As summer winds down and parents begin to get their students ready to go back to school, the NYS Division of Consumer Protection (DCP) is offering fraud prevention and targeted shopping tips for parents and kids ahead of the year of new school
“Back-to-school shopping is the second biggest spending event for parents, after the holidays, which makes it extremely important for parents to know how to protect themselves from scams to protect their privacy and finances,” it said. Secretary of State Robert J Rodriguez. “And as more and more schools use technology as a teaching tool, parents need to know what information is being received from their student and how to protect their children’s identity and privacy. Kids don’t have to give up their privacy rights just to do homework. I urge parents to use these tips so that students from elementary through middle school can stay safe this school year.”
Below are some tips on how to start the new school year safely.
Think about children’s privacy:
Under New York State Education Law, if you are a parent of a child in New York State schools, you have rights regarding the privacy and security of your child’s personal information and data. NYS law requires each educational agency to publish its data privacy and security policy on its website. Technology has become a permanent element of the educational experience. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recently issued a policy statement that addressed educational technology for children’s privacy. In other words, education technology companies can’t require parents and schools to agree to comprehensive supervision of children using those learning tools. Thus, parents and guardians should pay attention to the technology that children use, what information they collect and how they use it.
Some key points you should know about this law:
Other ways to pay attention to your child’s personal information:
- Protect documents containing the child’s personal data. Understand where your child’s information is stored. Ask how after-school organizations and sports clubs secure their data: Is digital data connected to the Internet, and if so, is it encrypted? Are physical records locked away in filing cabinets? Who has access?
- Be careful when providing identifying information for after-school activities and sports clubs after registration. If you are asked for a Social Security Number (SSN), ask why it is needed and insist on using a different identifier. Often organizations include the SSN requirement as a formality and may not be mandatory.
- Just label books, backpacks, and lunches with the student’s full name and any other information inside! Using initials externally is fine, but names, even just names, externally can create an unsafe situation.
- Discuss online safety tips with children and remind them to be careful about opening suspicious attachments and emails. For tips on how to stay safe online, please see the information from this January 2020 Consumer Alert.
- Both parents and students should be careful on all social media platforms: don’t share too much. Any information you post can be seen and used by identity thieves. Avoid sharing personal information including full names, addresses, phone numbers, social security numbers, or even where they go to school. Social media posts often inadvertently reveal sensitive information. Cybercriminals look for content that can reveal the answers to security questions used to reset passwords, making accounts vulnerable to identity theft.
Avoid back-to-school shopping scams:
Back-to-school shopping is the second largest spending event for parents (after holiday shopping). Often, a shopping scam starts with a fake website, mobile app or, increasingly, an ad on social media. This year, smartphone purchases are on the rise as people are on the move again. DCP urges consumers to be aware of common shopping scams. Scammers may try to take advantage of the back-to-school rush through deceptive advertising or other forms of solicitation.
- Protect your identity when shopping online: Make sure transactions are done over a secure connection. Make sure the website is secure by identifying a padlock symbol with the URL or https, and avoid using public Wi-Fi to sign in to online accounts.
- Download retail apps only from trusted sources. Cybercriminals are now creating apps that look and may even function like legitimate retail apps, but are actually malware designed to steal your personal and financial information, send text messages without your knowledge, or even to track your location using your phone’s GPS capabilities.
- Beware of fake ads and websites: As fraudsters continue to advance in sophistication, fake websites often resemble legitimate sites with credible-looking logos, pictures and payment options. If the website advertises extremely low prices, or discounts beyond 50 percent, consumers should be cautious and diligently verify the seller’s legitimacy.
- Learn how to spot phishing emails: Scammers can send phishing emails to students and parents saying they’ve missed a delivery of school supplies. These emails require recipients to click on a link to reschedule this delivery. This link either floods victims’ computers with malware or sends them to fake websites that ask for their personal and payment information.
- Make sure you know who the seller is. Some large retailers allow third-party sellers to list items on their site, and those items can be difficult to distinguish from others. Read all the fine print to make sure you are happy with the seller.
- Use a credit card for online shopping, if it’s possible. Credit cards offer the most protection against fraud, including the right to dispute charges if there are problems with your purchase.
- Beware of fake coupons on social media: If the coupon doesn’t come from a known coupon distributor, manufacturer, or a specific store, be careful.
The New York State Division of Consumer Protection provides resources and educational materials for consumers on product safety, as well as voluntary mediation services between consumers and businesses. The Consumer Helpline 1-800-697-1220 is available Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., excluding public holidays, and consumer complaints can be submitted anytime at www. dos.ny.gov/consumer -protection. For more consumer protection tips, follow the Division on social media on Twitter: @NYSConsumer and Facebook: www.facebook.com/nysconsumer.
