As students across the country prepare to start or return to
university, SLC is urging them stop and think before you click'
when responding to any unusual messages or communication about
their student finance.
In September, SLC is scheduled to pay approximately £2.6 billion
in maintenance support to 1.1m students. Scammers use this busy
payment period to send convincing text messages, emails, or make
phone calls claiming that a student's payment is at risk.
These messages are made to look like that they come from a
trusted organisation and may say that a payment has been blocked,
bank details need to be updated, or an account will be closed
unless the recipient acts immediately.
Students are being reminded that SLC will never ask them to
provide or confirm personal or financial information by email,
text message or any social media platform. Anyone who receives an
unexpected communication should avoid clicking links and instead
sign in to their student finance account through GOV.UK
Alan Balanowski, Risk Director at SLC, said: Starting and
returning to university is an exciting and busy time, and
receiving that first maintenance payment is an important moment
for many students. Unfortunately, scammers know when these
payments are due and will go to great lengths to take advantage
of students.
Scammers can make messages look convincing and create a sense of
urgency to encourage people to act without thinking. Our advice
is simple: stop and think before you click. Take a moment to
pause before taking action, don't click on unexpected links and
check your account through GOV.UK
We work hard to identify and prevent fraud, but students can also
protect themselves by knowing how we communicate and being
cautious if they are contacted unexpectedly.
SLC has a range of prevention measures in place to protect
students and combat fraud, with this activity saving £56.2
million last year alone.
, Fraud Minister, said:
Criminals look to cash in on students who are managing
their finances for the first time. Anyone receiving unexpected
and suspicious messages about their loans should Stop! Think
Fraud.
As part of our Fraud Strategy, we are working closely with law
enforcement and partners to deliver targeted campaigns within
university campuses, helping students recognise the warning signs
and protect themselves from scams.
SLC's top tips for spotting and stopping a scam
-
Criminals may impersonate the Student Loans
Company (SLC) to try and steal your personal information
or money. They will text, email or call you claiming
there is an issue with an upcoming payment that needs
urgent action, especially around times when student loan
payments are made in September, January and April.
-
SLC will never:
-
Ask you to provide your personal or financial information
by email or text message.
-
Send a message with an urgent deadline for example
failure to respond in 24 hours will result in your
account being closed'.
-
If you've asked SLC to make changes to your bank details,
they will send you a text message to confirm these changes.
If you receive a text message and have not asked for changes
to your bank details, log onto your online account to check
your information is correct.
-
Never share the following information online which criminals
can use to impersonate you - name, date of birth, customer
reference number, course information or your current
or previous address.
-
If you receive a call or message claiming to be from SLC,
always take time to stop and think if the request is genuine
before handing over personal information. Avoid clicking on
links and check a request is genuine by logging into your
online account.
SLC and Student Finance England do not provide services through
WhatsApp. They will also not initiate contact through social
media to discuss a student finance application or entitlement.
Suspicious emails should be forwarded to report@phishing.gov.uk. Scam
text messages can be forwarded free of charge to 7726. Students
who believe their student finance account may have been
compromised should contact SLC using the official contact details
on GOV.UK
More advice is available in SLC's guide to
identifying a scam, from Report Fraud, and
through the government's Stop! Think
Fraud campaign. The City of London Police had also
created a new booklet for students to protect them against fraud
and cyber within their university campuses more information can
be found here - University
students booklet - Report Fraud
