Consumer Alert: School supplies scam warning

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WHEC) — As you head out to do your back-to-school shopping, fraud experts are warning you to watch out for scams online.

A recent study found out of more than one billion online transactions, about half had some sort of questionable activity.

Michael Skiba, aka "Dr. Fraud", an international fraud expert, told WNYT if the deal looks too good to be true, trust your gut. He said the best way to play it safe—is to stick to the names you know and trust.

"The recourse is very low, Skiba said. "If you’re scammed on one of those platforms, the chances of getting your money back or your good back is very, very low."

When shopping, the big box retailers or amazon are usually safe bets. He said the risk goes up when you purchase from auction sites or public marketplaces like Craigslist, Poshmark, or Facebook.

When it comes to paying for an item online, he said the best options— are a credit card with fraud protection or PayPal