The Police and Crime Commissioner and North Wales Police have launched a ‘Safer Students’ campaign to encourage youngsters to stay safe online.

Being online more means students need to be careful to avoid various harms people can face on the internet every day.

With this in mind, Get Safe Online has put together some tips for students.

The advice covers fraudulent texts, emails, direct messages and calls claiming to be from banks, student loan providers, HMRC and other trusted organisations, checking in person that accommodation advertised really exists, and the advertiser is authentic before parting with money, paying deposits and other up-front payments by credit card for extra protection, thinking twice before clicking on links or attachments or allowing callers access to devices or accounts.

Other advice includes keeping banking and other financial details private, and making money transfers safely via a mobile wallet or banking app.

If someone is buying from or subscribing to a website for the first time, they should check it’s legitimate on the ‘Check a Website’ tool on www.getsafeonline.org.

Avoid paying a person or company you don’t know by bank transfer for things like purchases, accommodation deposits and fees.

People should keep confidential details, passwords and other login details private, review location settings on phones, cameras and apps to protect physical safety, avoid freebies and prize draws asking for confidential data, and remember innocently shared intimate images can fall into the wrong hands.

PC Dewi Owen said: “Students can be particularly vulnerable to fraud and may be targeted by cybercriminals or fraudsters.

“In north Wales [in 2023] 509 students or young people reported that they had been a victim of fraud with the total losses amounting to £705,512.

“Some common types of fraud reported include rental fraud, online shopping fraud, fake job fraud, ticket fraud and sextortion.”

Andy Dunbobbin, Police and Crime Commissioner for North Wales, said: “Students need to be vigilant about the dangers that they could face online, for example from scammers, false advertising and those who might wish to use their data for the wrong ends.

“I would advise students to take note of the important tips in Get Safe Online’s Safer Students campaign so that they remain safe and don’t fall prey to crime.”

Visit www.getsafeonline.org for more.

Forward suspicious emails to [email protected], and suspicious text messages or spam calls free of charge to 7726.