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As most classrooms prepare for in-person learning during the fall for the first time in more than a year, there have been reported shortages of some school merchandise, creating an opportunity for fraudsters to target parents through online scams.
Sandra Guile of the Better Business Bureau (BBB) said that “what parents are challenged with at this point in time is juggling the transition from the at-home learning to the in-person learning.”
According to the National Retail Federation, parents can expect to spend upwards of $850 per family as they stock up on school supplies for the fall.
The BBB said that shoppers who choose to purchase school supplies online should do so with a credit card to allow extra protections in the event they are being scammed.
In advance of the school year, the BBB offered tips on how to save money while shopping for students:
- Make a list and create a budget for those items;
- Research prices and compare them with other retailers;
- Buy in bulk and share costs with other parents;
- Consider buying items at a consignment store;
- Check around the house. There might be some extra office supplies you did not realize you had.
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