The Black Friday fervor has fizzled, but holiday shopping is still in full swing. The weekend is over and the big-box stores are picked cleaned, savvy consumers have taken their business online.

Cyber Monday is the biggest online shopping day of the year. Last year the nouveau retail holiday generated a record-breaking $2.2 Billion in sales. Even though you won’t have to elbow your way through the throngs of dead-eyed Wal-Mart patrons to snag the last PS4, shopping online presents its own set of risks.

Follow these tips to stay secure online while you do your shopping this holiday season.

Use a secure internet connection

• Be sure that all of your transactions take place over a secure internet connection. It may be tempting to knock out some of your last minute online shopping while relaxing at the coffee shop, or while waiting in line on your mobile device, but entering your private information over these free Wi-Fi hotspots could put you at risk for identity theft.

Name recognition

• Target may have dropped the ball last year with a high profile security breach, but the rule of thumb still applies. It is better to shop online with retailers you recognize and have a proven record of customer satisfaction. If you buy from a third party seller, through Amazon or EBay for instance, make sure they have good customer reviews and clearly defined store policies.

If It Sounds Too Good. . .

• The old adage applies to cyberspace as well. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Be aware of the many offers, bargains, and once in a lifetime deals you will encounter online this holiday shopping season. Avoid clicking on ads and pop-ups that present these enticements.

Run Software Updates

• Running frequent updates is a good practice year-round to make sure you are getting the highest level of functionality from your apps and devices. Running frequent updates during the holiday season can patch up any holes in the app that could lead to a potential security risk.

Passwords

• Another basic practice of staying secure on the internet is having a strong password. You should avoid using simple one word phrases. Pet names, school mascots, etc. while convenient to remember, are also easy to hack. A good password should be alphanumeric, a mix of capital and lowercase letter, even special characters if applicable.   

S is for Security

• Whenever you are shopping online, remember to only ever enter sensitive personal and financial information on websites’ with a URL beginning HTTPS. Not simply HTTP. That extra letter, the ‘S’, indicates that communication with that website is secure.

Keep a Record

• Another good all-around financial practice that will alert you early if indeed you have fallen prey to a cyber-scam artist; keep track of your receipts. Keep your purchases in order both online and offline, check them against your credit card statement to make sure there are no inconsistencies. If there are any strange purchases that you cannot account for, contact your financial institution right away.

There can be some risks when doing your holiday shopping online. But it beats waiting in line at the mall.  As long as you heed these tips and use your head, you won’t miss out on Cyber Monday bargain hunting. Happy Shopping!