CHICAGO — With summer almost over and the start of school just around the corner, Attorney General Kwame Raoul is warning Illinoisans to be wary of back-to-school scammers trying to take advantage of students and their families.
Back-to-school scammers, like all scammers, try to trick consumers into paying for services or items that they will likely never receive or sharing personal data that scammers can use to steal consumers’ identities.
“Consumers should not let the stress and expense of returning to the classroom keep them from doing their due diligence when buying school supplies online, getting test prep help or filling out scholarship applications,” Raoul said. “My office provides advice and resources to help people avoid identity theft and assist those who think their information may have been compromised. I encourage people to visit my office’s website for more details.”
Raoul encourages consumers shopping for school supplies online to consider the following smart shopping tips:
Use trusted sites rather than shopping through a search engine. Fraudulent websites may look like the real thing and may even have a similar website address. Double check to ensure you have typed in the right website address. Remember that just because a website is at the top of the search results doesn’t mean it’s the official website. Scammers may use ads and sponsored links to trick you into visiting their websites.Price check popular items through multiple retailers to help determine if a deal is too good to be true. Comparison shopping before making a purchase can help you avoid overpaying for low-quality items.Read reviews of unfamiliar businesses to find out from other users if the website could be a scam. More focused information can also be found by doing an online search of a company or seller’s name along with the words “scam” or “review.”Pay for online purchases with a credit card so that the transaction is protected by the Fair Credit Billing Act. Liability for fraudulent charges on credit cards is generally limited. Paying with a debit card or gift card may not offer such safeguards.Exercise caution when entering personal information. Never give out private information – such as your Social Security number, payment information, usernames or passwords – in an email, text message or a pop-up chat box.Read the fine print. Be on the lookout for hidden costs or purchases that could register you for monthly charges.Research “buy now, pay later” plans and other payment deferral mechanisms. Deferrals allow shoppers to make a purchase right away but defer payment over a period of weeks or months. Some “zero-interest” offers include interest and additional fees, which can spike if there is a missed payment, and even impact a consumer’s credit score. Read the privacy policies and monitor the payment schedule if you decide to enter into such a plan.
Consumers should be careful of school supply giveaways. Remember to research on any website that requests your email or other personal information claiming you will be entered to win a prize. If you receive an email, social media message, text, or phone call claiming you won a contest that you do not remember entering, it is probably a scam.
Scammers can also prey on your generosity. If you are donating money to help students receive school supplies, be careful when paying through a credit card reader, a QR code, or a peer-to-peer app. Scammers may say they are charging you one amount, but may actually charge your app hundreds or thousands of dollars when you’re not looking. Treat these payments as if they are final, because most of the time they are.
Raoul further cautions consumers that now is a time to be vigilant for test-prep and financial aid scams. Be careful of companies that:
Send unsolicited emails, texts, calls or social media messages informing you that you won a scholarship you don’t remember applying for. Such messages are likely a scam.Claim to be able to give you access to a special or secret scholarship database for a fee.Claim to be able to give you exclusive access to a school, scholarship or the federal government.Charge money to fill out your Federal Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). FAFSAs can be done for free on the Federal Student Aid website, and contact centers can help walk you through the steps.Require an upfront fee to submit your scholarship application.Guarantee that you will receive a certain amount of aid or will win a scholarship.Request your FSA ID, Social Security number, bank account or credit card information.Use high-pressure tactics or limited-time offers to trick you into acting faster than you are comfortable with.
If you think you have been a victim of a scam, you can file a complaint on the Attorney General’s website or call the office’s Consumer Fraud Hotline at (800) 243-0618.