If you're an internet user, you know phishing isn't something you do on a nice day.

It's a way for a criminal to try and steal your identity and money.

Phishing has been around for awhile now, and chances are as long as computers continue to make our lives easier, it'll be around for awhile.

As with any crime, computer hackers have found new, creative ways to try and steal your identity.

The definition of phishing is simple, someone hacks into your machine, sends out millions of e-mails on your account hoping a few people bite on that bait. The bait usually comes to your e-mail inbox. It looks like an official e-mail from, say your bank, credit card, or even E-Bay. It tells you you need to update some information, and if you'll click on the supplied link, you can log into your account. The problem is the link takes you to a fraudulent web site, you enter the information it asks for, and all of a sudden, the criminal has your personal information. And a lot of times, it's hard to catch the scam artist behind the phishing scheme.

Is it still safe to use the internet?

"Sure. Anything you do has inherent risk. You drive your car, there's a risk you'll have a wreck. You use the internet, there's a risk you could have your identity stolen. You have to be just as vigilent as when you drive your car," says Chris Stegner with ETC Computerland.

So how do you protect yourself? The best way is just be very careful what you click on. That goes for e-mails and social networking sites like Facebook.

"If the source of the thing you're clicking on is at all in question, then don't click on it. The best thing is to go directly to the source," says Stegner.

That means, exit out of whatever has the link, go to your web browser, and type in the web address. For example, if the e-mail comes from E-Bay. Type in ebay dot com into your web browser. Don't copy and paste the link either, that would be the same as clicking on the link.

Chris Stegner recommends getting your computer checked out by a professional if you feel your computer's been compromised.

More than 300 million people use the social networking site Facebook everyday.

Naturally that's computer hackers dream to break into that many accounts.

You may have heard of a virus going through Facebook called the Bredolab trojan virus.

It's been averaging about two to three million e-mails a day through Facebook.

KHQA asked Chris Stegner at ETC Computerland about this virus.

He said a well known virus company called Symantic says the Bredolab virus isn't to big of a deal.

However, it is a trojan virus, which means if you open it, it will do what a trojan virus does best, wreck havoc on your computer and computers of your friends.

Stegner says just be careful what you click.

"When you install an application on Facebook, it says would you let this application access your Facebook information? That's not on your computer. But if it says can I install this on your computer, then you probably don't want to do that," says Stegner.

Stegner says you'll probably see something like that if you want to watch a video.

If it asks for you to install something, hit cancel and look elsewhere on the internet for that video.

The same applies if something pops up that says you need to get an update to your Flash Player or Media Windows Player.

Hit cancel, go to the company website and download the update from there.