Young adults are major targets for back-to-school scams. Here's how to protect yourself.

As students head back to the classroom or to college campuses, the excitement should be on the beginning of the new school year and new experiences.

But unfortunately, scammers don't take a break.

College students in particular are often ripe targets for scammers, Dan Cusick, a fraud and claim executive at Wells Fargo, told USA TODAY.

But scams can happen to anyone, including parents and families of students in grade school through high school – and the young students themselves, said Darius Kingsley, managing director and head of consumer business practices for Chase Bank.

"Scammers prey on moments when we are busy and most vulnerable," Kingsley told USA TODAY. "Back-to-school is a great moment to speak with kids and young adults about ways to protect themselves as they launch into the world, and engage on shopping and online activity for back to school."

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The bad actors, or scammers, look for life events or opportunities to take advantage of people, Cusick said.

Young adults ages 18 to 24 are scam targets

While senior citizens are often targeted by scammers, so are young adults ages 18 to 24. Cusick said he believes young adults are more available via social media to scammers.

According to the Better Business Bureau's 2023 Scam Tracker Risk Report study, consumers ages 18 to 24 reported a higher median loss in scams ($155) than other age groups for the first time in 2022.

Employment scams were the No. 1 scam for the age group and people in this group were significantly more likely to report losing money when targeted via text message and using an online payment system and bank account debit.

College is one of the first opportunities to 'adult'

Going away to college is "a life-changing event, especially for freshmen... and really it's an opportunity for bad actors to exploit," Cusick said.

"They're naive on certain things. They haven't signed a rent agreement in many cases. They haven't had to buy textbooks... and oh, by the way, all of a sudden they'll be solicited with all these job offers and opportunities that typically they would to have applied for and now they're in college and people are coming to them," he said.

It's a perfect storm of anxiousness and time pegs – like shopping for textbooks before their first class, which opens up the opportunity for scammers, he said.

Young adults newly on their own or still early in their college lives don't have as much "life seasoning," Cusick said.

"All this feels new, and there's no reason to believe that the people you're dealing with are thinking nothing but great things for you," he said.

Common scams targeting college students

Here are some top scams that target college students – and tips – from Wells Fargo:

• Textbook scams: Online marketplaces and social media can be prime locations where college students buy used books – but they can also be easily scammed, said Cusick. Verify and authenticate websites where you are doing business or go to the college bookstore in person to buy books, he said. Be wary of deeply discounted prices for new or used textbooks. If you're buying from someone in person or online, know or trust the intended recipient and use caution if you are using peer-to-peer forms of digital payment as they are like cash and rarely recoverable, said Cusick. There are more protections if you use a credit or debit card, according to federal law. Many banks also offer Zelle as a form of payment from a bank account, but they are not protected by federal regulations like credit and debit cards. Credit cards provide the best protections since the money is not taken out of your bank account immediately like a debit card, Cusick said.
• Scholarship scams: College is expensive and students are often looking for scholarship opportunities. Scammers will sometimes offer students for scholarships unsolicited, said Cusick. Be wary of unexpected calls, texts, social media posts, email and other forms of communication that request you pay an application fee for financial assistance or a scholarship.
• Job scams: College students are often looking for a job while they are on campus. Some scammers may claim to be a recruiter for a company or offer a job with a major lure, like short hours, remote work and good pay. Be wary of any offers of an up front bonus, especially if the potential employer is asking you to send some of the money back, similar to an advanced fee fraud, said Cusick. Rely on career fairs or reputable recruiters, he said.
• Housing scams: Students during the school year are often looking for their first rental apartment or house for the next school year. Scammers may post fake rental properties, often with real photos from real listings, but with a deep discount. Scammers also often will press for quick payment or a deposit to secure the property. Cusick suggests going in person to see the property.

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Young kids and families are also scammed

Kids in grade school and high school are also vulnerable to online scams since they're so digitally active, like playing video games and engaging on social media, said Kingsley.

"It’s important to have conversations with your children about the dangers of fraud and scams and best practices for using technology, including limiting the personal information they share online," he said.

Families are also eager to snap up deals and save money when shopping for back-to-school supplies and items, he said.

"Scammers know that and prey on that, often offering fake merchandise on online marketplaces," he said.

Here are two scams Kingsley and Chase said families should educate themselves about:

• Video game scams: The Consumer Finance Protection Bureau issued a warning in April noting a rise in scams for in-game transactions. Popular video games that offer in-game transactions for digital currency and virtual assets may be susceptible to scammers trying to take advantage of players’ money and information, or the purchased game currency might never be delivered, Kingsley said. Scammers use tactics to gain access to users’ accounts to steal purchased game currency and other assets to resell and personal information.
• Fake or nonexistent merchandise fraud: This scam involves victims trying to purchase items from online auctions, marketplaces, or social media, but receive nothing or fake goods.  Also be cautious of individuals selling event tickets outside of well-known ticket portals; scammers target sold-out concerts, ask to be paid digitally, and only deliver fake tickets, Kingsley said.

Betty Lin-Fisher is a consumer reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at blinfisher@USATODAY.com or follow her on X, Facebook or Instagram @blinfisher. Sign up for our free The Daily Money newsletter, which will include consumer news on Fridays,here.

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