THE ROLE OF SOCIAL ENGINEERING IN CAMPUS-BASED CYBERCRIMES

This study examined the role of social engineering in campus-based cybercrimes, focusing on Nigerian tertiary institutions with the University of Benin as case study. Social engineering continues to thrive in academic environments due to trust-based communication systems and increasing reliance on digital platforms for academic, financial, and social interactions. A mixed-method research design was adopted, combining structured questionnaires administered to 400 respondents and semi- structured interviews with key ICT personnel. Findings revealed phishing, impersonation, and fake scholarship scams as the most prevalent social engineering tactics. Behavioral factors such as curiosity, peer influence, and financial vulnerability were identified as major contributors to student susceptibility, alongside institutional gaps including weak cyber awareness programs and poor reporting mechanisms. The study further established that although many students possess basic digital skills, deeper cybersecurity literacy remains insufficient. To address this, the research proposes targeted awareness interventions and the implementation of a Campus Cyber Complaint Reporting System to support early detection, incident reporting, and response coordination. The study concludes that proactive training and structured institutional response measures are essential in reducing the success of social engineering attacks within university environments