Today is Cyber Monday and 85 percent of online retailers are offering major discounts for online shoppers, but how you pay for those purchases could make you vulnerable to identity theft.
We asked a local expert how to protect yourself.

Allison Brown does her Christmas shopping online, but she's more careful this year than she used to be.

Brown says, "I would just get on any website and put my debit card number in, or I would go to any website and pay my bills."

A class on identity theft gave her a wake-up call.

"Some websites are secure, some are not secure," says credit counselor Jack Duff.

Duff says your safest bet is not to pay your bills at a company's website. Instead, pay the bill through your own bank's website.

"Most banks have what you call a bill pay program, where you can go online, on your bank website, key your bill in, and let the bank pay it. This way nothing is sent out in cyber space, no hackers can hack in and get it there," Duff explains.

Duff says to log out immediately after you pay your bill.

Also be wary of loan offers. Brown learned the hard way after she responded to an e-mailed offer, and her money was wired to scammers in Canada.

"They actually got my bank account numbers, and my drivers license, so I had to have all of that changed. They had my social security number, they had everything," says Brown.

Brown minimized the damage by quickly reporting her information stolen. Duff says you should report any suspicious e-mails to the agency it claims to be from.

When you do shop in the stores, make sure to keep your credit or debit card number covered while you're waiting to pay.

You can also check your credit report once a year for free to look for any suspicious activity on your accounts. The address Duff recommends is: www.annualcreditreport.com