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As students start their new terms at colleges and universities across North Wales, Get Safe Online – a service commissioned by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner and North Wales Police to share helpful information and advice with the people of the area – is launching a ‘Safer Students’ campaign to encourage those in education to stay safe online.
When students go to university or college, it seems like everything’s online – probably even more so than at school. However, being online more means that they need to be even more careful about avoiding the various harms that people can face on the internet every day. With this in mind, Get Safe Online has put together some top tips for students starting out this September.
Get Safe Online’s tips for students:
- Don’t fall victim to fraud - fraudulent texts, emails, direct messages and calls claiming to be from banks, student loan providers, HMRC and other trusted organisations can happen.
- Check in person that the flat or room students have seen advertised really exists, and make sure the advertiser is authentic before parting with any money. If possible, pay deposits and any other up-front payments by credit card for extra protection.
- Think twice before clicking on links or attachments or allowing callers access to devices or accounts.
- Keep banking and other financial details private, and make money transfers safely via a mobile wallet or banking app.
- If someone is buying from or subscribing to a website for the first time, they should check if it’s likely to be legitimate or fraudulent by using the ‘Check a Website’ tool on www.getsafeonline.org
- Avoid paying a person or company you don’t know by bank transfer for things like purchases, accommodation deposits and fees. Using a card is considerably safer.
- People should keep financial and other confidential details private, as well as passwords and other login details.
- Review location settings on phones, cameras and apps to help protect physical safety. Avoid freebies and prize draws asking for confidential data. And remember that innocently shared intimate images can fall into the wrong hands.
- There’s no place online for any kind of abuse, hate speech, gender-based violence, forcing views on others or criminal activity.
- Students are favourite targets for illegal get rich quick schemes, like jobs with pay that’s too good to be true or others using bank accounts to ‘process payments’. If someone falls for it – even innocently – they could get a criminal record, fine or jail term.
- Mobile devices and Wi-Fi – protect phones, laptops and tablets from loss or theft. If what someone is doing online when out and about is confidential or financial, they should steer clear of using Wi-Fi hotspots as there’s no guarantee they’re secure.
Tony Neate, CEO at Get Safe Online commented: “When students start university, life suddenly becomes a whole lot busier, and ensuring you are safe online might not be top of your list. However, it’s really important to stay vigilant, which is why we have launched a Safer Student campaign this month. Read our expert tips found the Get Safe Online website to ensure your uni life is as safe online as possible.”
PC Dewi Owen from North Wales Police’s Cyber Crime Team added: “As students return to college or university, they can be particularly vulnerable to fraud and may be targeted by cybercriminals or fraudsters. According to Action Fraud 68,956 reports of fraud were made by students and young people in 2023 amounting to losses of over £128 million. In North Wales alone 509 students or young people reported that they had been a victim of fraud with the total losses amounting to £705,512.
“Some of the most common types of fraud reported by students and young people include rental fraud, online shopping fraud, fake job fraud, ticket fraud and sextortion. As term and courses start, follow the tips and advice to stay safe!”
Andy Dunbobbin, Police and Crime Commissioner for North Wales, said: “North Wales has a large student population, from those studying at our top-class universities in Bangor and Wrexham to the many colleges and centres of further and higher education in towns and villages across the region. We all benefit from the knowledge and vitality that they bring to our communities.
“But, in among the settling in and making new friends, students also need to be vigilant about the dangers that they could face online, for example from scammers, false advertising and those who might wish to use their data for the wrong ends.
“As Police and Crime Commissioner for North Wales my job is to represent and look out for all sections of the community and I would advise students to take note of the important tips in Get Safe Online’s Safer Students campaign so that they remain safe and don’t fall prey to crime.”
For further tips and advice visit: www.getsafeonline.org
Report suspicious emails by forwarding them to: report@phishing.gov.uk
Report suspicious text messages or spam calls free of charge to: 7726
About Get Safe Online
Get Safe Online is an authoritative and widely respected international resource designed to help individuals and small businesses stay safe, secure and confident when using the internet. The information and advice provided is designed to be impartial, practical and easy to follow by all of its target audiences. Get Safe Online has established a network of websites and local representations in 26 countries around the world, funded by the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office. Get Safe Online was established in 2006 and is a not-for-profit organisation.