Posts Tagged ‘back-to-school’
Amid Back-To-School Season, Feds Warn About ID Theft Scams Targeting Kids
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Author: If you’re like me and you’ve got kids who are getting ready to go back to school, the last thing on your mind is worrying about your children become the victims of identity theft.
But federal authorities are warning parents that back-to-school season is actually a risky time of year when it comes to the potential for young people to become targeted by identity thieves.
Think about it: You’re filling out a slew of paperwork, emergency contact forms, healthcare documents and other required registration forms. If some of that information lands in the hands of an identity thief, someone could perpetrate fraud in your child’s name.
Crooks have been known to steal children’s Social Security numbers to do everything from opening credit card accounts to applying for jobs and loans to renting apartments.
Now the Federal Trade Commission is helping consumers to fight back against these kind of scams.
The FTC has just unveiled a new publication, Protecting Your Child’s Personal Information at School, which advises parents how to limit the risks of identity theft.
The publication also explains the federal Family Educational Rights Privacy Act. That’s the law that protects the privacy of student records and gives parents of school-age children the right to opt out of sharing contact information with third parties.
If you don’t want to wind up on a bunch of random mailing lists from people and organizations trying to sell you or your kids something, I highly recommend that you “opt out” and tell your child’s school that you don’t want your contact information shared with third parties.
Finally, if you’ve got a complaint about fraud or deceptive, unfair business practices, you can file a complaint in English or Spanish by going to the FTC’s online Complaint Assistant or by calling 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357).
If you register a complaint, the FTC will enter it into its secure online database, called Consumer Sentinel, which is made available to more than 2,000 civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad.
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How to save money on back to school supplies
Notebooks, Post-it notes, pens, pads – it’s that time of year again. Good thing it’s also the season for sales, as stores compete to fill your family’s totes, briefcases, and backpacks. Waiting for those crazy, last- minute, 10-notebooks-for-a-dime specials could slash your spending, but there are lots of other things you can do now to save big while you’re shopping for office supplies – and kids’ clothing, too. Sales usually start in August, so get those lists out! Click here to read more.
3 Steps to Back-to-School Clothes Shopping on a Dime
Unless your child attends a private or parochial school with mandatory uniforms, you’re probably clothes shopping right about now to find new outfits for the kids to wear this school season.
Discount stores such as Target and Wal-Mart are a good place to head, however, consignment and resale shops are even better if you’re looking to save a buck. Here’s how to get the most for your money in three easy steps.
1. Get Rid of the Old. If your children are need of new clothes this Fall, that could be in part because they outgrew last year’s clothes. Raid your child’s closet to find those items that are too small, but don’t contain tears or several missing buttons or broken zippers. The same goes for shoes. Pile as many of these items into bags and boxes as you can.
2. Find a resale shop near you. Whether it’s a consignment or exchange shop, look for a store near you that sells and buys gently used clothing. These places will determine the resale value of the items you just pulled from your closets and storage and will offer you a percentage of that value in cash or as store credit in exchange for your items. Some shops with locations nationwide include Buffalo Exchange, Plato’s Closet, Once Upon a Child, or Crossroads Trading Co.
3. Purchase Gently-Used Items. With the cash you earned from your trade-ins, purchase stylish clothes that fit from these same shops. Some, like Plato’s Closet and Crossroads, carry a lot of name brand items.
Tip: Involve your child in the process. Whether it is a young school-ager or a teenager, have your child help select items to sell. Set a shopping budget based on the money they receive from the store, supplemented by a few dollars from their allowance or money you paid them for participating. Let them go shopping within this budget. You’re not only teaching them a valuable lesson, but quickly you’ll see how unimportant certain items become when they have to spend their own cash.
