Scammers use fake websites, social media ads, and urgent “limited-time” deals to catch shoppers off guard during the busy back-to-school season.
Always check the website’s core domain before clicking or entering payment information, especially when deals are shared through group chats or community forums.
If a deal seems too good to be true, take a step back, verify it directly with the retailer, and use a credit card and strong account protections when shopping online.
Back-to-school shopping can be expensive enough without accidentally handing your money or personal information to a scammer. As parents and students hunt for deals on everything from school supplies to electronics, scammers are finding plenty of ways to make their fake offers look legitimate.
Fake retail websites, phony social media ads, and suspicious links shared in parent groups can be difficult to spot at a glance — especially when a deal looks too good to pass up. And with more shoppers turning to online marketplaces, there are even more opportunities to encounter a scam.
ConsumerAffairs spoke withProfessor James Juarez, PhD, chair of the Department of Cybersecurity and Technology at National University, who shared what shoppers should watch for and how they can protect themselves while checking items off their back-to-school lists.
Urgency is a tried and true tactic
Back-to-school season is stressful for parents and kids alike, and for parents trying to check everything off their list, it’s the prime opportunity for scammers to strike.
"Scammers are aware this is one of the biggest shopping moments of the year for families,” Dr. Juarez said. “They target this stress and sense of urgency by highlighting extremely discounted items and flash sales. If a discount feels too good to be true on a social media ad or a fake website that is mimicking large retailers like Walmart, Target, etc., that’s an immediate red flag.
“Fake pages often push ‘can’t-miss’ deals, flash sales, or ‘limited time offers’ to pressure quick purchases. Any parent in a time crunch or needs something last minute before the first day of school, is more vulnerable to falling for these scams.”
Spotting scams
Many parents are members of community groups or forums, where local parents share deals, sales, etc. However, not everything you see in these spaces is safe – even if they seem to be.
“When deals are shared in group chats or community forums, the most critical marker to evaluate is the destination URL,” Dr. Juarez said. “Scammers frequently mask malicious links to mimic well-known retailers like Target, Walmart, or Amazon.
“I recommend inspecting the core domain. If an offer claims to be a Target backpack promotion, the root domain must actually be target.com. Look out for deceptive techniques like typo-squatting (targ3t.com or target-deals-online.com) or subdomains intended to mislead (target.com.deals-promo.net).”
However, Dr. Juarez says that consumers don't need to panic if they see lengthy strings of tracking tags, promo codes, or UTM parameters following the standard root domain.
“The rule of thumb is simple,” Dr. Juarez said. “Verify that the primary host domain strictly belongs to the legitimate retailer before entering payment details or bypass the shared link altogether and navigate directly to the retailer's official website or app to search for the deal.”
Follow good digital hygiene
For parents raising kids in the digital age, cybersecurity is more important than ever. To help ensure the back-to-school season goes as smoothly as possible, Dr. Juarez shared his best cybersecurity tips.
Apply the "Too-Good-To-Be-True" Reality Check. If a deal promises a 90% discount on high-demand tech or trending supplies, treat it with immediate skepticism. High-pressure discounts are designed to override critical thinking. Teach students to pause, verify the offer independently on the retailer's primary website, and resist impulse clicking on social ads or unsolicited messages.
Inspect Links Before Clicking or Transacting. Make checking the actual URL second nature. Train students to hover over links to inspect the destination address, especially on deals circulating on Discord, TikTok, or group chats. If a link purports to come from major sellers like Amazon, Costco, or Walmart but directs to an unfamiliar domain, close the window immediately.
Standardize Safe Payment & Account Protections. Never use debit cards, direct bank transfers, or gift cards for online shopping. Credit cards provide vital federal fraud protections and chargeback mechanisms if a transaction turns out to be fraudulent. Pair this with strong, unique passwords for every shopping account and multi-factor authentication (MFA) to ensure that even if credentials are exposed, student and parent accounts remain secure.