A cruel scam intended to trick students and prospective students to reveal bank details to thieves has been uncovered by some sharp-eyed detective work on the part of staff in a local MPs office. 

A researcher in Somerton & Frome MP David Heath’s office thought there was  something odd about an e-mail from the Student Loans Company requesting details about bank accounts “as a matter of urgency”. The email, intended to fool either new students or those anxiously waiting to find details, warned that “your student loan application will be cancelled if you fail to complete our routine application compliance verification. Failure to verify your details means that your next student loan payment and maintenance grant will be delayed, cancelled or blocked and your tuition fee will not be paid”. The recipient is then asked to fill in vital banking details and return the form by e-mail.

Checking with the real Student Loans Company revealed that the e-mail had nothing to do with them – it is what is termed a phishing exercise. Action has now been taken to block the site and have it taken down. 

Mr Heath said: “I’m very pleased that my staff member not only realised the e-mails were suspicious but then took immediate action to investigate and deal with it. As a result, many thousands of young people may have been spared from having their identities stolen or their bank accounts emptied.

“It shows yet again that you should always be suspicious if you are asked for bank details through e-mail or over the internet, even from what appear to be reputable organisations. It’s always worth double checking they are who they are supposed to be, and if in any doubt, don’t give your details on line, and certainly through sites that are not secure.”