How Hackers Use "Typosquatting" to Trick You (and How to Spot It)

The Art of the Typo

Have you ever typed gogle.com instead of google.com? Hackers count on it. Typosquatting (or URL hijacking) is a technique where attackers register domains that are very similar to popular websites, hoping you'll make a mistake.

Common Typosquatting Tactics

1. The Missed Key: facebok.com (missing 'o').
2. The Fat Finger: twitter.com vs twiiter.com (keys near each other).
3. The Wrong Extension: amazon.net instead of amazon.com.
4. The Combo: apple-support.com (adding words to look official).

The Danger

If you land on a typosquatted site, it might look exactly like the real thing.

• Phishing: You enter your login details, and the hacker captures them.
• Malware: The site automatically downloads a virus to your computer.
• Ad Fraud: You are bombarded with spammy ads.

How to Spot a Fake Domain

• Check the URL: Look closely at the address bar. Is it microsoft.com or rnicrosft.com?
• Use a URL Scanner: Before clicking a link in an email, copy and paste it into our URL Scanner. We'll tell you if the domain is suspicious or malicious.
• Bookmark Important Sites: Don't type your bank's URL every time. Use a bookmark to ensure you always go to the right place.

Your eyes can be tricked, but data doesn't lie. Always verify the domain before you trust the site.