Phishing is a scam that Internet hackers use to send spam and other types of pop-up messages in order to lure personal information and financial information from people.
There are some ways that you can avoid getting caught in the trap that include:

• Don't reply to any of the emails or pop-up messages that are asking you for any kind of personal or financial information.
  Don't click on any of the links that are in the message and don't cut or paste a link from the message into your web browser to use.
  The links may look like they are going to go one way, but really they are set up to go to a different site.
  
• Avoid emails that appear to be from a legitimate business that are asking you to call a phone number and do some updating to your account or activate a refund that you have been waiting for.
  This is a way that you can be lured into giving out personal information.
  Don't fall for the scam, if you do not recognize the name of the business, don't call the number that is provided.
  
• Be sure to use anti-virus and anti-spyware on your computer, and have all of the necessary updates and enhancements for it.
  Also, set up fire walls to block content that may be phishing content or harmful content.
  
• Don't email any of your personal information or financial information.
  
• Make sure that you take time to review any of your credit card accounts or bank accounts and check over the statements to make sure that there are not any unauthorized charges on there.
  
• Use caution when you are going to open any attachment from an email, or when you download any files that are included in an email.
  
• If you do receive phishing emails, you can forward them all to the government agency at: spam@uce.
  gov.
  You can also forward the message to the company or bank that the phishing email was trying to portray themselves as.
  
• If you feel like you have been negatively affected by phishing email, you can contact the Federal Trade Commission to protect yourself against identity theft.
  

Take the necessary steps to help protect your computer from phishing and other harmful content that can allows others to have access to your personal and financial information.
Loading up your computer with the best security software can help you protect all of your personal and financial information, and help keep harmful content from getting on your computer.
Keep all of your software updated and apply all of the new downloads.