SPRINGFIELD, Ohio — I am an admitted Internet shopping junkie.

I relish the hunt for things people swear I'll never find (I've ordered everything from a stuffed armadillo to kilts from Scotland), then wait impatiently like a spoiled 5-year-old until the boxes miraculously appear on my doorstep.

Knowing I've gotten free shipping makes those visits with the UPS delivery person all the more exhilarating.

To entice more shoppers to opt for online purchasing and give Internet retailers a boost, Luke Knowles has established Free Shipping Day to be held Thursday, Dec. 18.

Free Shipping Day will allow shoppers to receive free shipping from participating retailers along with a guarantee that items will be delivered in time for Christmas.

Some retailers offer coupon codes at www.freeshippingday.com, while others are using the Web site as a direct link to company Web sites already offering free shipping.

"We are expecting more than 500,000 hits on our Web sites in December alone," said Knowles, whose Web design company is also behind freeshipping.com, a membership Web site that alerts shoppers to deals year-round.

Lesser-known retailers like E.l.f. Cosmetics (where most items are $1), igourmet.com, and smartbargains.com are participating as are old favorites like Target and Crate and Barrel.

Not to be left out of the holiday delivery excitement, scammers have gotten into the game.

Phishing e-mails are surfacing, illegally using the names of familiar and trusted companies like Walmart, FedEx and UPS.

Phishing e-mails are sent in search of your personal information including social security numbers and bank accounts.

I received a barrage of e-mails from Walmart a couple of weeks ago telling me I'd have $90 deposited into my account for answering a quick survey.

Right.

Some e-mails using the UPS name are asking for a $36 fee to release packages since you weren't home when the delivery person stopped.

The last time I checked, UPS wasn't asking for a ransom to deliver your holiday loot.

To protect yourself, the Better Business Bureau suggests you never respond to unsolicited e-mails and never, ever assume someone wants to give you money over the Internet.

Report any suspicious e-mails to the FBI at their Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov.

Contact this reporter at (937) 328-0371 or elroberts@coxohio.com.