I meant to type youtube.com but accidentally entered yoyutube.com and was redirected to a page with a dark background and a large blue-gray box saying something like "We're preparing your data." I closed the tab immediately without clicking anything or entering information. Could this have been phishing or malware, and do I need to take any additional steps?
3 Answers
The misspelled domain is an example of typosquatting: someone registers a domain that resembles a popular website and uses it for ads, redirects, scams, or phishing. Avoid interacting with pages like that and double-check the address before entering sensitive information.
For peace of mind, check your browser’s recent downloads and remove any unfamiliar extensions or notification permissions. Run a standard security scan if you want, but a scan is usually unnecessary when you only visited the page and closed it immediately.
You’re probably fine. This sounds like a low-quality ad or redirect page, and simply loading a site usually doesn’t infect a fully updated browser. Since you closed it without downloading anything, clicking prompts, or entering information, there’s likely nothing else to do.
I didn’t download anything or type any information, so I’ll just make sure my browser and security software are updated.