Suspicious messages and strange links
Every day, millions of people receive messages designed to trick them. These messages look real — they might appear to come from a friend, a school, a game company, or even a bank. But they are actually traps set by scammers. A suspicious message is any message that makes you feel uneasy, asks for personal information, or contains a link you were not expecting.
A strange link is a web address that looks odd or unfamiliar. It might have lots of random letters, a misspelled version of a real website name (like "g00gle.com" instead of "google.com"), or a long string of characters that does not look like a normal website address. Clicking a strange link can take you to a fake website designed to steal your information, or it can automatically download harmful software onto your device.
The most important rule: pause before you click. A few seconds of careful thought can prevent a lot of problems.
Before you click any link, ask yourself: Do I know who sent this? Was I expecting this message? Does the link address look normal and familiar? If the answer to any of these is "no" or "I’m not sure" — do not click. Ask a trusted adult first.
How to spot a suspicious message
Suspicious messages often have several warning signs. Look for these red flags:
Unknown sender The message comes from someone you do not know, or from an address that looks strange. Urgency "Act NOW!" or "Your account will be deleted!" — pressure to act before you think. Unexpected link A link you were not expecting, especially one with a strange-looking address. Unexpected attachment A file you were not expecting — opening it could install harmful software. Asks for personal info Requests for your password, address, phone number, or other personal details. Bad spelling or grammar Many scam messages contain spelling mistakes or awkward phrasing.
Spotting fake links
One of the most important skills in cybersecurity is learning to read a web address (also called a URL) carefully. Scammers create fake websites with addresses that look almost like real ones — but with small differences designed to fool you.
- Real: amazon.com — Fake: amaz0n.com (zero instead of "o")
- Real: google.com — Fake: g00gle.com (zeros instead of "oo")
- Real: paypal.com — Fake: paypa1.com (number 1 instead of "l")
On a computer, you can hover your mouse over a link to see the real address it leads to — shown at the bottom of your browser. If the address looks different from what you expected, do not click.
Key words to remember
- Suspicious message
- Strange link
- URL
- Hover
- Attachment
Match each suspicious message warning sign to its description
Suspicious messages and strange links — quiz
You receive a message from an unknown sender with a link saying "Click here to see something funny!" What should you do?
- Click the link right away
- Forward it to all your friends
- Delete it and tell a trusted adult
- Reply asking who they are
Answer: Delete it and tell a trusted adult
Unknown senders with unexpected links are a red flag. Delete and tell a trusted adult.
Which of these is a sign that a link might be dangerous?
- It comes from your teacher
- It has a familiar website name
- It has random letters and a name you don’t recognize
- It was sent during class
Answer: It has random letters and a name you don’t recognize
Strange-looking links with random characters or unfamiliar names are often dangerous.
If a message says "Act NOW or your account will be deleted," you should act immediately.
- True
- False
Answer: False
Urgency is a scam tactic. Pause, think, and check with a trusted adult before doing anything.
What is a URL?
- A type of password
- The web address of a website
- A kind of computer virus
- A username
Answer: The web address of a website
A URL is the web address — like www.google.com. Scammers create fake URLs that look almost like real ones.
How can you check where a link really goes before clicking it?
- Click it quickly and see
- Hover your mouse over it to see the real address at the bottom of the browser
- Ask the sender
- Copy and paste it into a search engine
Answer: Hover your mouse over it to see the real address at the bottom of the browser
Hovering over a link shows the real destination address without clicking — a safe way to check.
Which of these fake URLs is trying to impersonate Amazon?
- amazon.co.uk
- amaz0n.com
- shop.amazon.com
- amazon-deals.com
Answer: amaz0n.com
amaz0n.com uses a zero instead of the letter "o" — a classic trick to make a fake URL look like a real one.
A message with bad spelling and grammar is more likely to be a scam.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Many scam messages contain spelling mistakes or awkward phrasing — a warning sign to look out for.
What should you do if you receive an unexpected file attachment from someone you do not know?
- Open it to see what it is
- Do not open it — tell a trusted adult
- Forward it to friends
- Save it for later
Answer: Do not open it — tell a trusted adult
Unexpected attachments can contain harmful software. Never open them without checking with a trusted adult.
A message from "your school" asks for your password. What should you do?
- Give your password — it is from school
- Ignore it and tell a trusted adult — schools never ask for passwords this way
- Change your password to what they suggest
- Reply with a fake password
Answer: Ignore it and tell a trusted adult — schools never ask for passwords this way
Legitimate organizations never ask for your password through unexpected messages. This is a phishing attempt.
It is safe to click a link in a message if it comes from a friend’s account.
- True
- False
Answer: False
A friend’s account could be hacked, and the message could actually be from a scammer. Always check before clicking.