Phishing is an attack on personal information via the internet. The most common way we see phishing is in the form of an email; but these days it can come in the form of ads on our social media feeds. Regardless of what form we see it in, we encounter phishing every day in our inboxes and on our social media feeds.

Everyday someone falls victim to these scams and has personal information stolen from them. This personal information can be anything from your name to your bank information, and with just a few clicks, you could lose a lot. But rest assured there are lots of ways to protect yourself from getting hooked.

Here are a few ways to protect yourself from falling victim to a phishing scam.

Activate multifactor authentication when you can: adding that extra step can make the difference it takes to protect your information, especially on sensitive accounts like your email or online bank account. DO NOT click on links in emails, even if looks like it has come from a company you trust. You are safer going directly to the company’s site to look at any deals, to update your information with them, or to make a payment.

The same thing applies for ads on your social media feeds. You don’t have a good way to verify that the ad is real or actually from the company it appears to be. Navigate on a regular browser to the company’s site to check out the deals that you saw, and don’t be surprised if the deal isn’t real.

By using these tips and remembering that online safety starts with you, you can avoid getting hooked by a phishing scam!

For additional online safety tips, check out our Cyber Safety Videos.