Sponsored Search Results Are Not Always Safe

The top results in a search engine are often ads, and anyone can buy them — including scammers. A malicious ad can mimic a legitimate company down to the pixel, using a domain that looks almost identical. People trust search results implicitly, and attackers exploit that trust.

Get into the habit of scrolling past sponsored results. Look for the small "Ad" or "Sponsored" label and skip those links. Better yet, type known URLs directly into your address bar or use bookmarks. The few seconds you save by clicking the first result are not worth the risk.