Cybersecurity experts warn families to be on the lookout for scams ahead of back-to-school season
As many children prepare to return to school, virtual private network provider NordVPN has warned families to be vigilant for scams as cybercriminals are likely to target parents during back-to-school season.
NordVPN warns that parents may receive messages claiming to be from their child’s school, informing them of changes to start dates or asking them to download timetables with malicious links included.
The news comes as cyberattacks on the education sector have become increasingly frequent. However, researchers at NordVPN found 73 percent of cyberattacks in the education sector are targeted at higher education institutions, possibly due to the larger number of financially active students than in younger age groups.
“It is not uncommon for parents to receive deceptive emails and texts regarding new uniforms and tech deals, however criminals are now moving on to impersonating schools directly.
Fraudsters are sending messages warning that the first day of term has changed, or that school schedules have shifted, prompting parents to click links to ‘confirm details’ or download new timetables,” Marijus Briedis, Chief Technology Officer at NordVPN, explains.
“With just a matter of days until schools reopen, these fake messages often carry a sense of urgency, causing parents to act without verifying, and risk exposing both financial and personal data via a type of fraud called smishing.
“Many scams pose as school administrators, or even headteachers or heads of year. Schools are relying more on email and SMS to communicate with parents so there may be legitimate messages, but it’s worth double-checking and also familiarising yourself with the names of relevant teachers.
“It’s not just contact from the school that parents should be cautious about. A scam we have seen grow in popularity in recent years is one claiming to be from your child. It usually involves a sense of urgency and could say something like ‘hi mum, it’s me, my phone’s broken, can you text me on my new number?’. These exploit parental concern, which is heightened at the start of the school year. If parents reply, it can quickly spiral into requests for money or access to sensitive family data.”
Teachers may also be targeted by cybercriminals at this time, with NordVPN’s research finding scam texts informing educators of changes to staff portals.
Briedis adds: “Teachers can also be on the receiving end of these scams. They will be delivered in the same way but will try to convince you that there have been internal changes at your place of work. We are seeing some examples that start with ‘please update your password for the staff portal’ and others that ask you to update your financial details for payroll purposes.”
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