Suspicious Login Issues

How to Safely Handle Suspicious Links in Microsoft Mail

Guest Writer Sep 29, 2026 869 views

Question details

A user needs to know whether it is safe to open an unexpected 'Review Now' link from an unknown sender in Microsoft Mail.

How to Safely Handle a Suspicious Link in Microsoft Mail

Product: Microsoft Mail
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Evaluating the safety of an unexpected email link from an unverified sender.
Observed behavior: The user is unable to open the link and is uncertain about the sender's authenticity and the link's overall security.

Before you start

Do not click or attempt to open the suspicious link. Ensure your antivirus software is active and up to date before investigating the email further.

Solution 1Recommended

Verify the Sender and Report the Phishing Attempt

The safest approach to unexpected emails is to verify the sender's identity and report the message without interacting with the email content.

Phishing emails often use urgency (like 'Review Now' buttons) to trick users into clicking malicious links. It is crucial to verify the sender's actual email address, as the display name can be easily forged.

Check the sender's email address

Hover your cursor over the sender's display name or click on it to reveal the actual email address. Ensure it perfectly matches the official domain of the organization it claims to be from.

Avoid interacting with links

Do not click on the 'Review Now' link or any other attachments within the unexpected email.

Verify through official channels

Contact the sender or the organization directly using a trusted, verified phone number or by typing their official website URL manually into your browser.

Report the email in Microsoft Mail

Select the suspicious message in your inbox, click the 'Report' button in the top toolbar, and select 'Report phishing' to help improve mail filters.

Verify the Sender and Report the Phishing Attempt

Stay Protected: Reporting phishing emails not only protects your account but also helps Microsoft improve security for other users.

Solution 2

Inspect the Link Destination Without Clicking

If you need to check where a link leads, you can safely preview the URL without actually opening the potentially harmful webpage.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Switch to WPS Office for a Secure Document Workflow

While you protect your inbox from malicious links, ensure your local files are secure by switching to WPS Office. It provides a lightweight, highly compatible, and safe environment for all your document tasks without the expensive subscription fees.

1. Download the Installer: Visit the official WPS Office website and click the free download button.
2. Install the Software: Run the downloaded installer and follow the simple on-screen instructions to set up WPS Office securely on your device.
3. Start Creating Secure Documents: Open WPS Office and enjoy full compatibility with your existing Microsoft Office files.

Free and lightweight office suiteFully compatible with Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint formatsBuilt-in PDF tools for secure document viewing and editingFamiliar user interface for seamless migration

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Frequently Asked Questions

What should I do if I accidentally clicked a suspicious link?

Immediately disconnect your device from the internet, run a full system antivirus scan, and change the passwords for any accounts that might be compromised, especially if you entered any credentials on the linked page.

Why can't I open the link in the email?

Your email provider, firewall, or built-in security software may have preemptively blocked the link because it was flagged as malicious, phishing, or associated with a known spam sender.

How can I easily spot a phishing email?

Look out for generic greetings (like 'Dear Customer'), a false sense of urgency, unexpected attachments, mismatched sender addresses, and poorly written content with spelling or grammatical errors.

Microsoft Office Security Issues