Labor Day Scams  

As with all holidays and long weekends, there is a dramatic increase in scams surrounding sales and online shopping. Labor Day is the unofficial last day of summer. School starts back up and vacations are over, it is accompanied by a flurry of shopping – and scams to watch out for.  

Fraudulent Promotions and Sales 

Have you ever seen a deal on the internet that was too good to good to be true? Well, it probably was Scammers will often create counterfeit websites, landing pages, email campaigns, and ads that look just like a real business’s! Using similar logos, colors, and wording of ads that a company may have published already. Normally, they offer discounts that are bigger than you have ever seen before. If you are not careful and get on their site or purchase the “product” for a huge discount you will fall victim to their scam.  

Keep in mind that it is important to always check the website that you are on to make sure it’s the company’s real page. It is also important to double-check sales and ads in multiple places to ensure you are getting a good deal and not letting someone steal your information and money. 

The Tuition Fee Scam 

This scam is also common around back to school time. For example, A college student, or the parent of a student, gets a phone call from a someone introducing themselves as an administrator at their school or their child’s school. This person claims that the student or parent owes tuition fees, and they will not be allowed to return to school unless the fees are paid. The caller provides the victim with information for wiring money to pay the fees or sets up a place to drop off cash at a private address. Once the money is sent, it will never be seen again. Plus, any actual tuition fees will still be due. 

Remember that most schools will not insist on immediate payment or payment through wire transfer. If you receive a call like this, ask the caller detailed questions about the school, their position, and the money owed. If it’s a scam, the caller will not be able to answer well. You can also insist on calling the school directly to make the payment.  

Vacation Scams  

Long weekends are great times to travel, but also a great time for scammers to find unsuspecting victims. Some criminals will set up fraudulent travel sites or webpages that advertise discounted rentals. Always stop and determine if an offer is too good to be true before booking a vacation. No one wants to be scammed out of money that is needed for a fun weekend get-a-way.  

The Student Tax Scam 

A student tax scam plays out kind of like this: Someone allegedly representing the IRS calls a college student at a public university claiming they neglected to pay their student tax. The caller explains that failure to pay can result in disqualification from class and possible imprisonment. They also insist on immediate payment by prepaid gift card or wire transfer. 

You can spot this scam by remembering that the IRS will always first contact people by mail. In addition, the IRS won’t insist on being paid through gift card or wire transfer. Most legitimate businesses will never ask to be paid via gift cards, if someone asks to be paid this way, red flags should be going off in your head  

The Scholarship Scam 

Another popular back-to-school scam happens when a scammer pretends to offer a college scholarship but tells the recipient that they first must pay a fee to receive it. This is a bogus tactic that you can avoid by being proactive about trusting random individuals who contact you. Keep in mind that most all scholarships have free eligibility and will be determined based on merit or accomplishments. 

The Charity Scam 

Feeling extra giving during the holiday weekend? Some scammers are using that to their advantage to get you to donate money on fake websites, where they are the ones who receive the money instead of those who need it. Be sure to thoroughly vet each charity you plan to donate to ensure your money is going to those you intend it to go to. 

These scams, and others, may be good ones to look out for in the coming months. Always make sure you verify information and be sure that you are talking to real, reputable people and businesses. But don’t worry, we are here to help you be aware of current scams and learn how you can avoid them.