Online scammers are back for the season, targeting back-to-school shoppers

CHICAGO (WLS) — Back to school shopping is now top of mind. Here’s a Quick Tip to avoid back to school shopping scams.

New research from online protection company McAfee shows a 380% increase this year in suspicious links targeting back to school shopping.

-If a deal looks too good to be true it probably is.
-Stick with known, legitimate retailers online and websites that have https and the yellow lock on them.
-Be skeptical of deals offered on social media.
-Avoid any possible phishing links you get in a direct message or by email or text.

More tip from McAfee:
-Exercise caution when registering or sharing personal information on questionable sites.
-Use a VPN if you’re shopping on public Wi-Fi
-Verify email addresses of sender, don’t click on links from unsolicited sms, text email communication offering deals.