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Domain Due Diligence
Report for Msn.com

Report Date January 23, 2026
Recommendation
Caution
Overall Summary
Suspicious
Why we think so

MSN.com is a high-traffic, established internet portal operated by Microsoft, ranking #75 globally with around 497 million monthly visits, primarily from the United States. It offers news, emails, and other services, supported by trusted infrastructure like Microsoft Azure and Akamai. Registered since 1994 under Microsoft, the site uses reputable advertising and technology providers. Although legitimate, MSN.com hosts numerous ads, some reported to redirect users to scam or malware sites, leading to user complaints about security risks and intrusive advertising. The platform shows a left-center political bias in content but scores high for factual reporting. Microsoft is aware of these issues and provides a feedback channel but has no public resolution details. No direct scams originate from msn.com itself; however, scammers often impersonate Microsoft or MSN brands in phishing and tech support frauds. The domain holds valid SSL and DNS records, and is not blacklisted. Previously, MSN.com has been involved indirectly in legal cases related to Microsoft but no current active lawsuits pertain specifically to msn.com. Overall, msn.com is a reputable site with significant traffic and modern infrastructure, but users should be cautious about ads potentially leading to malicious sites.

Confidence Score
88%

Risk Insights

🛡️

High Traffic and Trusted Infrastructure 🛡️

Nearly 497 million monthly visits globally, mainly from the US
Uses Microsoft Azure and Akamai CDN for security and delivery
Domain registered since 1994 under Microsoft
⚠️

User Reports of Malicious Ads ⚠️

Complaints about ads redirecting to scams or malware
No direct msn.com scam but ad ecosystem risks user safety
Users advise caution and use of ad blockers

Contradictory Signals

Legitimate website infrastructure contrasts with risks posed by some third-party ads.

Signal A: Strong technical trust and valid domain registration

Signal B: Multiple user complaints about malicious advertising

Category Scores

Identity 95/100
Reputation 60/100
Technical 90/100
Content 75/100
Legal 85/100
Business Validity 95/100

Red Flags & Warnings

  • Reports of malicious ads on MSN.com redirecting users to scam and malware sites.
  • User complaints highlight intrusive ads and poor customer support experiences related to MSN.com platform.

🔎 Detailed Checks & Analysis

Domain Registration and Technical Infrastructure

Score: 95/100
Passed

"These factors indicate strong domain legitimacy and technical integrity."

Reason: MSN.com is a long-established domain registered since 1994 with MarkMonitor, a reputable registrar. It uses valid SSL issued by Microsoft Azure and stable DNS managed by Azure DNS servers.

Traffic and Popularity Signals

Score: 90/100
Passed

"Traffic distribution is mostly direct and search-based from the US and other countries."

Reason: MSN.com has very high traffic volume (~497 million monthly visits) and ranks #75 globally, showing it is a well-known site.

Reputation and User Feedback

Score: 40/100
Failed

"Although MSN.com itself is not a scam, its ad ecosystem exposes users to security risks and dissatisfaction."

Reason: User reviews mention many complaints of malicious ads and scam redirects encountered while using MSN.com.

Blacklist and Malware Scanning

Score: 90/100
Passed

"This reduces the risk of msn.com serving malicious content directly."

Reason: No blacklist entries or phishing/malware detections found for msn.com in Google Safe Browsing or crypto scam databases.

Trademark and Legal Status

Score: 85/100
Passed

"Past legal cases involve broader Microsoft litigation unrelated to scam concerns."

Reason: MSN has active trademark registrations and current legal standing; no active lawsuits specifically target msn.com as a scam.

Your Next Steps

  • 1
    Avoid clicking on suspicious or unexpected ads on msn.com to reduce risk of exposure to malware or scams.
  • 2
    Use ad blockers or security software to minimize intrusive advertising on the site.
  • 3
    Verify any emails or alerts claiming to be from MSN or Microsoft by checking sender addresses and avoiding links in unsolicited messages.
  • 4
    Report any suspicious phishing or scam attempts impersonating MSN or Microsoft to official channels.
  • 5
    Monitor news and trusted sources for updates about MSN.com and related Microsoft brand security issues.

Evidence & Citations

🕵🏻 Keep investigating

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