Scammers targeting back-to-school shoppers

Back-to-school shopping means hunting for the most bang for your buck at every turn.

LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY) -- Back-to-school shopping means hunting for the most bang for your buck at every turn. Everybody returning to school at the same time makes some good deals hard to find, forcing some shoppers to go for whatever deals they can find without giving it a second thought. Scammers are jumping at the opportunity to put phony deals in front of us.

The Federal Trade Commission has issued a warning about back-to-school shoppers being targeted by online scams. Hank Schless, senior manager of Security Solutions Lookout, says that scammers will find anything relevant to the time to entice shoppers.

Emily Fontenot with the Better Business Bureau of Acadiana encourages shoppers to ensure they are using safe sites to shop. The 'https' is a good way to check. Schless also advises to protect your other smart devices like a computer.

"It's really important to understand that just because you trust your smartphone or your tablet like you would anything else...They are pieces of hardware with software running on them and they will not always act in our best interest so you really have got to secure it like you would any other device," he says.

The BBB offers some tips for safe shopping:

• Know the advertiser. It's easy for a fake website to mimic a famous retailer's website, so make sure you shop with a legitimate site.
• Check a site's security settings. If the site is secure, its u-r-l should start with https and include a lock icon on the shopping cart page.
• Be a savvy shopper. When shopping online, take your time and read the fine print before submitting your order.
• Protect personal information. Read a site's privacy policy and understand what personal data is requested and how it will be used.
• Think before you click. Be especially cautious about email solicitations and online ads on social media sites.

If you have a scam you'd like me to investigate, feel free to send me an email at smasters@klfy.com.