LONDON, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- Britain's Student Loans Company (SLC) has urged new and returning university students to remain vigilant against scams as the 2025/26 academic year begins.
In September, SLC will distribute about 2.2 billion pounds (about 2.99 billion U.S. dollars) in maintenance payments to nearly 1 million students. Officials warn that this period often coincides with a rise in fraudulent activities, particularly text message scams.
"The methods used by fraudsters are constantly evolving, especially around the start of the academic year when the first payments are made," said Alan Balanowski, risk director at SLC. He added that criminals frequently impersonate the agency or students through phone calls, emails and text messages.
According to SLC, its fraud prevention measures stopped 45.5 million pounds from being stolen from students last year. The agency stressed that while it is committed to protecting students, individuals must also take steps to safeguard their personal and financial information.
SLC reminded students that genuine communications will never request personal or banking details via email or text message, nor use social media platforms such as WhatsApp. Suspicious messages should be reported immediately to the agency's Economic Crime Unit.
The company also published practical tips, including checking for poor spelling or grammar in communications, being wary of generic greetings such as "Dear Student," and avoiding urgent messages that threaten account closures.
Telecom and online fraud have become a growing concern in Britain in recent years. Official data show young people are among the most frequent targets, particularly around major financial transactions such as tuition and maintenance loan payments. (1 pound = 1.36 U.S. dollar) ■
