| There has been an increase in reports of finance scams aimed at International students in the last few weeks, with some students losing significant amounts of money. Please take a minute to read about some of the common scams to be wary of, so that you can stay vigilant and protect yourself and your money against any fraudulent activity. |
👮 Fake police or embassy calls or messages
- Scammers impersonate police or embassy officials; often Chinese or UK authorities including Public Security, Procuratorate, and Court (PSPC) Officials.
- They claim the student is involved in a crime such as money laundering and demand payment to avoid arrest or deportation.
- Some use video calls with fake uniforms and documents to appear credible.
👛 Tuition Fee scams
- Offers of discounted tuition fees if paid via a third party.
- Scammers pay the University with stolen cards, then ask students to reimburse them.
- When the payment is reversed, the student loses money and still owes fees.
🛂 Fake immigration or visa issues
- Calls or emails claiming visa problems, demanding immediate fines.
- Often spoofed to look like they’re from the Home Office or UKVI.
📞 AI voice cloning and virtual kidnapping
- Scammers use AI to mimic a student’s voice and call family members asking for emergency funds.
- Some scams involve isolating the student and pretending they’ve been kidnapped.
📧 Student job opportunity scam emails
They will tell students to go onto their personal email account and ask for money up front for ‘equipment’ to be able to start the job.
Emails (especially from Gmail accounts), with an empty subject line, which are related to job applications or job opportunities.
Spot the red flags
- Has someone contacted you unexpectedly?
- Have you been asked to transfer money or to move money to keep it safe?
- Have you been asked to provide personal information?
- Does what you‘re told sound too good to be true?
- Are you being pressured into making a decision?
- Have you been asked to hold money in your bank account on behalf of an organisation?
It’s OK to reject, refuse or ignore any requests. Only criminals will try to rush or panic you.
The key thing to remember if you spot any red flags, are uncomfortable or aren’t 100% sure that something is legitimate; is to never give out any personal information or make any financial transactions.
It’s okay to put the phone down, or not respond to text or WhatsApp messages if something doesn’t feel right.
If you receive a suspicious email in your student email inbox, do not click on any links and do not reply, but let us know by sending the phishing email as an attachment to phishing@manchester.ac.uk.
Find out more and report suspicious activity
Check out our Scams and Risks webpage, which has more useful information about common types of scams, spotting the red flags and tips on how to stay safe and protected. It also includes further details about reporting suspicious activity, or find out where you can get support if you have fallen victim to a scam.