wherever you're buying them from, DO NOT leave them in an online exchange.
Here's what to do. Pick the exchange you want to use, set up with them and do $5000. Pull it out, put it somewhere ELSE - Armory, etc. Verify your money with a private key known only to you is in the blockchain. Then do another $5000. Rinse, repeat. Up it to $10000. Pretty soon you are done.