How to check if a URL is safe before you click
Every day, people receive links they didn't ask for — in emails, text messages, social media replies, comments, QR codes and adverts. Some of those links lead to phishing pages that copy a real login screen to steal your password, some install malware, and some run fake shops that take your card details and never ship anything. Shortened and redirect links make it worse, because the address you see tells you nothing about where you'll actually land. The URL Safety Checker is a free way to test a link first: paste any web address and it cross-references that address against large, continuously updated records of websites already reported for phishing, scams, malware and other abuse, then gives you a clear verdict instead of raw technical data. It's useful before signing into anything you reached from a link, before buying from a shop you've never heard of, and any time an unexpected message pushes you to "verify", "confirm" or "unlock" something quickly.
Scan a QR code before you open it
QR codes now sit on parking meters, restaurant tables, parcels, posters and emails, and you cannot tell by looking where one leads. "Quishing" scams paste a fake code over a real one so a quick scan sends you to a look-alike payment or login page. The QR Safety Checker lets you look first: upload a photo or screenshot of the code and it reads the web address hidden inside — on your device, without uploading the image — then checks that address the same way the URL Safety Checker does and returns a plain safe, suspicious or unsafe verdict. Use it any time a code asks you to pay, sign in, or "confirm" something.
Spot scam texts, smishing and phishing messages
Not every scam arrives as a link. A huge share of fraud now starts with a short, convincing message: a parcel that's "held at customs" and needs a small fee, a bank warning about a payment you didn't make, a tax refund waiting to be claimed, a prize or gift card you've supposedly won, a delivery driver who "couldn't reach you", or a friendly recruiter offering easy money for simple tasks. These messages work by creating urgency and pointing you toward a payment or a login. Paste the message into the Scam Text Checker and it looks at the wording, structure and tell-tale patterns common to fraud and returns a plain scam-likelihood verdict with a short explanation of what looked wrong. It's built for the moment you're staring at a text from an unknown number wondering whether it's real — on your phone, on WhatsApp, or in your email.
Understanding your result
A link check comes back as safe, suspicious, or unsafe; a QR code check reads the link inside and returns one of those same three results; a message check comes back as no scam patterns found, suspicious, or likely a scam. "Unsafe" or "likely a scam" means clear warning signs were found and you should not click, reply, pay or enter any details. "Suspicious" means there's enough doubt to stop and verify through a channel you trust — type the company's real website address yourself, or call the number on the back of your card. "Safe" and "no scam patterns found" mean nothing adverse was found right now; it is a strong signal, not a cast-iron guarantee, because brand-new scam sites and messages can appear before anyone has reported them. When a result and your instinct disagree, trust your instinct and take the slower, safer path.
Simple habits that keep you safe online
Checking a link or a message here works best alongside a few habits. Slow down when something feels urgent — pressure is the scammer's main tool. Reach organisations through their official app or a web address you typed yourself, never through a link or phone number supplied in the message. Never share a password, card number, PIN or one-time passcode on a page you opened from a link, and remember that real banks and delivery firms will not ask for them that way. Be wary of any request to pay by gift card, bank transfer or cryptocurrency. Keep your phone and browser updated, and if you're unsure, ask someone before you act rather than after.
Free, private and no sign-up
All three checks are free to use with no account, no app to install and no adverts, and they work the same on a phone or a computer. You can use them as often as you reasonably need to. IsMyUrlSafe is a best-effort safety tool designed to give everyday users a fast second opinion — it complements your own judgement and good security habits rather than replacing them.