How to check a link with RIEG

RIEG tells you whether a link looks dangerous before you open it. You can use it on the website in a few seconds, or have it check links for you automatically. This guide shows you both, and how to read the answers.

Check a link on the website

1. Copy the link from WhatsApp, SMS or email. Do not tap it.
2. Go to the link checker and paste it into the box.
3. Press Check link. The link is checked on our servers and is never opened on your device.

Your first 5 checks need no account. After that, a free account keeps you going.

Reading the result

You will get one of four answers:

• No known threats found. We did not find signs of phishing or malware. We deliberately do not say “safe”, because no checker can promise that. Still check the address carefully before you enter a password or payment details.
• Be careful. The link shows warning signs. Do not enter passwords, OTPs or payment details. If it claims to be from a company, go to their official website yourself.
• Dangerous: don’t open this link. It appears to be a phishing or scam page. Do not open it, and warn whoever sent it.
• We couldn’t tell. There was not enough to go on. Treat it with care.

Under the answer you will also see the link as plain text with the real website in bold, and a short list of things that stand out in how the address is written, such as a shortened link or an @ sign. These are facts about the address, not a verdict.

What to do after each answer

Answer	What to do
No known threats found	Check the address matches the company you expect, and be careful before entering passwords or payment details
Be careful	Do not enter passwords, OTPs or payment details. Go to the official website yourself
Dangerous	Do not open it. Delete the message and warn the sender
We couldn’t tell	Treat it with care, check with the sender another way, and try again later

If you already opened a link and entered something, here is what to do in the first ten minutes.

Have links checked automatically

Pasting works well, but it needs you to remember. To have RIEG check links as you open them:

• Windows: get the app from the Microsoft Store.
• Android: the RIEG app is coming soon.
• Browser: add the extension for Chrome, Edge or Firefox.

All the options are in the downloads section.

What happens to the link you check

When you check a link, RIEG’s service processes it along with technical data such as your IP address, as set out in our privacy policy. Please do not include personal information in links you check.

Tips for better checks

• Copy the full link, including everything after the first slash.
• Paste it without opening it first. Do not tap it “just to see”.
• If a message came with a deadline or a threat, treat that as a warning sign whatever the result says.
• If a link is shortened, check it anyway: a shortened link hides where it leads until you open it.

One more tip

No tool replaces a pause. If a message rushes you or asks for a password or an OTP, stop and check with the sender another way, whatever any checker says. For more on spotting tricks yourself, read how to read a link before you click it, or start with what phishing is and how it works.