It’s that time of year again, Cyber Monday is right around the corner and all of the stores are filled with new holiday decorations waiting for a new home. For the first time ever, Cyber Monday on December 1 is predicted to have even better deals than Black Friday.

This Cyber Monday will offer huge discounts on TV’s, appliances, video games and much more. If you’re new to online shopping and are concerned of the securities of transferring financial information over the Internet, here are 6 tips to help keep you and your information safe:

   
• If it’s too good to be true, it probably is. This isn’t to say all great deals are not legitimate, but if you see an offer on social media or in your email for a free $100 gift card to Wal-Mart, chances are it’s a phishing scam.
   
• Use familiar websites! We all know our major retailers offer great discounts on their websites, stick to sites you know and recognize such as: Amazon.com, Walmart.com, BestBuy.com and more. Look for the lock box in your browser that indicates you have a secure connection when checking out.
   
• Don’t tell all. What do I mean. No website should ever ask you for information regarding your social security number or other identifying information that could be used for stealing your identity. If the site is asking for this information, run!
   
• Avoid public Wi-Fi. If at all possible, use your home or work secured Wi-Fi network. Public Wi-Fi can be prone to hackers and access your computer and financial information without you ever knowing it. Also make sure your home or office Wi-Fi is secured with a strong password.
   
• Go Mobile. Shopping online with your smartphone or tablet has huge convenience benefits. If you’re in an app, make sure it’s the retailer’s app and not a knock off bargain shopping app. If you don’t have secure Wi-Fi available you’re better off using cellular data that is just as secure.
   

We’re predicting you will see a 10-15% additional savings on Cyber Monday versus Black Friday deals as well as consumers spending more online than in retail. Get your cards shined up and start researching the best deals for December 1, deals will start at 12AM and remember to shop safe!