Avoiding phishing and spam links, and the approved-domain policy

Short links are convenient, but that same convenience is what gets them abused — a short address hides the destination. Before you click, you can't tell where the link will take you, and that is exactly what phishing and spam exploit.

How short links get abused

An attacker shortens the long address of a fake login page or a malicious site so it looks like an ordinary link. The recipient can't inspect the domain, so they click without suspicion. If a shortener shortens any address without asking, it easily becomes a channel for these links.

How a person clicking can reduce the risk

• Be suspicious of the source. A link from someone you don't know, or one inside a sudden "verify your account" message, deserves a second thought before you click.
• Use previews. Some messengers and browsers show the link's final destination ahead of time.
• Stop if it asks for credentials. If the page behind a link asks for a password or payment details, always check that the domain in the address bar is the real one.

linkpado's approved-domain policy

linkpado takes the opposite approach: only URLs on approved domains can be shortened. Instead of shortening any address, it limits which domains are eligible so the service doesn't become a channel for spam and phishing.

• Anyone can request a new domain on the domain approval page.
• Addresses on domains that aren't approved are refused.
• So for the person clicking, a linkpado link means a link to a destination that has at least been reviewed.

This policy trades a little friction for trust. A domain you're using for the first time needs one approval step, but in return the whole link ecosystem becomes safer.

Transparent redirects

When you click a linkpado short link, it forwards you straight to the destination with no interstitial ad or waiting screen. Those interstitial pages are a common way to hold a user's attention, but they also hide the real destination one more time. Clicks should be fast and transparent — that's one of linkpado's operating principles. You can read more on the about page.