Thanksgiving is done, which means Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and all other holiday shopping sales are here.

Because of this, Grand Traverse County Emergency Management is sharing tips to stay safe in stores, and online.

When shopping in stores:
Do not buy more than you can carry. Plan ahead by taking a friend with you or asking a store employee to help you carry your packages to the car.

Save all receipts. Print and save all confirmations from your online purchases. Start a file folder to keep all receipts together and to help you verify credit card or bank statements as they come in.

Don’t flash the cash. Consider alternate options to pay for your merchandise, such as one-time or multiuse disposable credit cards or money orders, including at online stores.

When walking to and from your vehicle:

Carry your purse close to your body or your wallet inside a coat or front trouser pocket.

Have your keys in hand when approaching your vehicle. Check the back seat and around the car before getting in.

Do not leave packages visible in your car. Lock them in the trunk, or if possible, take them directly home.

When online shopping:
Before surfing the Internet, secure your personal computers by updating your security software.

Keep your personal information private and your password secure. Do not respond to requests to “verify” your password or credit card information unless you initiated the contact.

Beware of “bargains” from companies with whom you are unfamiliar — if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is!

Use secure websites for purchases.

Shop with companies you know and trust.

To avoid purchasing counterfeit products, carefully examine the products you want to buy for signs of missing information, broken or missing safety seals, different or incomplete packaging, and subtle or obvious changes to a company logo.

For a complete list of tips, click here.