Are shortened links safe, and how do I see where they go?

Shortened links hide where they go, which is why scammers love them. To check one, add a plus sign to the end of a bit.ly link (bit.ly/abc+) to see its destination, or put "preview." in front of a TinyURL link. To make short links, TinyURL and Bitly are both free for basic use.

Sites last checked 15 Oct 2026. How we test