(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont and Connecticut Consumer Protection Commissioner Bryan T. Cafferelli are warning Connecticut families and students to be on the lookout for potential scams during the back-to-school shopping season, particularly when shopping online.
“Consumers should always be mindful anytime they shop and wary of bad actors who are trying to take advantage of them, especially during busy shopping seasons like the back-to-school period,” Governor Lamont said. “Connecticut offers many protections for consumers, and we encourage everyone to know your rights and protect yourselves.”
“August creates a shopping frenzy for back-to-school supplies, from elementary school backpacks to college textbooks and dorm essentials, and unfortunately scammers will look to capitalize off last-minute shoppers seeking high-demand products,” Commissioner Cafferelli said. “The safest thing families can do is shop in-person. Inspect or test out the item, keep your receipts, and clarify the store’s return policy. This avoids any misleading or too-good-to-be-true deals that attract online shoppers.”
Recent back-to-school scams include unsolicited offers of free or “low cost” test prep that can only be accessed by providing payment and personal information. Victims never receive the materials they paid for, and the scammers take off with their money.
Another recent scam involves emails that appear to be from a teacher or professor “giving away some seriously cool stuff” like MacBook’s, iPads, cameras and more, and asking the recipient to contact them directly at an unknown phone number. The scammer will then ask for payment information to “pay for shipping,” or ask to “verify your identity” by sending money that they promise to return. Once again, victims never receive the items, and the scammers are rewarded with personal information and money.
Tips for avoiding scams this back-to-school season
- Be wary of fake advertisements: Advertisements delivered through email or social media feeds marketing suspiciously low prices or extreme markdowns should be a red flag. If the deal is too good to be true, it probably is.
- If you receive an advertisement from an unfamiliar store, do not click the link. Links can download harmful malware to your device. To verify a sale, search the store in a separate browser.
- Just like major retailers, scammers can use your browsing data to send you advertisements for items you may have already searched for. Read the URLs closely and avoid clicking on links to sites you haven’t heard of.
- Confirm the online seller: Major retailers authorize third-party sellers to list items. Review the sellers’ return and refund policies, as they may differ from the major retailer. Shopping at well-known major retailers can help you avoid fraud.
- Review the return and refund policies before you check out: Review all applicable policies before you make your purchase and make note of the return window. Sellers, including major retailers, may use different policies for clearance items. For shoppers that frequently return purchases, be sure to read the fine print on refunds for discounted items. If a refund or return policy is not easy to find, that’s a red flag.
- Use a credit card: If possible, use a credit card for online purchases. Credit cards offer the most protection against fraud.
- Avoid purchasing items from unfamiliar sites. If the site accepts gift cards from unrelated retailers or money transfer apps (PayPal, Cash App, etc.) as a payment method, it is most likely a scam.
- Beware of phishing scams: “Phishing” are messages that attempt to steal personal information. Examples of recent back-to-school phishing scams include emails, texts and phone calls:
- Indicating an issue with a recent order or asking you to verify an account by prompting you to click a link.
- Saying you missed a message from your school and prompting you to click a link.
- Warning that you missed a delivery of school supplies. If you are unsure, do not click the link. Call the store’s customer service number to verify.
- Keep receipts from in-store purchases: Always keep receipts for any school supply or clothing item, in case you need to return within the store’s return window. For online purchases, save the order confirmation email for proof of purchase and assist with package tracking.
Shoppers can take advantage of Connecticut’s Sales Tax-Free Week starting on Sunday, August 17, through Saturday, August 23, 2025. Any sale or purchase of certain items of clothing or footwear costing less than $100 per item are exempt from sales tax.
To learn more about state laws regarding returns and exchanges for Connecticut retailers, click here.
To file a complaint, contact the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection by emailing dcp.complaints@ct.gov or visiting ct.gov/DCP/complaint.