College students are heading back to classes soon, and many will shop for essentials online to score deals. But those who aren’t taking precautions may run into scammers along the way.
Consider the following when shopping online:
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Return and refund policies
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Delivery times
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Shipping costs
The Federal Trade Commission is offering the following tips to help students avoid scams:
Use a credit card
Pay with a credit card whenever possible since it offers the most purchase protection. Credit card companies typically refund double charges or if the item never arrived to you.
The FTC says vendors who insist you pay with a gift card, wire transfer, or cryptocurrency may be trying to scam you.
Remember: if you use a credit card, pay it off at the end of the month to avoid interest charges.
Know before you buy
Visit reputable vendors’ websites or at least research the vendor before you make a purchase to ensure it is reputable.
Look for reviews and check several sources to determine if they’re legitimate. You can check a reviewer’s history to see if they’ve reviewed other items.
Keep records, account for delays
After you make a purchase, keep all receipts. Account for how much you spent and where you purchased the items.
If you never received an item you bought online, notify the vendor immediately.
“If there’s a delay shipping your order, the seller has to tell you and give you the choice of either agreeing to the delay or canceling your order for a full refund,” the FTC said on its website. “If the seller doesn’t ship your order, it has to give you a full refund — not just a gift card or store credit.”
Find more details about laws sellers need to follow here.
Report all scams to the FTC here.