on even for the investigation’s sake.
Criminals are becoming increasingly sophisticated in their techniques, making it more challenging to identify and avoid fraudulent links. Fortunately, there are several websites available that can be used to check suspicious links without opening them. In this blog post, we'll discuss five such websites and explain why they are good options.
VirusTotal is an online virus scanner that can be used to check suspicious links and files for viruses and malware. This website uses more than 70 antivirus scanners and URL/domain blacklist services to scan the link. The service also provides detailed reports that show which antivirus scanners flagged the link.
Google Safe Browsing is a free service provided by Google that can be used to check websites for malware and phishing. This website is integrated into most popular web browsers and will alert you if you try to access a suspicious website. The service also provides a report that shows why the website was marked as suspicious.
URLVoid is a free online tool that can be used to check suspicious links for malware and phishing. This website uses more than 30 URL blacklist services to scan the link, including Google Safe Browsing, Norton Safe Web, and McAfee SiteAdvisor. The service also provides a report.
ScanURL is an online tool that can be used to check suspicious links for malware and phishing. The website uses multiple antivirus scanners and URL blacklist services to scan the link, including Bitdefender, Avast, and Kaspersky, and provides a detailed report.
PhishTank is a community-driven website that can be used to check suspicious links for phishing only. This website relies on community members to submit and verify suspicious links. The service allows to see the suspicious website’s screenshot.
URLScan is an online tool that can be used to check suspicious links for malicious activity. The website uses a variety of techniques, such as static analysis and dynamic analysis, to identify potential threats.
CheckPhish.ai is an online tool that can be used to check suspicious links for phishing. The uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to identify potential phishing attacks.
Zulu URL Risk Analyzer is an online tool that can be used to check suspicious links for malware and phishing. The website provides reports that show which antivirus scanners and URL blacklist services flagged the link as suspicious and why.
URLQuery.net is an online tool that can be used to check suspicious links for malware and phishing. The website provides reports that show the link's reputation score and which antivirus scanners and URL blacklist services flagged the link.
MetaDefender Cloud is an online tool that can be used to check suspicious links and files for malware and other threats. The website uses multiple antivirus engines and threat intelligence sources to scan the link, providing a comprehensive report of the link's safety.
