More in the October 2026 edition of Professional Security Magazine about the start of the academic year, and a new set of students enter universities. For unis’ sampus protection and security departments (whatever name they choose), it’s a busy time, being visible to reassure the newcomers.
Every university campus across the West Midlands has dedicated university police officers and Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs). The West Midlands force offers online a Safer Students Digital Booklet, which covers essential (and to parents perhaps bewildering) risks such as sextortion and nitrous oxide. Crime prevention topics include staying safe during nights out, meeting new people, protecting valuables, and using taxis safely. See West Midlands’ ‘safer students‘ website.
Loan scams
If students ever have money, it’s now as they arrive at uni. Hence the Student Loans Company (SLC) has been reminding students, โdonโt click on unexpected linksโ, as their loans began for the academic year. Alan Balanowski, Risk Director at SLC, said: โStarting and returning to university is an exciting and busy time, and receiving that first maintenance payment is an important moment for many students. Unfortunately, scammers know when these payments are due and will go to great lengths to take advantage of students. Scammers can make messages look convincing and create a sense of urgency to encourage people to act without thinking. Our advice is simple: stop and think before you click.โ
Lord Hanson, Home Office minister for countering fraud, said: โCriminals look to cash in on students who are managing their finances for the first time. Anyone receiving unexpected and suspicious messages about their loans should Stop! Think Fraud. As part of our fraud strategy, we are working closely with law enforcement and partners to deliver targeted campaigns within university campuses, helping students recognise the warning signs and protect themselves from scams.โ
A SLC tip for spotting and stopping a scam is that criminals may impersonate the Company (SLC) to try and steal personal information or money. They will text, email or call, claiming there is an issue with an upcoming payment that needs urgent action, especially around times when student loan payments are made in September, January and April. SLC stresses it will never ask someone to provide personal or financial information by email or text message; or send a message with an urgent deadline for example โfailure to respond in 24 hours will result in your account being closedโ.
Targeted sector
The education sector remains the worldโs most targeted sector, facing significantly more cyber attacks than any other, according to a cyber firm.
Between January and July 2026, educational bodies such as colleges and universities, research institutes, and (in the United States) K-12 school systems alike, faced an average of 4,696 weekly cyber attacks per organisation, representing an 8pc increase compared to the same period in 2025 and more than double the global cross-industry average of 2,150 attacks. Education also ranked highest among all 23 tracked sectors, seeing attack volumes about 70 per cent higher than the government sector, the second-most targeted, according to Checkpoint Software.
Comment
Shankar Haridas, UK Business Head at the cyber firm ManageEngine said: โPhishing, social engineering and increasingly sophisticated manipulation now arrive through the phones, inboxes and platforms they use every day. Our approach to digital education needs to keep pace with that reality. We can teach a teenager to write code, but if they canโt spot a phishing email, question a suspicious message or recognise when someone online is trying to manipulate them, there is still a significant gap in their digital education. Cyber literacy isnโt a specialist skill anymore; it is becoming a basic life skill.โ
Photo by Mark Rowe; Christ’s College Cambridge.
