How to protect higher ed students from scams and cybercrime

5 minute read

College students are exposed to increasingly varied and sophisticated cyber-enabled scams, harassment and attacks. Despite their high level of computer literacy and online experience, students can easily fall victim to clever social engineering scams because they tend to trust technology and the communities they encounter online. Additionally, they may be away from home and handling finances for the first time, which makes them especially vulnerable to banking and rental scams.

 

In 2025, people under age 29 reported losing $563 million to cybercrime, a jump from $401 million in 2023, according to the FBI. Cryptocurrency fraud is on the rise, too — in 2025, victims below age 29 reported losses amounting to $316 million.

 

Common scams and attacks don’t just result in loss of money. They can also lead to loss of privacy for victims. These cyberattacks may impact the victim’s self-esteem and mental health and weigh on their academic experience and performance.

 

As trusted sources of information, colleges and universities are well positioned to educate students about the ways they and their schools are targeted by cybercriminals. Getting their attention and encouraging them to engage in cybersecurity defense efforts could be challenging, however. The following guidelines can help:

 

1. Collaborate: Build alliances with your students.

Create partnerships among administrators, faculty and students to combat cyberthreats together. Work with students to create an approach and language that works for them and let them know they play a significant role in keeping themselves, each other and their school safe.

 

2. Communicate: Connect with students throughout the year and on their terms.¹

According to one study, 18- to 24-year-olds have a 1.3-second active attention span when reading online ads, so communicating with them at relevant points throughout the year, instead of through a one-time lengthy presentation, works best. Use a multipronged approach that incorporates relevant social media platforms to communicate with students and take advantage of existing portals and apps they already use to provide them with security guidance.

 

3. Motivate: Provide incentives to students.

Reach out to students when they’re most engaged with the institution (e.g., orientation, sporting events and other campuswide activities). Consider using fun and competitive games with rewards — like phishing tests — to engage them in training about cyber-enabled threats and scams. These games can leave a lasting impression that will help students recognize real scams when they encounter them.

 

4. Empower: Include students in detection and planning processes.

Students can be the first line in your defense against existing cybercrime tactics and can also help detect new scams that arise. Provide students with simple and effective ways to report scams and cybercrimes they encounter. Be sure to acknowledge them and provide feedback when they do so.

 

5. Listen: Students can also teach us.

Encourage students to report their experiences with successful and attempted scams. This can empower them and help them become watchguards for other students and the school. Ask their advice on the best way to convey these threats to fellow students; their familiarity with current social media trends and communication methods (emojis, slang, etc.) can help you reach students more effectively.

 

Year-round diligence and partnerships among administrators, students and faculty are the keys to a more secure cyber environment. With better awareness of the threats and a proactive dialogue with students, you can reduce your risk of cyber-enabled scams and attacks — a worthwhile goal for everyone.

 

¹ OMD Worldwide, “OMG and Yahoo: When Consumers Pay Attention to Ads, When They Don’t,” August 2022.