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Bad actors have become far more sophisticated. Even the most tech-savvy person can be fooled by links that look completely legitimate.
Known as “phishing links,” these traps show up in emails, texts, social media DMs and even LinkedIn messages. Because they appear so real, they’re easy to click without thinking.
If it happens, don’t panic. These ChatGPT-generated tips can help you respond quickly — and even guide older family members through what to do next if they ever click on a suspicious link.
Article continues belowNo need to panic — ChatGPT offers valuable tips
Here’s a prompt I use when I think I may have clicked on a suspicious link: “I may have clicked on a bad link. How do I know if it’s suspicious, and what should I do if it is?”
Right off the bat, it let me know that panicking isn’t the way to go — staying calm and acting quickly should be the first action a person should take if they find themselves in this predicament.
ChatGPT says: “One click alone doesn’t always mean you’re compromised—but you should assume some risk and lock things down.”
After proposing that initial step, ChatGPT broke down a series of moves to make after making the mistake of clicking and opening a dubious link:
- Disconnect from the internet (briefly): Turn off Wi-Fi or unplug Ethernet—this can stop any active malicious scripts from communicating with external servers.
- Don’t enter any information: If the link opened a page asking for login info, do not type anything—close the tab immediately.
- Run a security scan: Use built-in tools like Windows Security (Windows) or XProtect (Mac). You can also use a trusted tool like Malwarebytes for a deeper scan.
- Clear your browser data: Delete cookies, cache, and history—this helps remove tracking scripts or malicious session tokens.
- Change your passwords (on a clean device if possible): Especially for your email, banking, and social media accounts. If you entered credentials after clicking the link, change them immediately.
- Enable or check 2FA (two-factor authentication): Adds a second layer of protection even if your password was exposed.
- Check for unusual activity: Look for unknown origins, sent emails/social media messages you didn’t write, and financial transactions you know you didn’t make.
- Update your device: Install the latest OS (Operating System) on your desktop/laptop and web browser updates to patch vulnerabilities.
- Warn others if needed: If the link came from a friend or coworker, they might be compromised—give them a heads-up.
- Escalate if sensitive info is involved: If you entered banking or personal identification info, contact your bank immediately, monitor your credit, or consider freezing your account altogether.
Bottom line
Because technology and AI are advancing so quickly, it’s getting harder to tell what’s real and what isn’t. If you’ve been fooled by a malicious link, I’d hate to hear about my grandparents, aunts and uncles falling victim to clicking on a mistrustful link and having their most sensitive information exposed to a bona fide scammer.
In the past, those stories seemed to pop up weekly since the older folks in my life began adopting PCs at a high rate. Young people also need to be aware of those same links since they’re bound to come across them through gaming platforms and forums that promise them desirable in-game goodies.
To get ahead of the downfalls that come with clicking on a suspicious link that is prevalent across shady websites and so much more. ChatGPT stepped up to let me know that staying calm and acting quickly to prevent any further damage to your sensitive information and accounts is key.
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