Unlock These Sneaky Back-to-School Scams Before They Drain Your Wallet!

August’s heat is still blazing, kids are squeezing every last drop out of summer — but behind the scenes, the battle for back-to-school supremacy is quietly heating up too. You might already be hoarding backpacks, pens, and those pesky notebooks that disappear faster than you think — but here’s a kicker: while you’re gearing up, a sly crew of scammers is sharpening their claws, ready to pounce on your hard-earned cash. It’s the age-old question—how do you dodge the fakes, the phishing, and the phony giveaways when all you want is a decent deal on pencils? Trust me, it’s more like a strategic fight than a simple shopping trip. Stick with me, and I’ll lay down the groundwork so you’re not the one getting caught in the digital crossfire as the school bells start ringing again. LEARN MORE

As August continues moving along, kids across the country are enjoying their final days under the summer sun before it’s time to hit the books once again with back-to-school season. Regardless of when your kiddos head back to class, there’s a good chance you’ve probably already started your school supplies stockpile, and with prices rising every day, you may have even gotten a head start. While this might seem like a good thing for busy parents trying to avoid the last-minute rush before school is back in session, it’s also a good thing for another group of people—scammers. Here, we lay out a guide to the back-to-school scams to look out for and how to avoid them as that first day of school rolls around. 

Look out for fake discounts—If a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is

Social media is teeming with criminals looking to take advantage of vulnerable people, and if you’re a parent or grandparent looking to catch a break on the expensive supplies your child is required to buy, a message advertising heavily discounted items is certainly enticing. If you come across an advertisement or post with an impressive deal or discount, don’t fall for it right away. While it might look like it’s coming from a reputable company or store that you’d typically shop from, scammers nowadays are extremely sophisticated and can easily replicate posts that would come from legitimate sources. If you see an ad or coupon, don’t follow any links or make any purchases right from the source. Instead, visit the site on a separate browser and see if the deal is legitimate. Clicking a malicious link or visiting a fake site can give scammers everything they need to take advantage of you. 

Beware of phishing emails and texts

While that email or text you received advertising 50% off school supplies might look like it came from a store you’re likely to shop at, such as Staples, Target, Walmart or Amazon, think twice before clicking any links. Clicking links from scammers can infect your devices with malware. 

Ensure you’re shopping on a company’s real website

As stated, scammers have gotten wildly sophisticated with their ways and can replicate sites you might shop at expertly. If you’re doing your back-to-school shopping online, look closely at the URL, or keep an eye out for things like spelling mistakes and grammatical errors. Shopping on fake sites allows scammers to gather your personal and financial information with the click of a button. 

Be wary of giveaways

While the idea of a free giveaway of much-needed school supplies is enticing, as is usually the case, it’s often too good to be true. Scammers will prompt you to provide your email or phone number as a way of “entering,” and proceed to flood your phone with texts or messages, sometimes with suspicious links. 

How to steer clear of back-to-school scams

Pay close attention: Stay vigilant when it comes to online shopping. Take a close look at URLs and links and know the signs to look out for when it comes to fake websites. Never share personal or financial information unless it’s a trustworthy and legitimate organization, and be wary of coupons and deals that just seem too good to be true.

Shop in person: One way to avoid many of these back-to-school scams is by hitting up your favorite stores in person. Eliminating the digital element of back-to-school shopping gets rid of much of the risk.