Government and NatWest launch student scam crackdown

The government, working with NatWest and led publicly by Lord Hanson, has launched a new campaign aimed at cracking down on scams targeting university students, after bank data showed a majority of undergraduates have encountered fraud in the past year. NatWest’s figures indicate 57 percent of students said they had either fallen victim to or encountered a scam over the previous 12 months, prompting ministers and industry partners to expand prevention efforts as the academic year begins.

Officials said the initiative responds to a rise in schemes that exploit students’ financial pressures and inexperience. Common tactics include fake job offers and rental listings, and impersonation of banks through text messages, emails and phone calls purporting to warn of suspicious activity. Scammers frequently replicate official logos and language, and sometimes use students’ names to add credibility, making it easier for a hurried or tired student to disclose account details or passwords.

The campaign pairs public-awareness work under the Stop! Think. Fraud. banner with new elements of the government’s expanded Fraud Strategy, according to government statements. Measures outlined include...