Emma Quirke, Indica Norcup, Karen Croft at Leeds Trinity University
“Even if the scammers do not manage to take any of your money, the fact that they tried to is still a crime”
“If you have any uncertainty about the situation or the people/ organisation that you are supposedly communicating with, then stop and think about what you are doing. Remember, if it seems too good to be true, it usually is”
“Change any passwords to accounts that might be compromised”
What is fraud?
Fraud is crime of intent. Even if the scammers do not manage to take any of your money, the fact that they tried to is still a crime.
- Fraud is the most commonly experienced crime in the UK
- It accounts for over 40% of crime in England and Wales
- It was the most common crime type between April 2022-March 2023
- An estimated 3.5 million incidents of fraud experienced by adults aged 16 and over
- BUT only 13% of cases being reported to Action Fraud or the police by victims
- Four fifths of reported fraud are cyber-enabled
(National Crime Agency statistics March 2025)
Common scams targeted at students
Investment fraud – https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/a-z-of-fraud/cryptocurrency Fraudsters contact victims usually via social media platforms to advertise ‘get rich quick’ investments, usually involving cryptocurrencies. Students are particularly targeted as they are usually on a low income so the ‘get rich quick’ element is appealing.
Rental / accommodation fraud – https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/a-z-of-fraud/rental-fraud Fraudsters convince people looking for housing to pay an upfront fee to rent a property. Students are particularly targeted as they rent on a yearly basis, so there is more opportunity to engage them in this type of scam.
Employment / recruitment fraud – https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/a-z-of-fraud/recruitment-scams Fraudsters offer fake ‘get rich quick’ jobs. Students are particularly targeted as they are looking for the kind of jobs allegedly on offer – part-time, casual and flexible. Some fraudsters also target the graduate market with a promise of an amazing graduate job / internship that does not exist.
Student Finance scams – https://www.gov.uk/government/news/student-smishing-scams-on-the-rise Scams involving your student funding can vary. Often fraudsters will contact you pretending to be from SLC / SFE / your bank and say there is a problem with your account and send you a link to enter your details.
Money Mules – https://www.dontbefooled.org.uk/what-is-a-money-mule/ You will be offered quick and easy ways to make money in return for someone using your bank account to transfer money, often via social media (such as WhatsApp, Instagram or Facebook).
- The money that will be transferred in and out of your account will have come from criminal activity.
- If you let someone else use your bank account to transfer money, you could be funding serious organised crime, and this could result in you having a criminal record and up to 14 years in prison (even if you did not know that the money was criminal).
- Do not let anyone else use your bank account for any reason!
How do I protect myself from scams?
- STOP – If you have any uncertainty about the situation or the people/ organisation that you are supposedly communicating with, then stop and think about what you are doing. Remember, if it seems too good to be true, it usually is.
- CHECK – Do some research, have other people shared experience of similar scams? Would the person/ organisation ever ask you for the details you are being asked for? Is the communication from a legitimate source?
- PROTECT – Act quickly. Follow our steps below regarding what to do if you think you have been scammed.
Our ‘stop and check’ top tips. If the answer to any of these is yes, stop and check:
- Does it seem too good to be true?
- Does it involve the internet / social media?
- Does it promise I will ‘get rich quick’ / get a huge discount?
- Does it time pressure me into action?
- Do I need to pay money upfront?
- Do I need to move money / open a new bank account?
- Have I been contacted by someone I don’t know?
- Have I been contacted by a ‘friend of a friend’?
What should I do if I think I have been scammed?
- If there is a crime being committed or if you believe that you are in danger, call 999 (emergency phoneline).
- Contact the police on 101 (non-emergency line) if the scammer is in your area or if you’ve transferred money to the scammer in the last 24 hours. If you need support with doing this, contact your university’s or student union’s support services.
- Stop communicating with the scammers immediately. If you have shared any personal information (name, date of birth, address, National Insurance Number, bank details, passwords, or anything else) make note of this so that you can include this in your report.
- Contact your bank and ask them to stop any payments as soon as possible. You can contact your bank securely using 159 https://stopscamsuk.org.uk/our-work/159-phone-number/
- Change any passwords to accounts that might be compromised.
- Report the scam. You can report a scam to Action Fraud: https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/reporting-fraud-and-cyber-crime
Useful preventative information
The little book of big scams (each area will have its own version) Fraud and Financial Crime | West Yorkshire Police
Action Fraud Action Fraud
Sign up for Which scam alerts – a regular e-mail that alerts you to the common and new scams that are doing the rounds Scam Alerts service – sign up, it’s free
