Tips for Discovering Trusted Online Content Links

Looking for trusted content links? Find ’em easily without getting scammed.

Millions of internet users are fooled by fake websites, malicious links, and fraudulent online content every single day. 

Here’s the good news: with the right strategies in place, you can easily spot legitimate sources and avoid the very traps that snare millions of people every year.

So let’s go over those methods now…

What you’ll learn:

• Why Verified Link Platforms Are So Useful Today
• 10 Warning Signs To Spot Fake Content
• Bulletproof Ways to Verify Link Legitimacy
• Advanced Tools and Extensions That Simplify Everything

Why Finding Trusted Links Is More Important Than Ever

The following two stats might shock you a bit…

First, 65% of consumers say they don’t trust the reviews on eCommerce websites. Second, according to another study, 67% of people find fake news stories on Facebook, and 65% of the time when looking at social media in general.

The terrifying part?

The fact that nearly half (48%) of internet users across 27 countries admit to having previously believed fake news stories to the point of taking action, believing at first they were real before later learning they were not. Security researchers found over 932,000 unique phishing sites worldwide in Q3 2024.

Because of this, we all know it’s crucial for every consumer to have access to regularly updated and verified links of various types of online content – for entertainment purposes, shopping deals, or specific types of engagement like gaming opportunities, for example.

Take legitimate 꽁머니 (kr: ‘free money’) sites, for instance. 꽁머니 can refer to promotional bonuses and credits that online gaming platforms in Korea offer new players and members to incentivize them to sign up and play their games. Trustworthy 꽁머니 websites like this offer verified links to authentic gaming promotions. It’s exactly such examples that illustrate how highly valuable verified link platforms are for finding legit offers and opportunities across various industries.

The True Costs of Clicking on Dangerous Links

Is clicking on a sketchy link really that big a deal?

Think again. A malicious link on your computer can result in identity theft, malware and ransomware infections, phishing scams, fake shopping sites, and other types of damage, some that can potentially cause irreparable harm to your digital life and finances.

The fact is that cybercriminals selling stolen credit cards on dark web marketplaces only have to pay a listing fee to access a huge demand pool. Cybersecurity researchers say stolen credit card numbers with $5,000 balances can be sold for as little as $110 on some black marketplaces.

10 Signs To Tell if Links Are Fake or Legit

Ready to learn how to spot dodgy content links from a mile away?

After examining thousands of fraudulent websites over the years, there are several key patterns we all should immediately know that point to scams.

Suspicious URLs & Domain Names

This should be the first thing you check. Are there any misspellings of popular brands in the URL? Are there random letters and numbers thrown together?

Do you see strange domain extensions like .tk, .ml, .ga, etc? Or is the URL path suspiciously long?

Poor Quality Design & Content

This is a big one.

Scammers are lazy. They want to make money without working for it. You can usually tell a site is a scam by its:

• Broken images
• Poor grammar and spelling
• Shoddy formatting, lack of consistent style
• Stock photography
• Fake contact information.

Too-Good-To-Be-True Offers

Let’s be honest: every single one of us has fallen for one of these at some point in our lives. From suspicious discounts to insane bonuses and unbelievable urgency, scammers love this stuff.

• Unrealistic prices or discounts (eg: 90% off designer handbags)
• “Limited time only” (eg: sale ends today!)
• Free products if you just pay for shipping
• Promises of “instant access to huge cash prizes”

Easy Ways to Verify Links Are Safe to Click

Ok, now let’s take a look at some bulletproof methods to test whether links are good or not.

Check Website’s Security Certificate

Look for the padlock icon in your browser’s address bar.

Any site using “secure” encryption should have an HTTPS URL, with the padlock icon in the address bar and the https:// protocol at the front of the URL.

But here’s the thing: scammers are increasingly using HTTPS encryption too, so this alone isn’t enough…

Use Website Safety Checkers

Enter the URL into one of several free online checkers, which will run through dozens of security checks to rate the site’s safety:

• Norton Safe Web
• VirusTotal
• Google Transparency Report
• ScamAdviser

Each of these sites rates a website’s safety using different types of data sources, so it’s good to check a few.

Do Some Research on the Company Behind the Site

It’s not enough to simply look at the website’s own data and design.

If it’s a real company, it should have a staff that exists somewhere.

Look for complete contact information, an About page, real staff photos and biographies, social media profiles with real posts and engagement, and customer reviews on independent sites.

Pro tip: if you’re still not sure, give the company’s phone number a call. If you get no answer or they don’t know anything about the website you’re inquiring about, it’s probably fake.

Check the Domain Age and Registration

Scam sites are usually brand new, so most don’t last long because they get shut down. To find out when a website was registered and by whom, use one of several WHOIS lookup tools:

• WhoisLookup.net
• ICANN Lookup
• DomainTools
• DomainIQ

Trustworthy websites will have transparent ownership and domains registered for at least a few years, if not a decade or more.

Look For User Reviews & Reputation

A good indicator of a website’s legitimacy is what its users are saying about it.

Look for reviews across Google, Yelp, Trustpilot, and other independent sites. A mix of both 5-star and 1-star reviews is normal, while a collection of all 5-star reviews or worse still, no reviews at all should ring alarm bells.

Red flag: if the only reviews you can find are the ones on the company’s own website, stay away.

Test With a Small Purchase First

If you’re thinking about buying something, proceed with caution and test the site first by making a small purchase.

Use a credit card (never debit) for your first purchase so you have fraud protection and can dispute the charge if needed. Monitor your credit card and bank accounts for any unauthorized charges.

Advanced Tools and Extensions to Automate Checking

Want to automate the link checking and safety processes?

Browser extensions do all the work for you and warn you about suspect links before you click.

Browser Extensions for Link Checking

• Web of Trust (WOT)
• Bitdefender TrafficLight
• McAfee WebAdvisor
• Avast Online Security

URL Expansion Services

URL shorteners (bit.ly, tinyurl, etc) can mask malicious links, so expand shortened links before clicking.

• CheckShortURL
• ExpandURL
• Unshorten.it

Building a Library of Trusted Links

Here’s a little-known strategy you’ll love.

Rather than having to search for new links every time you want to use them, build your own library of categorized, verified, and trusted sources instead.

Bookmark or save these sites in categories like shopping, news, entertainment, finance, and tools.

Every month, go through your bookmarks to remove dead or hijacked links, update those that need new URLs, delete the untrustworthy sites, and add in any new verified sources.

How To Stay On Top of New Threats

The online threat landscape is constantly evolving.

Keep up with new threats by following security news outlets like Krebs on Security, The Hacker News, and CERT notifications. Join online safety communities on Reddit and professional networks.

Final Thoughts

Finding trusted online content links isn’t complicated, but it does require using the right methods and tools.

Whether you’re searching for shopping deals, entertainment options, or specific types of engagements like gaming promotions, taking the time to verify links before using them will save you from costly and time-wasting mistakes.

To summarize…

Use multiple verification techniques, build libraries of trusted sources, keep informed about emerging threats, and when in doubt, don’t click – research the link first. Trust your instincts: if it looks or feels wrong, it probably is.

Start incorporating these strategies today and make online safety second nature to protect yourself for years to come.