Tips for students and parents

College students and parents are busy searching online for the latest deals before classes start.

However, the Federal Trade Commission advises consumers that scammers are looking for fraud victims.

A savvy shopper will also save you hassle if the purchase does not meet your expectations or is not what you ordered.

The FTC provides the following tips for all online purchases

• Please note the return and refund policy in case what you receive does not meet your expectations.
• Find out about delivery times and fees so there are no surprises.

BEFORE you place an order, FTC recommends these safe online purchasing habits:

• Pay by credit card if possible. This will protect you from any disputed charges or other issues with the purchase and the credit card company should be able to assist with a full refund. Purchases made with branded debit cards such as VISA or Mastercard offer the same protection Caution from a vendor that insists on payment by gift card, bank transfer, or cryptocurrency. It's probably a scam.
• Know who you are buying from. Before you put an item in your online shopping cart, research the seller online. Read reviews from customers who Caution of fake reviews.
• Keep receipts. To protect yourself, keep detailed records of your purchases and your receipts or credit card statements.
• Please consider shipping delays. If you bought something online and it never arrived, contact the seller as soon as possible. If the item was not dispatched within the timeframe promised by the seller, you are entitled to cancel the order and receive a full refund.

Safe shopping!

For more information about safe online shopping, visit ftc.gov/OnlineShopping. Report any problems with fraud or unscrupulous vendors to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.