Cybercrime Awareness For Students - The Need Of The Hour!

Life in this digital era is like a constant gamble on an Individual’s safety. While all information is available with a click, so is our private data, which if falls into the wrong hands, can harm even the cyber security of a nation. With the rising dependency of the younger generation on the Internet, it becomes crucial to educate them about the potential dangers, by incorporating cybercrime awareness for students in the school curriculums. 

As per reports, In 2023 India witnessed a rate of 129 cybercrime cases per lakh population and the number of reported cybercrimes as per the data of the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal (NCRP) grew by a whopping 61% from the year 2022 to 2023, i.e., from 9.66 lakh cases reported in 2022 to 15.6 lakh cases in 2023. Which is a significant increase in the cybercrime rate, and a decline in cyber security.

What Is Cybercrime?

Cybercrime, by definition, is an unlawful activity done through the medium of a computer, online network, or connected networks. It is a type of threat posed on an Individual’s data, finances, or privacy as a whole.

Let’s understand how cybercrime impacts students, thus requiring a need for cybercrime awareness.

Types Of Cyber Crimes & How To Prevent Them

1. Delivery Scams

Nowadays, when students have easy access to online shopping, they often get targeted by fraudulent delivery calls, wherein they are asked to submit OTP or bank details for online payments or updates on orders they never placed.

To safeguard students from this type of cybercrime, it is necessary to increase their awareness of checking the authenticity of delivery executives and checking the OTP messages thoroughly to ensure they are from the right source.

2. Part-time/Work-from-home Jobs Scam

This is yet another popular scam going around solely to target students or individuals looking for some extra pocket money while studying. These scams usually include links to offer easy money jobs and thus collect data.

One way to spread awareness amongst students regarding this type of cybercrime is to teach them to avoid clicking on random links and checking the notification source by which they receive such information.

3. Fraudulent Shopping Websites

Students in today’s times become easily susceptible to these decent-looking websites offering great offers on their products. However, this is another way cyber criminals tend to attack on the private data and financial security of Individuals.

The best way to deal with these types of attacks is to avoid shopping from such websites or at least to check their authenticity through reviews about them on the Internet. Needless to say, students must avoid buying products from such websites using pre-paid mode of payment. Always go for pay on delivery!

4. Scholarships and Student Loans

This is so far the easiest bait for students. As we know the education costs are increasing, and thus many students seek private student loans or student scholarships to pursue their higher education. Criminals involved in this type of cybercrime aim to trap young students with little to no awareness of secure financial services in the vicious cycles of debt.

The easiest solution to this type of cybercrime is to educate students on applying for loans or scholarships only from sources trusted by the RBI. Another awareness required to safeguard oneself from such scams is to always read the terms and conditions properly. 

In conclusion, awareness of cyber crimes for students is a first step towards a nation protected against cyber crimes. After all, students are the nation-builders of the future. A few steps that the government has taken to safeguard people are setting up cybercrime cells in different parts of the country and even online cybercrime portals and toll-free helpline numbers. Similarly, education institutes and parents must include cybercrime awareness for students using easy-to-access PPTs and seminars around the same.