With catastrophic news stories reporting Black Friday casualties,
Cyber Monday is looking more and more attractive to the
price-conscious consumer. Reports of Black Friday violence range from
jam-packed stampedes to pepper spray and even shootings, leading many
consumers to rely on Cyber Monday as a safe and hassle-free
alternative for holiday shopping.  With so many options available for
online shopping, we would like to offer a few tips for safe shopping
during this holiday season.

Don’t Click E-Mail Links Promising Great Deals
During this time of the year many scams offer deals that seem too good
to be true. Only open e-mails from people you know and trust. Avoid
forwards at all cost.

Shop at Sites You Know and Trust
Well known sites that provide online purchasing options are your best
bet. Use these sites to find the best deals and rest assured that you
won’t be left high and dry on a bad deal!

Make Sure That Your Purchase is Secure
Check your web browser to ensure that the URL for the page begins with
“https://”. You will also notice a lock in the lower right corner of
the browser window.

Make sure that you have anti-virus and protection installed on your PC
to prevent malicious virus from affecting your system. Also, only use
a modern web browser such as the latest versions of Safari, Mozilla,
Google Chrome, or Internet Explorer.

Keep these important tips in mind when shopping through this holiday season and throughout the year. Happy shopping and happy holidays!