I spend a lot of time trying to warn people not to click on links that others send in e-mails, and trying to explain what the term "redirect" means, but people still forget.
So I have some reluctance to use utilities such as TinyURL, even though they may be excellent resources. If you are unfamiliar with TinyURL, it is simply a free service that allows you to subsitute a short anonymous URL for a longer one that is awkward to use. It is a great utility. Unfortunately unscrupulous people rush to exploit this kind of service for spamming and other nefarious activities.
So here is what to do:
When you see a TinyUrl link, either in your e-mail or posted to a forum, or wherever, instead of clicking on it, just cut and paste the link into a new browser tab or window and then insert "preview." before it as in the following example:
http://tinyurl.com/63qatq Do not click
http://preview.tinyurl.com/63qatq Click here instead!
The second link will take you to a page that reveals the original link, and that makes it easier for you to determine whether that is a page you really want to open or not. Of course, this is just one kind of redirect, so please exercise caution around links. Some can be malicious.
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