The information services department of Lycoming County government recently sent out a fake email to county employees to test them on the potential for making the county’s systems vulnerable to hackers.

The test email mimicked a phishing scam, in which anyone clicking on a link from an unknown sender could inadvertently reveal sensitive information such as passwords or banking details. This type of scam has the potential to cost big money. In the county’s case, that’s millions of dollars.

More than 70 county employees failed the test when they clicked on the link. But don’t be too quick to poke at county employees for falling for this gimmick. Had the test been sent out communitywide, chances are those results would be mirrored in any number of businesses, agencies, even personal residences.

The dangers that lurk on the internet are real. We all need to take a lesson from this test of county employees. The suggestions are solid: Avoid opening emails from addresses you do not know. If you do open such an email and see a link, never click on it. Ever.

That’s just an invitation for trouble.