What to Do When a Link Is Broken or Suspicious

A web address made of random characters may be an expired page, a tracking route, or an unsafe destination. You do not need to investigate it by clicking repeatedly. A careful response protects your accounts and helps you find the information you actually wanted.

Check the address first

Read the domain from right to left and look for misspellings or extra words. Secure connections are helpful, but a padlock does not prove that a site is honest. If a message disguises the destination, do not open it. On a school device, follow your school’s technology rules.

Find the intended content another way

1. Open the organization’s known home page by typing its address yourself.
2. Use its internal search with a few keywords.
3. Check a library catalog or reputable search engine.
4. Ask the sender to explain what the link should contain.

For school assignments, tell your teacher when a required source is unavailable rather than substituting an unreliable page.

Respond to warning signs

• Close pages that demand immediate payment or personal details.
• Cancel unexpected downloads and do not open the file.
• Take a screenshot of suspicious school-related messages for an adult or IT staff member.
• Block and report phishing messages through the platform’s tools.

If you already clicked

Do not panic. Close the tab. If you entered a password, change it from the official site, sign out other sessions, and enable multifactor authentication. If you shared banking details or identification, tell a parent or guardian immediately and contact the relevant institution through its official number. Run approved security updates and scans.

Share links responsibly

Before sending a link, open the correct source, describe why it is useful, and remove unnecessary tracking parameters when possible. Never forward shocking or embarrassing material “just to warn people.” Reporting it privately is safer. Thoughtful link habits make online spaces more useful for everyone.