TAMPA, Fla. — It's time for Black Friday. 

But the online shopping frenzy is already underway. 

And, along with it, the dangers of shopping online are prevalent as well. 

Jesse Hoyer does just about all of her Christmas shopping online. But she has learned to be extra cautious. 

"I clicked on one of the links that turned out to be a spoof link," Hoyer said. "Ordered something, gave them my information, nothing ever came."  

The FBI's cyber crime chief in Tampa Paul Vitchock said non-delivery of items is a major problem. 

"We had the most number of victims in that category of cyber crime in 2017," Vitchock said. 

One of the best ways to protect yourself is to shop only on secure websites. Secure websites can be identified at the start of the URL: https. The "s" at the end of http is for secure.  

Also, stick with trusted retailers and be careful about clicking on promotional emails - even from stores you know. 

"It’s too easy for nefarious companies to spoof actual company emails," Vitchock said. "They can steal your user name and password as you type it into their fraudulent site."

One tip to spot spoofed email is a misspelling in the address. 

Vitchock avises anyone that comes across a site they aren't sure about to go directly to the store's official website. 

Another important way to protect yourself is to avoid public wi-fi and always be vigilant about monitoring your credit card activity and statements

Check them every day, especially during this busy shopping season, or sign up for a credit monitoring service to send you alerts if there’s any unusual activity.