Student Scams

Students, listen up. 

Students are often targeted by scammers through fake emails, texts, phone calls, or social media messages. These scams can involve fake job offers, phishing attempts, rental fraud, or even threats pretending to be from HMRC or the police.

Our resources help you spot common scams aimed at students, understand how to protect yourself, and know what to do if you think you've been targeted.

If you're worried about a potential scam or think you've been caught out, don’t panic — support is available. Contact our Advice Team at advice@thesu.org.uk for confidential help and guidance.

S.H.E.I.L.D.S

• S - Shield your details - protect your finances by doing checks before passing your banking or personal information on. Research the seller or business independently of any links found on social media or emailed to you.
• H - Holding deposits - are often required to secure accommodation, but make sure you are not paying over the odds (e.g. one week's rent) and that deposits go into a deposit protection scheme.
• I - Independent research - Check for warnings from others who might have encountered similar scams. 
• E - Evaluate buyer or tenant feedback and reviews – look at previous feedback when shopping online (such as found on Trustpilot or allAgents).
• L - Look for secure payment symbols - Ensure the website has a padlock symbol and no irregularities in the web address (such as subtle misspellings, additional words or characters).
• D - Delete suspicious emails - Particularly those claiming to have had prior contact with you but who you do not recall engaging with.
• S - Study your rights – review advice on what legal protections you may have and seek help from your student advisor.