It has come to our attention that new international students have been targeted in a scam at some other universities.
How it happens...
The horrible stories usually start with students receiving a scary phone call from someone faking a government body and claiming students are reported being involved in money laundering, immigration crimes or other serious misconduct. Students are then 'advised' to provide personal identity and financial details including their bank card/account information to allow them to investigate the relevant cases.
Once all the details are given, fraudsters can then transfer money out of the students' accounts and in some cases, students were even convinced if they don't pay a fine to the 'government body', they could be deported from the country immediately!
The fraudsters can sound like:
They tend to pose as government officials or the police.
They might intimidate you by using phrases like ‘deportation notice’, ‘late fee charges’, ‘10-year ban to enter the UK’ if you refuse immediate payment.
They are using software which displays official Home Office or police numbers on the students’ screens to make it look genuine, and when students try to verify information on the phone, they often find the fraudsters indeed hold their sensitive personal details.
They can be “authoritative and persistent” and have told students not to hang up the phone as the authorities will assume they are “implicit in criminal activity''.
Key facts you need to know:
Please be alerted that government bodies or officials never ask for your bank details, PIN and other sensitive information via phone calls. Official communications should always be in written format - either by emails or through post.
You should not make any payments or give any personal information to the caller.
Advice we give you:
Please keep your personal details safe, and avoid letting people know your financial circumstances. For valuable belongings and cash, it is best to keep them in a safe or deposit into your bank. It is always best to be cautious and not to make yourself vulnerable to the fraudsters.
If you ever get contacted by such people, you should contact our team by emailing [email protected] and we will help you report the incident to Action Fraud.
