Be alert to scams as maintenance loan payments begin
Students urged to ‘stop and think before you click’ as student finance payments begin.
11 September 2026
As students across the country prepare to start or return to university, the Student Loans Company is urging you to ‘stop and think before you click’ when responding to any unusual messages or communications about your student finance.
In September, the Student Loans Company pays approximately £2.6 billion in maintenance support to 1.1 million students. Scammers use this busy payment period to send convincing text messages, emails, or make phone calls claiming that a student’s payment is at risk.
Top tips
Criminals may impersonate the Student Loans Company to try and steal students personal information or money. They will text, email or call claiming there is an issue with an upcoming payment that needs urgent action. This is more common around times when they make student loan payments in September, January and April.
The Student Loans Company will never:
- ask students to provide personal or financial information by email or text message.
- send a message with an urgent deadline for example ‘failure to respond in 24 hours will result in your account being closed’.
Students should never share the following information online which criminals can use to impersonate them:
- name
- date of birth
- customer reference number
- course information
- current or previous address
Ways to recognise and report a scam
Changes to bank details
If a student asks the Student Loans Company to make changes to their bank details, they'll send them a text message to confirm these changes. If they receive a text message and haven't asked for changes to their bank details, they should log into their online account to check their information is correct.
Types of contact
If a student receives a call or message claiming to be from SLC, they should always take time to stop and think if the request is genuine before handing over personal information. They should avoid following any links and check a request is genuine by logging into their online account. The Student Loans Company do not provide services through WhatsApp and won't start contact through social media to discuss a student finance application or entitlement.
Reporting suspicious messages
Suspicious emails should be forwarded to report@phishing.gov.uk. Scam text messages can be forwarded free of charge to 7726. Students who believe their student finance account may have been compromised should contact the Student Loans Company using the official contact details on GOV.UK.
More resources
More advice is available at: