As retailers heavily promote online sales and customers rush to get cyber deals, consumer advocates are offering advice for safe Internet shopping.

About 44 percent of shoppers will buy gifts online this year; meanwhile, identity theft crimes are increasing – it’s the fastest growing crime in the United States, said Linda Chambers, manager of the Better Business Bureau in Bowling Green.

“Every year scammers try new online schemes to trick them into divulging personal information,” she said.

In 2008, about 10 million people across the United States were victims of identity theft – a 10 percent increase from 2007. And as holiday Internet shopping becomes more popular, people should take precautions, Chambers said.

For example, shoppers should make sure they are purchasing items from a legitimate business. A reliable online business will have a trademark code on its Web page. The page should also have a padlock symbol at the bottom and its address should begin with https, which means it’s secure, Chambers said.

Shoppers should update their computers with spam filters and anti-virus protection, said Reanna Smith-Hamblin, communications director for the Better Business Bureau in Louisville.

And, if a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is. Especially when bidding on an online item, shoppers should check the sellers’ background – search for customer feedback and how long the seller has been peddling items online, she said.

“I just went on eBay, it was a week ago, looking for a trampoline. I saw a trampoline for $50,” Smith-Hamblin said. And when she searched for customer comments, “I saw very few things said … it made me question it.”

Customers should always check their warranties, keep copies of all receipts and be wary of e-mail scams. Some identity thieves will send shoppers fake inquiries about their bank account information in attempts to steal personal information, Smith-Hamblin said.

“If you’re using your credit card quite a bit during the holiday season, make sure you check your credit card statement regularly in case someone gets a hold of that number,” she said.

But credit cards are the best payment method when purchasing items online. If an identity thief steals a credit card number and uses it, the victim can dispute those charges and might not have to pay them. However, if a debit card number is stolen, “they can clean out your checking account,” Chambers said.

And, when shopping in stores, people should keep their sales receipts in their wallets, not their shopping bags. If their bags are stolen, the thief then has access to personal information and can refund those items for money, Chambers said.

Shoppers should keep purses tucked under their arms and wallets in their front pockets to prevent theft. They also shouldn’t carry too many shopping bags and, if they unload shopping bags in their vehicle and keep shopping, they should always lock them in the trunk, Chambers said.

“When you put your shopping bags in your trunk, move your car,” she said. “You can move to the other side of the mall, park in another spot and so whoever is watching you will think you left.”

So far, the Better Business Bureau has fielded a few complaints about online scams, but most people file complaints after the holidays, Smith-Hamblin said.

“We always kind of have an onslaught of calls or complaints after the holidays,” she said.