Stay safe as you chase those holiday-gift deals in cyberspace

Cyber Monday is just days away, but just like its big brother -- Black Friday -- the shopping deals didn't follow the calendar this year.

"Companies don't want people to start thinking about Cyber Monday until Black Friday is over," said Albert Ko, who runs the online shopping deals site CheapCheapCheap.com. "They don't want shoppers thinking ahead."

But shoppers do, thanks to online deals dangled by merchants vying for shopping budgets.

"(The merchants) know people are tight on cash this year," Ko said. "People will still have a budget and they will be spending. They know people will spend smarter.

"Cyber Monday is a way to get a second punch in. Sweet. There are more deals, only now they can shop from home." Ko added. "People will wait on their computers, constantly refreshing their screens. They don't have to stand in line."

Ko said the Black Friday trampling death of a Wal-Mart security guard in Valley Stream, N.Y., last year, combined with the H1N1 flu scare, could make this Cyber Monday bigger. He said people will work to avoid crowds and still get the deals.

But Ko warns shoppers to be sure advertised deals are really deals.

"Make sure you are getting a bargain," he said. "Eighty percent of (advertised sales) aren't really bargains."

Ko cited an example of a Nintendo Wii game console he saw advertised for $200 in a store flier. He saw the same product advertised at an online merchant for $50 less, with no sales tax and free shipping.

Ko plans to do his holiday shopping online.

"I'm going to be on the Internet," he said, when asked where he'll be after Thanksgiving.

He's a California resident so there is no sales tax on online sales. Couple that with free shipping offers and the deals are hard to beat.

CyberMonday.com, a site from Shop.org, is another good resource for online deals and tips. It has information and special offers from more than 650 merchants. There is also a section on safe holiday shopping that's worthy of a look.

Safe cybershopping tips include:

•"S" stands for "security." Be sure the sites you are shopping have "https" in the URL of pages asking for credit card information.

•Stay current on security software. Make sure you have the latest virus protection and software updates from your security provider.

•Think before you link. Use a URL scanning tool, such as AVG LinkScanner, to lessen your chance of clicking on a link to an infected Web site.

•Keep your private information private. Use a separate e-mail account dedicated for online shopping. Use unique passwords on all accounts to help guard against thieves who may get ahold of your information.

Happy shopping!

Share your Internet story with me at agibes@reviewjournal.com.