Is this text message a scam or legit?
Messages
From: Tailwind Logistics
Your package is held at the depot. Pay the $2.99 redelivery fee within 24 hours:
Hover over or tap a link to see where it really goes. Links in this lesson are never clickable.
Punycode / IDN homograph
Internationalized domain using lookalike characters; the underlying xn-- form differs from the brand.
How to spot it
- xn-- in the real destination
- Link text differs from the actual destination
What to do
Preview the real destination before opening; never trust link text. Use a bookmark for banking and payroll.
What the real thing looks like
- Genuine international domains for a business that actually serves that language
Try an example
A practice example with fictional companies. Answer it, then see the tells.
Test yourself on eight more
The free quiz mixes scams with legitimate messages, like real life. No sign-up.