Why expand a short link first
Short links are useful, which is why scammers love them too: a bit.ly link in a text looks the same whether it points to your bank or a fake copy of it. Some chains pass through three or four services before landing on the real page, and tracking or ad networks often add more. Seeing the full chain tells you who will see your click and where you end up.
Frequently asked questions
Which short link services work?
All of them that use normal web redirects, including bit.ly, tinyurl.com, t.co, goo.gl, ow.ly, is.gd, rb.gy, cutt.ly, shorturl.at, t.ly, tiny.cc and lnkd.in, plus QR code redirect services.
Does expanding the link count as a click?
It counts as a visit from our server, not from you. The link owner may see that the link was opened, but not by whom.