Application season is busy for scammers too. A few habits keep your identity and accounts safe.
Never share these
- Your passwords or OTP codes, with anyone, ever. No real university, scholarship office or Nooops Buddy will ask for them.
- Photos of your CNIC on social media or in public WhatsApp groups.
Only upload documents to official portals
- Check the web address before you upload. Official Pakistani government sites usually end in .gov.pk, and universities in .edu.pk.
- Be careful with links in WhatsApp forwards and text messages. Open the official website yourself instead.
- No genuine scholarship asks you to pay a fee to an agent's personal JazzCash or Easypaisa account to "secure" a place.
Protect your copies
- Add a watermark when you send a CNIC copy somewhere other than an official portal, for example: For HEC scholarship application only.
- Delete document photos from shared phones and computers after use.
- Use a different password for your email than for portals, and turn on two-step verification for your email.
If something feels wrong
Stop and check the official website or helpline. If you shared a password, change it straight away. You can always ask a Buddy whether a message looks genuine.