Gwinnett Daily Post

Now that Black Friday has passed, many holiday shoppers have their sights set on its online cousin: Cyber Monday.

Over the last several years, the Monday following Thanksgiving has burgeoned in popularity as a day for online retailers to offer blockbuster deals akin to those at malls and other stores on Black Friday. With that in mind, the Better Business Bureau has offered up a few tips to help keep online shoppers safe:

-- Make sure you have installed the most recent updates for spam filters, anti-virus and anti-spyware software.

-- Read the website's privacy policy and understand what personal information is being requested and how it will be used.

-- To confirm your purchase is secure look in the website address box for the "s" in "https://" and in the lower right corner for the "lock" symbol.

-- It's best to pay with a credit card because, under federal law, you can dispute the charges if you do not receive the item.

-- Remember that legitimate businesses do not send emails that claim problems with an order or account, or ask customers to re-enter financial information.

-- Keep documentation of your order.

For more tips, visit www.bbb.org/us/consumer-tips-holiday.