Linacre College, Oxford



Be more fraud aware at uniLearn how you can help to protect yourself from fraudFraudsters can take advantage of you when you’re at uni – learn how to help protect yourself with our handy tipsWhether it’s via your smartphone, laptop or other digital device, you’re always connected – for the serious (study and revision!) as well as your social activity, and for the most part, it’s great! Unfortunately, it also exposes you to the threat of fraud and scams. Here are some to watch out for and how to protect yourself.‘Phishing’Fraudsters send emails (often appearing to be from your bank or an official body such as HMRC) asking you to disclose personal information or send money. They may also ask you to download a file or click on a link to a bogus website, which then allows fraudsters to access your details. What you can doDon’t click on any links or open any attachments from unsolicited emails. Make sure your anti-virus software is up to date and if you receive a suspicious email from your bank let them know (details of how to do this should be on your banks website). If you are unsure you can check your banks website to see what they will and won't ask you for in an email. Banks will never ask you to transfer money to another account.‘Vishing’You receive a phone call out of the blue from someone claiming to be a bank fraud prevention officer or an officer in technical support from a company’s customer servicesThe pitch may then go like this: they’re calling about a refund or problem with your payment card. To sort it, they ask you to confirm your security and bank account details. You share these and the fraudsters then take payments from your account.Or another possible scenario is tech support impersonators claim they’ve detected a fault with your laptop or computer and need to access it remotely to fix the problem. They may also say you need to buy a piece of software straightaway to solve the problem.What you can doSuch a call out of the blue is unlikely to be legitimate, so if you’re unsure of the person’s credibility, hang up. Go online and find the number for the relevant company/department they’re claiming to be from. If possible, call them from another phone as fraudsters can keep the line open, that way you can be confident you’re speaking to a legitimate person from the company or organisation you have a relationship with.Online shopping scamsIt’s never been easier to book tickets for gigs, grab a student discount for dinner or buy books for courses online. Unfortunately, this also makes it easy for fraudsters to advertise fake products or a bogus service, and take your money, but then never deliver what you paid for. What you can doBefore sending your cash to a private seller or even a legitimate-looking brand research the seller and review their feedback. Never follow a link in an unexpected email. It’s also a good idea to check the spelling in the URL to make sure it’s legitimate. As an example, barcleys-bank.co.uk is incorrect – the real URL is barclays.co.uk. Insist on seeing high-value items like vehicles before paying, and always use secure payment methods rather than direct bank transfers. The accommodation for rent… that belongs to someone else… or doesn’t exist!Most students seek to live in rented digs while at university – and fraudsters love to pounce on unwary undergrads. They will advertise a property that belongs to someone else as if it’s for rent - and then ask for a deposit or rent in advance before you’ve seen it.You may be able to view the property online but the fraudster will make excuses for being unable to show you around such as being ‘overseas on business’. The bogus landlord will then insist on the first month's rent to be sent by a money transfer service, promising to then forward the keys via a courier service. Sadly, the keys either fail to arrive or – if they do – won’t work when you turn up to move in.Sometimes, the property advertised may not exist at all!What you can doUse reputable high street tenancy agents and always view a property inside and outside before entering into any agreement or parting with any money. For your safety take someone with you.Ask to see legally required documents such as energy performance and gas safety certificates.Also check that the rental price is typical of properties in the area you’re looking. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.The ‘money mule’ trapMany students find themselves strapped for cash and it’s no surprise you may be tempted by job offers to make ‘easy money’ on job-search and social media websites.Whatever the job, it will – crucially – also involve you being offered a payment in exchange for receiving money temporarily into your bank account. You could then be asked to withdraw the cash to hand over or transfer it on. However, allowing your bank account to be used in this way makes you a money mule, could land you with a criminal record and it is in offence under the Proceeds of Crime Act and carries a maximum sentence of 14 years imprisonment. Your bank account can be closed and you’ll have problems opening a new account elsewhere, as well as difficulties obtaining credit in the future such as a student loan, phone contract or mortgage due to the impact on your credit history.What you can doBe wary of unsolicited offers of easy money. Research any company offering such job opportunities and make sure their contact details are genuine (address, landline phone number, email address and website) and whether they are registered in the UK.Be especially cautious of job offers from overseas as it will be harder for you to find out if they are legitimate. Watch out when you use free WiFi It’s a lifesaver for any student who needs to go online with a deadline looming - free WiFi in a café or public space, but any security weakness in the WiFi network could be exploited by criminals to intercept your data and defraud you.What you can doAvoid making financial transactions and steer clear of sending personal data to websites. The security risk associated with using public Wi-Fi is that fraudsters could intercept anything you’re doing online. They could capture passwords for any account you sign in to, and read your private emails.This can happen if the connection between your device and the Wi-Fi network isn’t encrypted – or if someone created a spoof hotspot that fools you into thinking it’s a real one.Ways to keep your device safe on public Wi-Fi?Unless you’re using a secure web page, don’t send or receive private information?Wherever possible, use known hotspot providers?Want to check your work emails or company network? You should use a secure and encrypted Virtual Private Network (VPN)?Don’t leave your smartphone, tablet, laptop or dongle unattended?Be aware of who’s around you and may be watching what you’re doing online?Remember that using a secure Wi-Fi connection doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take other online security precautions for example don’t save passwords on your browser.Be vigilant of student loan or student fees scams Another scam to be aware of is the tuition payment scam targeting university students. International students in particular can be a target for fraudsters trying to take advantage of unsuspecting young adults and their families who are navigating new situations and surroundings.Some scammers may present themselves as a government agency and request payment for an “international student tariff”, threatening to revoke a student’s visa if the payment is not made. Other fraudsters may approach students in visa queues at an embassy or at international student meetings. The scammers claim to be agents endorsed by the university to assist international students with their tuition payments.In other cases, fraudsters have been known to hack into the emails of students or their families, gaining access to legitimate emails already sent by the university. The fraudster then creates a fake email which appears to be from the university, requesting payment for fees or informing of a change to the bank details to pay the fees, leading to unsuspecting students and their families sending the payment. The email may look convincing, however, with a closer look there are often spelling and grammar mistakes, indicating that it is not from an official source.These are just some of examples of scams fraudsters are using to dupe students and their families, and why there is a need to be vigilant. What you can do?Be wary of anyone who offers to make a tuition payment on your behalf ?Avoid companies advertising tuition payment services in your home country that are not listed on the universities website or endorsed by the university. Always check with the university before agreeing to process any payment through a third party that is not directly affiliated with the university, visible on the universities payment website, or included with payment instructions from the university ?Universities do contract local agents to help recruit international students, but there are those who are not legitimate. Warning signs of improper agents include requests for a large upfront payment, offers to create false documents, refusal to provide references or charging fees for services that the universities provides for free - for example accommodation support?Do not share personal, banking or financial information with anyone who lacks a verifiable relationship with the university. The person making this request may be trying to obtain the information for fraudulent use. Always verify who is contacting you - In many cases, you can validate a company on the universities website. ................
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