Help CenterIf you receive a telephone call, email or text message from someone who you do not know, remember that it could be a scam. Criminals use all kinds of ways to trick you into paying them money or giving them valuable information about yourself.
In recent years, international students have been targeted by criminals who telephone them and pretend to be from a legitimate organisation (such as the UK Home Office or an education agent). They demand money and claim that if you do not pay the fine quickly, there will be terrible consequences (for example, deportation or cancelling your visa).
Some students end up becoming criminals when they allow money from an unknown source to pass through their bank account. Read about the dangers of money laundering at: https://www.dontbefooled.org.uk/
Is it a fraud?
Common features of a fraudulent call (‘scams’):
The caller may seem genuine, as they have some information about you (for example, your passport number, your telephone number and name).
The caller may give you their name and telephone number, to try to convince you they are genuine.
They may say that there is a serious problem with your immigration status, and that you need to pay a fine, or send a payment. They usually demand that payment is made via Western Union as soon as possible, to prevent further action or investigation by the UK Home Office.
The caller will try to pressure you into making the payment and threaten eg deportation or cancelling your visa. This is a common fraudster's technique, to make you panic and act quickly.
How to respond
If you receive such a call (or a similar contact by any other means, for example email or text), the advice is as follows:
Do not give any personal information, and do not confirm that any information the caller / sender has is correct.
Do not make any payment.
You may wish to tell the caller/sender that you know that this is a scam and that you will be reporting it to the police and the Home Office. Or you may simply wish to hang up.
If you think you've been targeted, speak to an adviser at your university or contact Action Fraud to report it: https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/
For more information, please see https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/frauds-tricks-and-scams