The Members Forum

Let's face it, there's every reason in the world to shop online. The bargains are there. The selection is mind-boggling. The shopping is secure. Shipping is fast. Even returns are pretty easy, with the right e-tailers. It's a golden age for not going to the store, yet buying more than ever.

But since the average person will spend almost $700 this season (according to the National Retail Federation, or NRF) and the number of phishing scam sites that resemble e-commerce companies has more than tripled from just July to September of 2010 according to IID's Third Quarter Phishing Trends Report, that means there's so many more chances you could accidentally hand over data to the wrong guy. A busy holiday season is only going to mean even more attempts at stealing your money and your identity.

You're already a step up in safety by shopping online—there's no way for you to leave behind a credit card or wallet that way—but you could still run into trouble. However, with some common sense and basic guidelines in place, your online shopping should never be troubling. Here are 11 tips for staying safe online while knocking out that holiday shopping list.

PC Mag has the details HERE!