Cyber Monday is a marketing term that is used for e-commerce transactions in the United States. It is observed on the Monday after Thanksgiving. Cyber Monday, the term, according to various media reports was coined by Ellen Davis of the National Retail Federation and Scott Silverman.

As Cyber Monday went online with various companies offering mouthwatering deals across the e-commerce, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) issued an advisory for the shoppers.

“Beware of #CyberMonday scams. If you shop online today, keep your accounts secure, use strong passwords, and frequently change your passwords,” FBI tweeted.

The bureau also asked the shoppers to “report fraud and attempted fraud to the #FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center via http://ic3.gov.”

The official Twitter page of the Pasco Sheriff’s Office also issued a warning along with tips to avoid scams.

“#CyberMonday is a perfect time to complete your holiday shopping list, but it’s also a prime opportunity for criminals to do some shopping of their own. If you plan to take advantage of the great online deals today, please review the information below and stay safe,” the police department tweeted.

The term, Cyber Monday, was used for the first time on November 28, 2005. It made its debut in a shop.org press release titled “‘Cyber Monday’ Quickly Becoming One of the Biggest Online Shopping Days of the Year”.

The date for Cyber Monday usually falls between November 26 and December 2, depending on the year.

Since its birth, Cyber Monday is widely used an as international marketing term that is used by online retailers across the world.

According to the Shop.org/Bizrate Research 2005 eHoliday Mood Study, “77% of online retailers said that their sales increased substantially on the Monday after Thanksgiving, a trend that is driving serious online discounts and promotions on Cyber Monday this year (2005)”.

In 2017, Cyber Monday online sales rose to a record of $6.59 billion, compared with $2.98 billion in 2015, and $2.65 billion in 2014.