With Black Friday coming up at the end of the week and Cyber Monday just around the corner, the official start of the holiday shopping season (in both the real and online worlds) will be kicking off in no time at all.

The increase in e-commerce this time of year provides an ideal backdrop for cyber scammers. Industry stats show that 2007 is shaping up to be very profitable for the bad guys. Loss from online fraud in the U.S. is projected to reach $3.6 billion this year, up 20 percent from last year, according to a CyberSource survey.

You can alleviate your risk of getting scammed by brushing up on ways to be a smart shopper before you take out your credit card. Our friends at StaySafeOnline.org have released e-shopping tips to help keep you protected. Take a look at their Holiday Tips for Safe Online Shopping.