{"type":"document","data":{"id":"92d62891-c296-482f-ad03-9cbc38941ead","localeString":"en-GB","publishDate":"2026-02-27T16:30:56.796+01:00","contentType":"onecms:productPage","hasMacro":false,"flexPageMetadata":{"afmBanner":false,"robotInstruction":{"noIndex":false,"noFollow":false},"description":"How to read URLs or hyperlinks to prevent being scammed"},"mainHeaderZone":{"componentType":"productHeader","coreHeader":{"body":"Hover your cursor over a link in an email to see where it really leads. Smart move, right? But here’s the catch: cybercriminals know people check links. So, they create URLs that look legit, to trick you. Knowing how to read a hyperlink helps you stay one step ahead.","headerImage":{"transformBaseUrl":"https://assets.ing.com/transform/93d0a04c-4daf-4cfe-ae0f-86a59132dcf4/Two-women-friends-look-at-laptop-while-eating-and-drinking-in-a-restaurant","type":"image","width":5616,"original":"https://assets.ing.com/m/4bef2492ccd4b957/original/Two-women-friends-look-at-laptop-while-eating-and-drinking-in-a-restaurant.jpg","extension":"jpg"},"title":"How to read a URL","subtitle":"Protect yourself from phishing sites. Learn how to read a hyperlink."},"backLink":{"textLink":{"url":"/en/bank/safe-banking/getting-started-with-safe-online-banking/index-getting-started-with-safe-banking","text":"Getting started with safe online banking"}}},"flexZone":{"flexComponents":[{"componentType":"paragraph","title":"The most important part of a link","richBody":{"value":"<p><span><span><span><span>In a hyperlink, the most important part is just before the first &apos;/&apos; (ignoring the https://). This is the site the hyperlink takes you to. </span></span></span></span></p>"}},{"componentType":"paragraph","title":"If you know what to look for, it's simple","richBody":{"value":"<p><span><span><span><span>To know which site a hyperlink takes you to, it&apos;s important to read the correct part of the URL. &gt; https://news.ing.nl/bess/get?id=12494.-1:jgw8tn5u. This hyperlink may not be very clear. However, you can be sure of one thing: it will take you to ing.nl. &gt; https://mijning.login.ing.bank.nl/bess/get?id=12494.-1 This hyperlink is readable and appears to point to the My ING login page. It doesn&apos;t! It redirects you to bank.nl, not the official ING Netherlands site. This is therefore a fraudulent link.</span></span></span></span></p>"},"video":{"type":"video","originalUrl":"https://assets.ing.com/m/d61cf459ca2d5f6/original/714423_HowToReadaURL_NLNL-mp4.mp4","videoPreviewURLs":["https://assets.ing.com/m/d61cf459ca2d5f6/1080p-714423_HowToReadaURL_NLNL-mp4.mp4","https://assets.ing.com/m/d61cf459ca2d5f6/mp4-714423_HowToReadaURL_NLNL-mp4.mp4","https://assets.ing.com/m/d61cf459ca2d5f6/480p-714423_HowToReadaURL_NLNL-mp4.mp4","https://assets.ing.com/m/d61cf459ca2d5f6/720p-714423_HowToReadaURL_NLNL-mp4.mp4"],"thumbnails":{"mini":"https://assets.ing.com/m/d61cf459ca2d5f6/mini-714423_HowToReadaURL_NLNL-mp4.jpg","webimage":"https://assets.ing.com/m/d61cf459ca2d5f6/webimage-714423_HowToReadaURL_NLNL-mp4.jpg","thul":"https://assets.ing.com/m/d61cf459ca2d5f6/thul-714423_HowToReadaURL_NLNL-mp4.jpg"},"extension":["mp4"]}},{"componentType":"linkList","iconTitle":{"icon":{"transformBaseUrl":"https://assets.ing.com/transform/f52818ae-9791-4ef7-9799-d3f991c2e3b4/Functionalities-Lock_Confirmation_Outline","type":"image","width":32,"altTextNL":"\"\"","original":"https://assets.ing.com/m/5b979bd44d912a17/original/Functionalities-Lock_Confirmation_Outline.svg","extension":"svg"},"title":"Safe banking"},"textLinks":[{"url":"/en/bank/safe-banking/report-fraud","text":"Report fraud to the Hotline"},{"url":"/de-ing/veilig-bankieren/soorten-oplichting-fraude","text":"More types of scams and fraud"},{"url":"https://zowerktfraude.nl/","text":"Recognising & preventing fraud"},{"url":"/en/bank/safe-banking/5-bs/update-your-browser-and-operating-system","text":"Which browser, even with screen reader"}]}]}}}