The time of year has come to trade in beach towels for backpacks and head back to school. It’s also a prime time for common financial crimes to take place, specifically targeting families and students.

Common scams include:

• School shopping deals
• Fake scholarships
• College housing rentals

All these cons seek to steal your personal information, identity and money. Here is more information on each, and how you and your family can stay safe from financial scams during the back-to-school (BTS) season.

School Shopping Scams

When online shopping, be cautious of back-to-school deals that seem too good to be true. Many scammers use this time of year to promote deep discounts on textbooks, laptops and other back-to-school necessities, but after payment is made, students never receive the goods. Many items, particularly textbooks, can be counterfeit or outdated editions.

How to Avoid The Scam

• Purchase from reputable online retailers.
• If purchasing used items, do transactions in person or through a secure payment method, like a credit card.
• Be careful with links sent via text or an online ad, as copycat sites of trusted brands have become more prevalent. Type in a URL directly to take you to the official retailer’s site versus through an ad.

Fake Scholarships & Grants

Many students seek financial support and turn to scholarships and grants, even once the school year has started. Scammers will target individuals for personal information and money through “application fees,” or even pose as federal organizations like FAFSA.

How to Avoid The Scam

• Avoid responding to unsolicited offers. If you didn’t apply for it, it’s suspicious.
• Remember that scholarship applications are typically free. Be wary if a fee is requested.
• Verify the organization that is offering the scholarship.
  • Pro Tip: Check with guidance counselors or financial aid offices before taking action.

College Housing Rental Scams

In one of the most common scams in 2026, the scammer lists a fake rental near campus and asks students to send a deposit to hold the apartment. By creating a sense of urgency, students will often send the money to ensure they’re able to secure housing in an apartment that does not exist.

How to Avoid The Scam

• Tour the apartment in-person before sending a deposit to ensure the rental actually exists. Scammers won’t usually offer an in-person tour. Watch out for AI generated tours/photos.
• Use a reliable rental site that has listings from licensed professionals and companies.
• If the price seems to be severely discounted or just too good to be true, it’s likely a scam.

Some general tips from the FCC that can help you avoid all these scams:

• Do not share your student loan and FAFSA account information.
• You are not required to make loan payments over the phone; another payment method should be offered.
• If the caller says they're from a government agency, hang up and search for that agency's website, which should end in ".gov". Contact the agency by phone or email using the information you find on their site.
• Check with your student's school to make sure retail or fundraising offers are legitimate.
• Never share your Social Security number, financial account info, credit card numbers, PINs and passwords, or login information for school or social media accounts.