• Tweet
• Share
• Email
• Print

Cyber Monday, really just marks the beginning of the internet shopping season.
Consumers with computers were busy at it on Monday in the Treasure Valley.

And they're likely to keep shopping right up until Christmas.
Laptops, Ipads and about any kinds of wireless devices are popular in coffee shops.
At Flying M we found a lot of people surfing the internet.

Like many Americans, Mandie Brozo says she will be doing a lot of online shopping this year.

“I live, work and play downtown so I don't actually have a car,” Mandie Brozo from Boise.
Buying online is what a lot of shoppers are doing.

“I don't like the hassle, I don't like the crowds,” said Chris Caruso who likes to shop online.

To avoid the kind of stress that comes with battling the crowds during the Christmas rush, computers are many people's first choice.

“So it's just easier for me to do all of my shopping online versus anywhere else,” Brozo.
“When you buy with Amazon and most stores you order it, there’s no tax, they ship it to you, you don't have to deal with driving gas and parking and people touching you, it works nice,” said Caruso.

But, is online shopping safe? Experts say, to make it a safe experience, always go to trusted sites

Caruso does all of his shopping online and says he doesn’t worry about cyber crime.

“Most sites I go to, Amazon, Kohls, or whatever; they're obviously a big company, they have the safety and security and things like that,” said Caruso.

Brozo isn’t so trusting though. She says she's already had her credit card stolen once before.

Neverthelss, she says online shopping is still a great option.

“The one thing they've done with online shopping, they made it so you can track things a little bit better,” said Brozo.

If you plan on doing some online shopping - tonight - or anytime for that matter start with trust.

Shop with places registered with the BBB and check their reviews.

1-Start with trust Check on a company with BBB.org, check reviews and research to be sure you're buying from a reputable business.

2-Right site Don't click on pop-up ads or use an internet search to find well-known retailers. Scammers buy pop-ups and set up cloned sites that look and 'feel' like real sites offering deals that are too good to be true - all to steal credit card numbers and identifying information. Type the address for a trusted retailer in the address bar of your browser. Check your address bar often to be sure you're on the right site.

3-Credit card only Credit cards carry more protection for the buyer. Don't use a debit card to shop online and NEVER wire money to someone you don't know.

4-Fight the urge to click Scammers will send millions of emails disguised as messages from well-known retailers and shippers claiming there's a problem with your order. Don't click on links in an email unless you're convinced beyond doubt it's legit.

5-Beware of porch poachers Choose a shipping method that gets the package to you - and not a thief watching for an opportunity. Choose a shipping method that gives you a tracking number. Ship to your work or ask a neighbor to watch for the package so a thief doesn't poach it off your porch when you're not home.