Don't Let Scammers Ruin Your School Year: Tips to Help Stay Safe

(BPT) - As students head back to school and take on new financial responsibilities, they can also become targets for scammers. Whether they're opening bank accounts, signing leases, or searching for jobs and scholarships, students may encounter scams designed to steal their money and personal information. According to the FTC, consumers under age 29 lost more than $490 million to fraud and scams in 2025.

"Back-to-school season is a major opportunity for scammers targeting students and families preparing for the new year and navigating new financial milestones," shares Diedra Porché, JPMorganChase's National Head of Community & Business Development. "Understanding common scams and how to spot them can help you protect your money and personal information."

Online Shopping Scams

Whether shopping for dorm décor, textbooks, laptops, or the latest back-to-campus fashion trends, it's important to stay cautious of too-good-to-be-true deals. Scammers will often try to fool shoppers with unrealistic deals on high-price or sold-out items. Shoppers may receive substandard products or nothing at all.

When shopping for supplies, keep the following in mind:

• Purchase from verified retailers. Buy from retailers you know and trust. Research unfamiliar websites by searching for the name alongside terms like "scam," "complaints," or "reviews" to check for legitimacy. Double-check URLs for typos or extra characters.

• Read reviews and see items in person. Before purchasing an item through an online marketplace, check the seller's ratings and reviews. When possible, meet in a public, well-lit location to see the item in person before sending payment to ensure the listing is legitimate.

• Choose secure payment methods. Credit cards typically offer purchase protections if something goes wrong, while payments made through wire transfers, gift cards, cryptocurrency, or peer-to-peer payment apps can be very difficult, if not impossible, to recover once sent.

• Double-check second-hand materials. Before purchasing second-hand supplies, like textbooks or other course materials, always research the seller and read reviews to verify their validity and that all contents are accounted for. Some online course materials may require unique codes or credentials to access.

Scholarships and Financial Aid Scams

With college application season about to start, many students are searching for scholarships and financial aid. Scammers take advantage by creating fake websites that impersonate scholarship providers or government agencies to trick students into sharing personal and financial information.

Before you apply, thoroughly research scholarships and financial aid programs to ensure they're legitimate. When in doubt, check in with your school's financial aid office or visit official government websites to verify if a program or offer is real. Be cautious of sites charging you a fee to process your paperwork.

Job and Housing Scams

Many students are navigating major milestones, like securing their first job or apartment. Scammers may advertise fake job opportunities or rental listings and request upfront payments or sensitive information. Before you accept a job offer or sign a lease, consider the following:

• Be wary of unsolicited job offers. Scammers may share opportunities via text, email, or direct message. Search for jobs on reputable job boards and employers' official websites and be wary of offers from people or organizations you don't recognize.

• Never pay to get a job. Legitimate employers will not require upfront fees for training, equipment, or applications.

• Watch out for check scams. A fake employer may send you a check to purchase equipment and then ask you to return some of the money, claiming they overpaid — legitimate employers will not do this. To protect yourself from check scams, wait for a check to fully clear before spending any of the funds.

• Question unusually low prices. If the advertised rent for an apartment is significantly below market value, it could be a scam.

• Verify listings and images. Use reverse image search to check if photos appear on multiple sites under different listings.

• Pause, don't pay. Scammers often pressure victims to send money quickly to "secure" a property. Before you send money, take time to verify the address, read reviews, and view the property in person when possible.

Phishing and Impersonation Attempts

Students' inboxes are often filled with emails about campus activities, course updates, financial aid information, and more as the school year begins. Scammers may pose as legitimate campus officials claiming issues with tuition payments, class registration, student account access, or housing arrangements. The urgency of these messages can trick students into sharing sensitive personal information or login credentials.

The following tips can help you stay safe:

• Be skeptical of unexpected requests. Urgent messages about financial aid, tuition payments, housing deposits, or account suspension should always be verified through official school channels before taking action. Pausing a moment to verify a request can help prevent costly mistakes.

• Don't click links in unsolicited emails or texts. Instead, navigate directly to your school's official website or student portal.

• Check the sender carefully. Scammers often use email addresses and website domains that closely resemble legitimate schools, businesses, or service providers.

• Protect your login credentials. Never share your passwords or one-time passcodes and enable multi-factor authentication whenever available.

Visit Chase.com/ScamProof for more scam prevention tips.

Disclaimer:

For informational/educational purposes only: Views and strategies described in this article or provided via links may not be appropriate for everyone and are not intended as specific advice/recommendation for any business. Information has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, but JPMorgan Chase & Co. or its affiliates and/or subsidiaries do not warrant its completeness or accuracy. The material is not intended to provide legal, tax, or financial advice or to indicate the availability or suitability of any JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. product or service. You should carefully consider your needs and objectives before making any decisions and consult the appropriate professional(s). Outlooks and past performance are not guarantees of future results. JPMorgan Chase & Co. and its affiliates are not responsible for, and do not provide or endorse third party products, services, or other content.

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