![scam email icon mobile phone [Photo by Torsten Dettlaff] scam email icon mobile phone [Photo by Torsten Dettlaff]](https://www.bournemouth.ac.uk/sites/default/files/styles/bournemouth_wysiwyg/public/assets/images/scam-email-pexels-torsten-dettlaff.jpg?itok=DkICgge4)
With start of the new semester it's important to be aware of common financial scams targeting mobile devices. Smishing is fraud involving text messages and is currently the most popular form of scam targeted at students.
Advice from Student Finance and the Student Loans Company is that they’ll never ask students to provide or verify their personal or financial information via email or text message. Please check any communications you receive over the coming weeks.
Top tips
- Student Finance and Student Loans Company will never contact students through social media channels such as WhatsApp or Instagram
- Please review the spelling and grammar of the message as poor punctuation and misspelling are often signs of smishing
- Keep an eye out for any suspicious emails, calls or texts around the time of an expected payment
- Scam emails are often sent in bulk and commonly start with ‘Dear Student’ rather than personal names
- Urgent messages are usually not genuine, for example ‘'failure to respond in 24 hours will result in your account being closed’
- Think before you click by hovering over a link first and if in doubt do not risk selecting it
- Always use official phone numbers, the online account and official communication channels to verify the contact received is genuine
- Be mindful of information you share about yourselves online, to help guard against identity theft
- SLC, Student Finance England (SFE), Student Finance Wales (SFW) or Student Finance Northern Ireland (SFNI) send a text message to you if a change has been made to your bank details. If you haven’t changed your bank details and receive a message, you should contact them immediately via an official channel.
More information
You can find further guidance on identifying a scam on GOV.UK
If you receive a suspicious message, you should report it immediately by emailing [email protected] and call the dedicated hotline on 0300 100 0059.
Check our advice on staying safe from common financial scams circulating via email, phone and social media. You can also find a range of additional advice and information on recognising and avoiding scams from Action Fraud, the UK’s national reporting centre for fraud and cybercrime.