Students are a common target of financial scammers who operate via email,聽phone and聽social media - read our聽advice on being aware and staying safe.
It can be common for there to be scamming attempts聽targeting international聽students, especially during the start of term,聽regarding accommodation contracts,聽visas and聽immigration, or聽tuition fees. These聽organisations may pose聽as the police or government departments聽and try to gain your personal information or money.听
A recently reported聽scam involves fake representatives of official organisations from a student's home country, advising that the student聽or a family member is suspected of money-laundering and the debt must be repaid to ensure family safety and honour,聽often advising not to tell the British police. Other known scams include National Insurance numbers and foreign exchange rates,聽tuition fee payment听辞谤听cryptocurrency. Find out more about the scams which target international students聽and how to report them.
Please be aware that聽official communications will only come from official channels.听Double check anything which seems suspicious, always think twice before clicking on email聽links, or accepting . If someone聽tries聽to put you under pressure or blackmail you into giving away your personal details or money, then stop communicating with them immediately and聽report it using the contact details below.
What to do if you鈥檙e a victim of a scam
If you receive a communication trying to blackmail you, we encourage you to seek help and support from聽AskBU聽or our in the first instance. You can also聽report聽it via聽聽and tell our local police team, the聽Bournemouth Campus Police, if you think you have been targeted. Visit the聽government website for official advice on聽.听
The threats can cause considerable financial damage, and can also mean your聽personal information could be shared with other illegal organisations.
How to stay safe online
BU is one of many organisations targeted daily with spam and phishing emails聽designed to look as though they come from other trusted organisations but which contain attachments or links which deliver Malware attempting聽to beat our聽counter-security measures - find out how you can stay safe online.
