Resources · Online safety
Scams aimed at students, and where to report them
Fake scholarship offers, "jobs" that ask for a fee, calls about your SIM, links that steal your accounts. I get messages about these every week. The rules below are mine; the links are official.
- No real scholarship, university or employer asks you to pay to apply or to "release" an offer.
- Never share a one-time code (OTP) with anyone, whoever they say they are.
- Type the official address yourself instead of following a link from a message.
- Turn on two-step verification for email, WhatsApp, Facebook and your bank.
- When an offer is urgent and secret, it is a scam. Real offers survive a day of checking.
- If money or an account is lost, report it the same day through the official channels below, and keep the screenshots.
The telecom regulator's site, with its consumer complaint system and public awareness material about SIM fraud, fake calls and unsafe apps. Report telecom-related fraud and check which apps and services are licensed.
Pakistan's federal cybercrime agency, which took over the work of the FIA Cyber Crime Wing. Report online fraud, hacked accounts, blackmail and fake scholarship or job offers through its complaint portal.
The Federal Investigation Agency's bilingual portal to register a complaint about any unlawful activity in the FIA's jurisdiction and track its status. For cybercrime, check NCCIA first, since that work moved to the new agency.
Google's plain-language guide to common scams, phishing messages, passkeys, 2-Step Verification and password checkups. The page states that Google will never call you about your account.
Google's help article on recognising phishing, never entering a password after clicking an email link, and reporting suspicious messages from Gmail. Useful when a scholarship or job email asks for money or login details.
Meta's guidance on romance, investment, job, lottery and loan scams, with three rules: slow down, spot check, do not send money. It also explains reporting and two-factor authentication.