When you are a student, there is one thing you can be certain of and that is having little money. You may not be able to go out as much as your other friends because you have received less in your student loan. It means you need to consider a job, but if your course requires a lot of hours, having a job can be difficult.
Being a student, you will be desperate for money to go out more. It has led to several students across the US being a victim of fraud.
Let’s look at some of the most common online scams for students and how to avoid them.
What Is A Scam?
A scam is when a scammer targets an individual for their data or money. It involves the scammer tricking the victim into giving them the data they need. Scammers are smart with how they do this. Usually, they will target people in desperate need of earning extra money however, they also target people who may not know how to spot a scam such as old age pensioners.
These scammers could ask for information such as your bank details, address, social media details or even access to your Amazon account. Some may even target your student account.
If there is anybody who reaches out to you for this information then it is likely a scam. No matter whether it is a phone call, email or someone has messaged you. You should never trust anyone whom you don’t know, especially when they are asking for information from you.
What Is Fraud?
The number of student fraud victims has increased over the last few years. There are many different types of fraud that you can be a victim of so it is important to be vigilant with anyone who you don’t know.
The impact of fraud can be life-changing so you must be wary. It can involve you to lose money through a trading scam. It can also be losing money scammers claiming they are your student housing letting agents and get you to make a payment.
Another common type of fraud is identity theft. Scammers will ask for your details so they can gain access to your social media profiles. They will then use your details to access your account and then use your account to message friends and family asking for money.
Tuition Fee Fraud
Tuition fee fraud is another type of fraud which is one of the main scams for a student. Usually, the scammer will ask for you to pay your tuition fees or for your accommodation. They will either interpret your student accommodation or another company and get you to pay the fee. In some cases they will email you but sometimes it will be a message through social media. If it is a message through social media then you should be cautious of it.
Summary
Many people are victims of fraud and it is hard to avoid because fraudsters are getting smarter. Students are becoming a target for many fraudsters because they know that a student is poor. Plus, it is easy to target them for accommodation prices and student fees. If you are a victim of fraud due to investing, you should reach out to an investment fraud attorney.