Safety online

There’s a lot going on online. Not everything is at it seems. Make sure you know what to watch out for and avoid falling for scams.

Scams targeting students

Students need to watch out for scams. Cyber criminals can target students to steal money or personal information. If something seems to good to be true, it probably is. You should be especially cautious of people promising easy money.

Never give your personal information to someone that has contacted you, verify this with the person or organisation directly.

Here are some scams to look out for:

Fake tax refunds

If you have a job while you're studying, you could get a message claiming to be from the UK tax office, also known as HMRC.

They might say you're owed a tax refund or that you have to pay money right away.

Be cautious - these are usually scams. Never give out your login details for any official websites. If you get a suspicious message, let the real HMRC know by texting 60599 or emailing phishing@hmrc.gov.uk.

Learn more about HMRC scams here.

Blackmail threats targeting students

Money mules

Becoming a money mule is a big mistake and many young people, including students, are being recruited by criminals. It's important to understand the consequences and think twice about quick cash offers.

Download HMRC's Money mules flyer. This outlines why becoming a money mule is a serious crime and how you can protect yourself.

Students can become criminals themselves if they become money mules. This is when you receive money into your bank account from an unknown source and then transfer it onto another account. The money involved often comes from criminal activity. Money mules are recruited because they get to keep some of the stolen cash.

If you allow this to happen, this known as money laundering which is a serious crime.

Criminals can target students online and in person. Never give your bank details to anyone unless you know and trust them. Be careful of offers promising easy money and job ads that seem to good to be true.

UK finance and CIFAS have teamed up to create the 'Don't be fooled' campaign to raise awareness of this problem. Visit the Money mules website to learn more.

What is phishing?

Phishing is a cybercrime. Cyber criminals send emails that look like they are from a trustworthy source. This could be a fake email from an organisation or even someone you know including a friend or colleague.

Their aim is to try and steal sensitive information such as your passwords and credit card details or encourage you to click on a fraudulent link that can install malicious software.

Sometimes these emails don't automatically get put into your junk folder, so it's key to know the signs.

How you can avoid phishing

• Confirm the sender's email address is legitimate
• Be cautious of emails that have glaring spelling and grammatical errors
• Do not click on any links or download attachments if you were not expecting the email
• Is the greeting generic suggesting they don't know you e.g 'Dear Bank Customer'
• Always verify unexpected requests for your personal information with the company or person directly

Visit our Phishing and Spam page for more tips from the IT team.

Online bullying and harassment

Bullying and harassment is never OK, whether that's in person or online and it can lead to disciplinary action from the University. When this happens online, cyberbullying tends to take place via social media platforms.

• Cyberstalking  - persistent messages meant to intimidate or create discomfort.
• Spreading lies - posting fake information to harm someone's reputation.
• Image-based sexual abuse - sharing intimate photos without consent.
• Impersonation - posing as someone else to spread false information or harm reputation.
• Up-skirting - taking and sharing inappropriate photos without consent.
• Virtual mobbing - encouraging multiple people to harass someone online.

Protect yourself against online harassment and cyberbullying and block and report harassers where you can.

Make sure you keep records of all records of interactions for evidence. Learn more on our Bullying and Harassment page about how your University can support you.

Where to get support

If you feel like there is an immediate danger or threat to life, please call the emergency services on 999.

Report + Support

If you would like to report something to City, you can use our online reporting platform, Report + Support.

Report + Support makes it easier to confidentially report a wide range of issues so that we can best support you.

Use this tool to report a concern, an incident that occurred, or to make a disclosure about your own or someone else's safety and well-being.

University support

• A wide range of support services are also available to students at City.

External support

• Victim Support - a 24/7 charity service dedicated to offering specialist and free support to victims of crime in England. Even if you haven’t reported the crime, you can still get support.
• Galop - an anti-violence charity offering emotional and practical support for LGBT+ victims of sexual violence, hate crime or domestic abuse.
• Tell MAMA – supports victims of anti-Muslim hate and monitors anti-Muslim hate incidents.
• Community Security Trust - a charity that protects British Jews from antisemitism and related threats.
• Samaritans - Whatever you’re going through you can call the Samaritans for free, any time.  They offer support 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
• The Mix - A charity offering free, confidential and anonymous support for under 25s. Whatever issue a young person is facing, The Mix is always there.
• Forum+ - supports local LGBT+ victims of hate crime, hate incidents and discrimination.