Students: welcome, or welcome back, to Loughborough. I am so pleased to have both the fantastic Loughborough College and Loughborough University in my constituency. The education, research and student satisfaction figures are some of the best in the country, not to mention the international success our sporting alumni have had on the international stage. I am very glad that you have made the decision to study here!
Although this is a very exciting time of year, for some, the excitement can be ruined by falling victim to maintenance payments related scams.
We hear so often about how to spot scams, but it is important to ensure you are not complacent. So, I would like to share some of the Student Loans Company’s (SLC’s) tips on how to spot and stop scams:
- Check the quality of the communication - misspelling, poor punctuation and bad grammar are often tell-tale signs of phishing.
- Keep an eye out for any emails, phone calls or SMS messages you think are suspicious, especially around the time you are expecting a payment.
- Scam emails are unlikely to contain both your first and last name. They commonly start - ‘Dear Student’ - so watch out for these.
- Messages that convey a sense of urgency, for example ‘You must reply within 24 hours’.
- Think before you click. If you are still in any doubt, do not risk it, always go direct to the source.
- Always use official phone numbers, your online account and official communication channels to verify that the contact you have received is genuine.
- Students should also be mindful of the information that they share about themselves on social media, and elsewhere online, to help guard against identity theft.
You can find the SLC’s full advice and further guidance on the Government’s website here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/get-the-message-smishing-reminder-for-students-as-the-academic-year-begins
Remember, SLC will also never ask students to provide their personal or financial information via email or text message. If you receive a suspicious message, report it to SLC’s Financial Crime Prevention Unit immediately by emailing FCPU_Alerts@slc.co.uk or calling the dedicated hotline on 0300 100 0059.
Making sure your maintenance payment is received securely is very important and will enable you to experience all that Loughborough has to offer.
I wish you all the very best with your upcoming year and look forward to meeting many of you soon. In the meantime, if I am able to help you in any way, please do get in touch. Information on how to contact me can be found here: www.janehunt.uk/contact