Browser ProtectionBeta
See who's watching. Spot the scams.
TrueID Browser Protection is a free browser extension that lists the trackers a page loads and warns you about known scam and phishing sites. Everything is checked on your own computer, and we never see what you browse.
See who's tracking you on a page
Click the TrueID button and it lists the advertising, analytics and session-recording services the page has loaded, grouped by company. It counts them; it doesn't block them.
Get warned about known scam sites
The site you're on is checked against CERT Polska's public list of more than 120,000 scam and phishing domains. Switch on automatic warnings and a listed site is replaced by a warning before you type anything.
Nothing leaves your computer
Every check runs inside your browser. The extension's only download is the public warning list, once a day. We never see the pages you visit, and there's no analytics in the extension.
Install the beta
The extension isn't in the browser stores yet, so it installs from a download. It takes about a minute.
- Download the zip file and unzip it into a folder you'll keep.
- In Chrome, go to
chrome://extensions. In Edge, go toedge://extensions. - Switch on Developer mode.
- Click Load unpacked and choose the folder you unzipped.
- Pin the TrueID button to your toolbar, then click it on any website.
Developer mode is a normal Chrome setting for installing extensions that aren't from the store. When the extension is published, you'll be able to install it with one click instead.
What it asks permission for
- The page you're on, when you click the button. Used to count its trackers. Nothing is sent anywhere.
- hole.cert.pl. Used only to download the public warning list once a day.
- Your open tabs, only if you turn on automatic warnings. Chrome calls this “read your browsing history”. It lets the extension check each site before you use it. Turning the setting off removes the permission.
What a website, an extension and other tools can reach
No website, TrueID's included, can block trackers in your other apps or across your whole device. Here's what each kind of tool can actually do.
| What you want | A website (like trueid.help) | This extension | Needs instead |
|---|---|---|---|
| See trackers on the page you're viewing | No | Yes | — |
| Warn before you open a known scam site in your browser | Only links you paste in | Yes | Private DNS with threat blocking |
| Block trackers in every website | No | With a full blocking list (not this beta) | Private DNS (partly) |
| Protect other browsers and apps on the same computer | No | No | Private DNS, or a device app |
| Protect apps on your phone | No | No | Private DNS on the phone, or a mobile app |
| Hide your location (IP address) from websites | No | No | A VPN or Tor |
| Stop your internet provider seeing which sites you visit | No | No | Encrypted DNS hides some of it; a VPN hides more |
Private DNS services such as Quad9 can refuse to connect you to known malicious sites for every app on a device. A VPN moves trust from your internet provider to the VPN company, so choose one carefully. TrueID doesn't sell either.
Five browser settings worth checking today
- Turn on your browser's built-in tracking protection: Firefox "Enhanced Tracking Protection" (Strict), Safari "Prevent cross-site tracking", Edge "Tracking prevention" (Balanced or Strict). Brave blocks trackers by default.
- Turn on secure DNS: in Chrome and Edge it's under Privacy and security → "Use secure DNS"; in Firefox, "DNS over HTTPS".
- Review site permissions (camera, microphone, location, notifications) and remove sites you don't recognise. Unwanted notification permissions are a common scam trick.
- Delete third-party cookies, or block them. Most browsers have this in their privacy settings.
- Keep your browser updated, and only install extensions you need from the official store. Extensions can see a lot.
Questions
- Is the TrueID browser extension free?
- Yes. It's a free beta. It isn't in the Chrome, Edge or Firefox stores yet, so for now you install it from a download, as explained on this page.
- Does the extension block ads and trackers?
- No. This beta shows you which known trackers a page loads, and warns you about known scam sites. Blocking needs large, constantly maintained filter lists. Your browser's built-in tracking protection, or a dedicated blocker, is the right tool for that today.
- Does TrueID see the websites I visit?
- No. Every check runs inside your browser. The only thing the extension downloads is the public CERT Polska warning list, once a day. It sends nothing about you or your browsing to TrueID or anyone else.
- Which browsers does it work in?
- Chrome and Microsoft Edge (and other Chromium browsers) through the Load unpacked option. A Firefox build exists for testing and can be loaded as a temporary add-on until it's published.
- If a site isn't on the warning list, is it safe?
- Not necessarily. New scam sites appear every day. If something feels off, check the link with TrueID's free Scam-Link Checker and never type a password into a page you reached from an unexpected message.
Where the warning list comes from: CERT Polska's public warning list, which allows commercial use. CERT Polska isn't affiliated with TrueID and doesn't endorse it. The tracker list was written by TrueID. Not on the list doesn't mean safe. When in doubt, use the free Scam-Link Checker.