When it comes to buying gifts, consumers will spend close to $1,000 for this season, according to the National Retail Federation.

A survey shows that the majority of consumers will shop online for holiday gifts and use credit cards to pay for them.

Whether you do your holiday shopping in person, or online, it's important to keep safety in mind.

Credit cards are often the safest payment option.

If it's an online store, or sellers say they only accept a payment by gift card, money transfer or crypto currency the Federal Trade Commission warns that's a red flag. It's nearly impossible to trace, and reverse those payments if there's an issue.

Before you use a credit card, you might want to consider using a virtual card or a mobile wallet - those will store your credit card information, but when it comes to paying you'll use a token instead of your account number.

The Better Business Bureau warns consumers to beware of attractive deals made through social media or email. Once the payment is made online, your product or service might never be delivered - or they'll send a lower quality item.