The University is committed to ensuring that no student experiences blackmail, regardless of any involvement in cheating or engagement with content writing services. It is important to note that these content writers and essay mills frequently exploit students by demanding additional payments. This practice, known as contract cheating, involves threatening to report students to the university for utilising their services, whether they are current students or graduates.
Do not allow yourself to be blackmailed. If you find yourself in the situation of being blackmailed, or threatened with blackmail, it is important you contact Report and Support or ENSA as soon as possible. By doing so the university will be able to offer you support and guide you on next steps, which may involve contacting Police Scotland for their advice. Whilst you may still be investigated for an academic integrity breach, this will be treated as a secondary concern to safeguarding your wellbeing and coming forward proactively will be taken into consideration.