SPOKANE COUNTY, Wash. – From Cheney to the Palouse to North Idaho, this week marks the first of the new school year. Many Spokane students return to the classroom next week. It’s a lot to juggle for parents, and the Better Business Bureau (BBB) wants to caution families that scammers prey on the busy time.
“The scam artists know there are certain seasons, and right now we are in the back to school season and they will capitalize on those seasons to really create chaos in our families,” Dale Dixon with the BBB said.
That’s why they stress awareness is key.
“It’s important to realize that and take necessary steps to keep our identities safe, keep money in our own pockets and out of the hands of thieves,” he said.
The BBB has a full section on their website titled Back to School HQ with helpful tips from what not to do with first day of school photos to warnings on scholarship fraud. It also sounds the alarm on recent reports of scams involving bogus homework helpers.
“It can go anywhere from stealing your money and having you pay up front and then never being able to contact the tutor (because there isn’t one) to seeing cases of tutors actually threatening and extorting families once they start down this process,” Dixon said. “They can use any excuse possible because they have an internet connection and you have people on computers.”
The trends are disturbing, but Dixon says there are many reputable tutors out there. It’s just up to us to make sure to vet them.
“Check resources, do research,” he said. “Just because someone advertises a service online does not make it true.”
The BBB also stresses the importance of reading reviews and on multiple platforms if possible. If you can, talk to former customers about their experience. They also recommend agreeing to terms and fees up front.
If you’re the victim of a scam, report into to law enforcement so they can track trends.
