DENVER -- Cyber Monday is one of the busiest online shopping days of the year.

That's because the Monday following Thanksgiving is when many workers, coming off their Thanksgiving break, plan on hitting the virtual stores from the comfort of their own desks.

America Online said Denver ranks fourth in the nation for online spending. AOL claims the average person in Denver spends about half of their average overall budget or $558 online during the holidays.

Whether you're just beginning to shop or you've been browsing for bargains for weeks, there are some simple tips to make your online shopping experience hassle-free.

First, shop at known sites. If you're shopping at WalMart.com or Target.com, or other sites with a physical store in your neighborhood, you're safe. If your mom has a problem with the gift, she can always return it to the store.

If you're bidding for an item through eBay or using less well-known sites, make sure that the seller has a good reputation. Check out what other people have said about that seller or that site. Look at their ratings and user comments on eBay before you go any further. You can also go to Epinions or Bizrate to check the ratings of those sites.

Also confirm an online seller's physical address and phone number in case you need to get in touch with them. Call or e-mail them to see that those contact numbers are legitimate.

Then when you're ready to buy and enter your credit card information, make sure that's it's a secure site. Look for a little yellow padlock on the bottom right hand corner of the computer screen and check that URL or Web name. It should start with the letters "https." The 's' means secure.

Then print out a receipt and keep that hard copy for your files until the gift's been received and everything checks out. And one last thing, make sure to keep the packaging that the gift came in because that always speeds up a return.

And be very wary of phishing scams this time of year. That's when you get an e-mail that looks like its coming from eBay or Amazon or other legitimate companies, saying that they need you to re-enter your credit card information because there's a problem with your order.

Even if you bought something from those sites, don't respond to those emails. It's best just to go to the site directly and check on your order as opposed to clicking on the link in the e-mail. Those links may send you to copycat sites, where it looks exactly like the Amazon screen but they will take your credit card information and use it.

Other Tips From FTC:

Read between the lines. Read the seller's description of the product closely, especially the fine print. Words like "refurbished," "vintage," or "close-out" may indicate that the product is in less-than-mint condition; name-brand items with too good to be true prices could be counterfeits.

Calculate the costs. Check out sites that offer price comparisons and then, compare apples to apples. Factor shipping and handling and tax into the total cost of the order. Then, stack these costs against your budget and needs.

Pay by credit or charge card. Do not send cash under any circumstances. If you pay by credit or charge card online, your transaction will be protected by the Fair Credit Billing Act. Under this law, you have the right to dispute charges under certain circumstances and temporarily withhold payment while the creditor is investigating. In the event your credit or charge card is used without your knowledge and permission, you generally are liable for no more than $50 in charges per card. Many companies do not hold consumers responsible for any unauthorized charges made online, and some card issuers may provide additional warranty, return, and/or purchase protection benefits.

Check out the terms of the deal, like refund policies and delivery dates. Can you return the item for a full refund? If you return it, who pays the shipping costs or restocking fees? Check on when you can expect to receive your order. The law requires sellers to ship items as promised or within 30 days after the order date if no specific date is promised. Can the recipient return your gift? If so, ask that a gift receipt be included in the package.

Use anti-virus software and a firewall and update them regularly. Anti-virus software protects your computer from viruses that can destroy your data, slow your computer’s performance, cause a crash, or even allow spammers to send email through your account. It scans your computer and incoming email for viruses, deleting them. Your anti-virus software should update routinely with antidotes to the latest "bugs" circulating through the Internet. Firewalls help keep hackers from using your computer to send out your personal information without your permission. Think of a firewall as a guard, watching for outside attempts to access your system and blocking communications to and from sources you don’t permit. If your operating system doesn’t include a firewall, get a separate software firewall, or install a hardware firewall -- an external device that includes firewall software.

Check a company's privacy policy before doing business. It should let you know what personal information the website operators are collecting, why, and how they’re going to use it. If you can't find a privacy policy -- or if you can’t understand it -- consider taking your business to another site that’s more security-conscious and customer-friendly.

Resources:

Check the reliability of the online store. Go to BBBonline.org
For more online safety tips, go to OnGuardOnline.gov