With temperatures still soaring and lazy summer days lasting well into the evening, it’s hard to comprehend the need to consider sending the kids back to school.
However, reality does need to set in now and then and there are things parents must consider when breaking out the plastic for their child’s triumphant return to the next grade.
“Online shopping scams are one of the riskiest according to BBB’s Risk Index,” said Evan Kelly, senior communications advisor for BBB’s Mainland BC branch. “With so many people choosing the online route these days, we simply need to do our due diligence and make sure we are shopping on reputable websites. Kids especially love to get the latest and greatest must-haves for school, so we want to make sure you are shopping on safe sites.”
He added that shoppers should make sure they are shopping from legitimate dealers. An encrypted website should have the https:// and lock icon in the URL. People should avoid flashy pop-up ads from social media sites, which may be click-bait ads that pull the person out of a social media site and requests personal information.
BBB TIPS:
• Do your research. An unknown website may offer a similar product at a lower price. The lowest price isn’t always the best route. Check for user reviews and badges for consumer protection agencies.
• Be extremely wary of any website or store that asks for your child’s personal information in order to access special deals.
• Read the fine print. Understand return policies, particularly on sale items.
• Google the website’s name and the word “scam” to see if anything pops up. You can do this for pretty much anything you’re buying.
• Never pay with a money transfer.
• Use third-party pay portals such as PayPal, and use your credit card.
• Order back to school things early so your kids have the things they want when school starts.
• Read user reviews of Amazon sellers.
• Check your credit card statements often.
Kelly said there are many things people should consider. Many parents don’t realize that a child’s Social Insurance Number is valuable to those committing ID theft. No parent wants to discover that their child has a poor credit history due to ID theft and has never even had a bank account.
• Don’t allow them to carry around their social insurance number. Leave it at home and locked in a safe place. In fact, there is no reason you need to carry your own SIN around.
• If a business or school asks for their SIN, ask questions. Why do they need it and where and how is this information being stored? How long is it being stored and how will it be terminated? Who has access to it?
• Registered Education Savings Plans are a great way to ensure you have money for your child’s post-secondary education, however opening an account with a SIN can leave a child vulnerable to ID theft should the system be hacked. Only deal with reputable companies that offer RESPs in their portfolio.
• Educate your child on being safe if they are active in the online world. Keep detailed personal information off of social media profiles.
