How to Ensure Cyber-Monday Buys Don't Get Stolen

With Cyber Monday comes some great bargains, no parking, no crowds, and free delivery. But guess who else might get a great deal?

We've all heard about it, and some have lived the experience. You buy something great on line that you could not find in the store, that perfect gift at the rock bottom deal you've been waiting for. Two days later you get an e-mail telling you that your package was delivered and when you get home, you find that it arrived only to have someone else pick it up off your doorstep.

Given the economy and how adaptive thieves are, it is no wonder doorstep thieves are on the rise. They have learned that driving around a neighborhood looking for big boxes is not as easy as following the UPS driver down the road in a great part of town at 1pm.

But here are some tips to help you:

1. Have the item delivered to where you work. Some businesses may have a policy in place against this, so always check internally.

2. Have the item shipped with instructions to hold for pickup. It may take a call to the customer service department of the place where you made your on-line purchase, but this also means only you can retrieve your package.

3. Have your purchase set up for in-store pick up. In some cases you may be able to get it faster, and with free shipping.

4. If you absolutely have to get it delivered to your home and are worried about it being stolen, then purchase a wireless smartphone enabled security camera. You can get one of these for as little as $60 at most electronic retailers, and they are simple to set up.

5. Ask your neighbor to get the package for you and hide it from your spouse so they do not accidentally open their gift early.