How can you check the safety of a short or suspicious link without visiting the site?

USE ONLINE REDIRECT DECODERS AND DOMAIN ANTIVIRUS SCANNERS.

Directly clicking a hidden link in an email or messenger can trigger an instant exploit download or authorization token theft. Pre-checking reveals the real redirect path and assesses the resource's reputation.

Methods for Hiding Malicious URLs

Attackers mask phishing pages behind chains of automatic redirects using legitimate URL shorteners or compromised blogs. Browser security mechanisms don't always block the navigation in time if the destination address was registered just a few hours ago.

Safe Link Checking Procedure

Copy the suspicious address via the browser's context menu without opening it.
Check the final destination using specialized redirect un-shortening services.
Scan the resulting domain through VirusTotal or phishing threat databases.
Pay attention to the domain creation date via Whois services: fresh addresses carry the highest risk.