Safer Internet Day 2026 is a good time to remind our community how to stay safe online and how to support others who may be dealing with common scams.
Have a quick read to learn how to spot common online, mail, phone and text scams, and what to do if you come across one.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you receive an unexpected phone call, email, or text - pause before sharing personal information or sending money. Ask yourself whether the message could be a scam. It’s okay to say no, hang up, or ignore anything that feels off - genuine organisations won’t pressure or scare you.
Here are some helpful practices to follow if you experience any of the situations below:
You receive a phishing email
For example fake ticket offers or payment requests, deals too good to be true or emails asking you to click an unverified link.
- You can report these emails through the “Report Junk/Phishing” button at the top banner in your UoA Outlook inbox.
You see a post advertising essay writing services
Paying for these services can expose your personal information, lead to scams or blackmail, and result in serious academic consequences if the work is plagiarised.
- You can report these emails through the “Report Junk/Phishing” button at the top banner in your Outlook inbox.
You receive a suspicious phone call or text
For example from HMRC or someone claiming to be from the Immigration authorities requesting money.
- To report a phone call, simply send a text to 7726 with the word 'Call' followed by the scam caller's number.
- To report a text message, forward to number 7726. You'll get a text message back asking you to confirm the scam texter's number - which you're safe to do.
- To report a message received via a messaging app (e.g. Whatsapp/WeChat) Block the number and use the app's reporting feature to notify the platform about the suspicious message.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Remember! If you are unsure if the request is real or not it is better to check with someone you trust. At the university you can contact: Student Advice & Support Office.
By reporting you could help stop criminal activity and prevent others becoming a victim of fraud.