Scams on campus…The digital threats facing college students

(Special to The Dallas Examiner)—Across the nation, college students are setting themselves up for success during the upcoming semester with an expected spending of $86.6 billion on school supplies, more than doubling expected spending for K-12 students. For many young adults, attending college provides a sense of independence and serves as an entry point to establishing their financial health for years to come. Whether purchasing a vehicle, opening a line of credit, or taking out student loans, many financial decisions college students make have long-lasting effects that follow them after graduation and into their professional careers. The average student loan debt among borrowers who graduated in 2021-22 was $29,400. Adding in potential debts for car notes, credit cards, or other purchases, many students begin their post-college careers by spending years settling balances, according to CollegeBoard.org. To make matters more challenging, Better Business Bureau’s 2023 Scam Tracker Risk Report found that 18- to 24-year-olds reported the highest median losses to scams across all age groups for the second year in a row. Consumers within this age group lose $155 per report, 64 percent more than the baseline median losses of $100 across all age groups. Young adults are particularly susceptible to...