As a parent of two daughters who have experienced scams on their social media and Gmail accounts, I understand the importance of safeguarding our children from online threats. In Australia, school students are increasingly becoming targets of various scams. These scams often involve deceptive tactics such as requesting upfront payments or personal information, leading to identity theft and financial loss. Here’s a detailed breakdown of the types of scams and how Cybermate can help protect school students.
Types of Scams
- Job Scams:
- Tactics: Scammers lure Year 12 school students with promising job offers on online platforms or through school recruitment, often posing as legitimate companies or recruiters. They deceive victims into paying for training, equipment, or registration fees and may request personal information to steal identities.
- Impact: Financial loss and identity theft.
- Tuition Fee Scams:
- Tactics: Scammers claim to be school representatives or “agents” offering tuition discounts or threatening students with fee or fine payments. They may use other students to make the scam seem more credible.
- Impact: Financial loss and potential loss of school placement.
- Scholarship Scams:
- Tactics: Scammers send official-looking paperwork claiming students have been awarded a scholarship and request bank details or payments to secure it.
- Impact: Financial loss and identity theft.
- “Hi Mum” Scam:
- Tactics: Scammers impersonate a student’s parent, sending a text message claiming they are using a spare phone and need money for a bill. The recipient is asked to send money, which disappears into an offshore account.
- Impact: Financial loss.
- Phishing and Email Scams:
- Tactics: Scammers send emails to students, claiming to have an issue with their school account, often asking them to verify details or reset passwords.
- Impact: Identity theft and financial loss.
Red Flags to Watch Out For
- Job offers requiring payment before hiring.
- Vague job descriptions or lack of an interview process.
- Requests for upfront payments for equipment, training, or fees.
- Requests for personal information, especially bank details.
- Unsolicited contact from individuals claiming to be school representatives.
- Promises of discounts or threats regarding tuition fees.
- Official-looking paperwork claiming a scholarship but requiring payment.
How to Protect Students
- Educate students about the risks of unsolicited offers, especially those promising high pay with minimal effort.
- Implement robust email filtering to avoid phishing attempts.
- Ensure secure communication channels within the school network.
- Verify the legitimacy of any communication with the school or financial institution directly.
- Encourage students to report any suspected scams to Scamwatch or their school.
- Promote a culture of scepticism towards offers that sound too good to be true.
