Why did I get a random text with a link?

It could be a malware site that will actively try to install something on your machine to do things to it you wouldn’t want done. It could be a phishing site, designed to make you think you’re actually at some other site, like your bank, and have you enter your credentials there, so that they can steal them from you.

Should you open unknown text messages?

If you get an unknown text message (ie: a text from an unknown sender) there are two things you should do: Do NOT open any attachments and do NOT click on any links in the unknown message. Block the unknown number so you don’t get any more messages from them.

How do you tell if a link in a text is safe?

To check if a link is safe, plug it into a link checker. Link checkers are free online tools that can analyze any link’s security issues (or lack thereof) and alert you if the link will direct you to a compromised website, malware, ransomware, or other safety risks.

How do you know if a text message is spam?

4 ways to identify scam text messages

1. Abnormally long numbers. If a text message is legitimate, it’s usually from a number 10 digits or less.
2. Family crisis texts. Receiving news of a family crisis is alarming.
3. Text refund. Another common text scam comes in the form of a text refund.
4. Random prizes.

Can you get a virus from opening a text message?

Text messages are just one of the ways that criminals try to persuade people to download malware. Simply opening and reading an SMS text message is unlikely to infect your phone, but you can get a virus or malware if you download an infected attachment or click a link to a compromised website.

How do I stop unwanted inappropriate texts?

How to stop spam texts from reaching your smartphone

1. Don’t respond to unwanted texts.
2. Report spammers to your cellular provider.
3. Filter potential spammers.
4. Block specific spammers.
5. Use a paid text-blocking app.

Can my phone get hacked by opening a text?

Android phones can get infected by merely receiving a picture via text message, according to research published Monday. This is likely the biggest smartphone flaw ever discovered.

How do you know if someone has clicked your link?

For websites, you can use Google Analytics. To do this, enable the analytics tools provided by Google and use their measurements to check all your clicked links arriving at the website. If you use marketing channels to mostly drive traffic to your website, this is a good place to start.

How can I tell if a link is dodgy?

There are several services you can use to verify a link. Google Safe Browsing is a good place to start. Type in this URL http://google.com/safebrowsing/diagnostic?site= followed by the site you want to check, such as google.com or an IP address. It will let you know if it has hosted malware in the past 90 days.