Dodgy looking website links in emails.

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Gordy7

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#296083 19-May-2022 16:31

Scammer awareness with dodgy looking email links are something I am careful about.

I have been reassured by the 2 organisations below that their emails are legitimate.

Why don't they use direct website links in their emails?

govt.us7 does not read like a NZ website.

mysublime has hints of a xxx website.

Hawkes Bay Reginal Council sign up for Rates by email link:

https://govt.us7.list-manage.com/track/click....

Direct website path:

https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/services/properties-and-rates/rates-by-email/

Heart Foundation online funding sign up:

https://cm.mysublime.net/....

Direct website path:

https://bigheartcharitylottery.heartfoundation.org.nz/

Just my 2 cent worth of paranoia for the day 😀

Gordy

My first ever AM radio network connection was with a 1MHz AM crystal(OA91) radio receiver.

Kraven

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#2916020 19-May-2022 16:52

Those are tracking links. They are specially formed to record who has clicked on links in emails, to that the marketing team can review the success of their email campaign. Pretty much all email marketing these days will use them.

This page on Mailchimp's website explains it: Use Click Tracking in Emails | Mailchimp.

Edit: fix link

Behodar

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#2916023 19-May-2022 16:55

Yep, completely stupid. The IT department at work tells us not to click any links without checking where they point to, yet all our outgoing emails use the same sort of link munging to track who's clicking on things. Even worse, all incoming emails also have their URLs rewritten so you can't see where anything is going!

"Do what we say, even though we make it impossible to do so."

richms

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#2916027 19-May-2022 17:13

Worse is PB tech who have their links going thru something which is blocked by antimalware so you literally cant visit any link they email you if you're behind any normal corporate firewall things.

Richard rich.ms

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#2916952 21-May-2022 20:02

Whereas I go out of my way to provide links like http://www.5z8.info/twitterhack_q6l9pt_double-your-wang and http://www.5z8.info/backyard-fireworks-disasters_l9r6sw_realplayer.dmg and http://www.5z8.info/kkk_r6y3mj_fake-gmail-login-page. They're all completely safe, you can click on them.