Several Chinese universities have recently issued a warning to students and teachers about potential online payment fraud after many such cases occurred in universities across China. The warning described how criminal gangs had impersonated university faculty on instant messaging platforms such as WeChat and QQ to gain the trust of their “targets” before tricking them into a payment transaction.

In fact, similar online payment fraud cases emerged years ago, and the relevant departments took concrete actions to combat such crimes. However, now teachers and students in the universities find themselves in the crosshairs of fraudsters, demonstrating why it is necessary to raise safety awareness in higher education. This awareness should focus specifically on the challenges we face in light of the internet’s rapid development.

China issued regulations regarding security awareness education for undergraduates in 2015, which mainly outlined how best to bolster campus security and the psychological wellbeing of undergraduate students. However, few regulations have been written concerning how to ensure the online safety of college students.

As people’s daily lives continue to intertwine with the rapid progress of the internet and digital technology, cyber crimes have become increasingly common, and young people are more likely to be the victims of such crimes due to their lack of online safety awareness. According to statistics, new “online loans schemes” have become one of the top risks to university students. In these cases, loan sharks target cash-strapped university students by promoting fraudulent campaigns, such as “job-hunting loans,” “training loans,” or “beauty loans” so as to trap them in debt.

China has stepped up efforts to crack down on cyber crime as of last year in order to safeguard cybersecurity. However, as university teachers and students fall victim to such schemes, decision-makers at higher education institutions need to think in advance and prioritize cybersecurity in the universities, and establish appropriate training programs to raise students’ awareness of such cases.

The rapid development of the internet and digital technologies has also magnified the weaknesses in human nature. Many college students who become addicted to the internet, either after spending too much time and energy watching short videos or playing online games, may experience issues relating to communication, a deterioration in their studies, or even become victims of online payment fraud. These can all negatively affect their lives. As such, self-management is both crucial and necessary for college students so that they can better protect themselves on the internet. Moreover, universities need to provide guidance for their students on how to use the internet properly instead of them being manipulated by the internet.

Xie Bo is professor with Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University.