Scams and fraud

Always take a moment before making a decision to respond and consider if you are being forced into something because you are being made to feel curious, scared or sympathetic. Ask friends or family for their thoughts on whether the information is legitimate and check out the useful tips below to ensure you avoid any scams:

• Check emails and documents for poor spelling and grammar – this is often a sign of a scam
• Do not click on any links or open attachments contained within emails which you are not expecting
• If you receive an email which asks you to login to an online account via a link provided in the email, instead of clicking on the link, open your browser and go directly to the company’s website yourself
• Don’t share personal information, passwords or bank account details
• Keep your mobile devices and computers secure and use safe WiFi connections
• Make sure all accounts have strong passwords and change them regularly
• Only pay tuition fees directly to the university and not through a third-party - don’t pay any type of tuition fee in cash to individuals or on chats online
• Don’t make any advance payments unless you are certain the company you’re dealing with is legitimate
• If you have a job abroad and an email mentions visa fees, ask the embassy representing the country where you will be working how to obtain a visa and how much it costs. Check that the answers the potential employer or recruiter gave you are the same – if they’re not, it may be a sign of fraud.

What to do if you’re a victim:

• If you think your bank details have been compromised or if you believe you have been defrauded contact your bank immediately
• Stop all communication with the email sender but make a note of their details
• If you have replied to an email or clicked on a weblink, please call IT Services as soon as possible on 01202 965515, or freephone 0808 196 2332, so that our teams can ensure BU systems are not compromised
• Send a copy of any emails you're unsure about as an attachment to the BU Unwanted Mail mailbox and do not reply to the original email
• If you have been affected by this, or any other type of fraud, you can also report it to Action Fraud by visiting www.actionfraud.police.uk or by calling 0300 123 2040. 

If you ever think that something isn’t quite right, you can contact AskBU or Bournemouth Police for further guidance and support.

An increasingly common scam is fake email or text messages pretending to be from the Royal Mail, DPD, or other delivery providers, which may indicate that a courier has tried to deliver a parcel. It then asks you to reschedule the delivery by clicking a link to a fake website, and to settle an outstanding delivery fee. This is a smart scam, as the email uses various social engineering techniques to try and obtain your personal information.

It's very important to remain vigilant against potential scams - are you expecting a delivery? If not, then question why you would receive this message.

Advice and best practice

• If you are expecting a parcel delivery be cautious. Contact the delivery company or the original retailer directly through their official website to check the status of the delivery. Do not click the links provided and do not give out your personal information or debit/credit card details if asked to do so following an email or text message prompt.
• It's also best practice to use a different password for each account you have, e.g. your BU email address, personal email, Facebook etc. If one account is compromised, they could all be.

Reporting and more information

Information about recent Royal Mail parcel delivery scams can be found on the Royal Mail website. For guidance on how to remain vigilant against DPD delivery scams, visit the DPD website.

If you receive an email to your BU account that looks suspicious, please report it to IT Services on 01202 965515 (or freephone 0808 196 2332) or forward the email as an attachment to [email protected].

If you do receive a scam message, or if you are a victim of any type of cybercrime, it’s also important to report it to Action Fraud via their website so that it can be investigated.

For the latest information on cybercrimes and for guidance on how to protect yourself, visit the government's National Cyber Security Centre website. There are also other things that you can do to prevent cyber-attacks - check out the IT information pages on the BU website for more general guidance.

Cryptocurrency and online trading scams are now a popular way for scammers to trick people into sending money. Students can be an easy target with often unbelievable offers to make money quickly. Most crypto scams appear via email, or social media, as fake investment and business opportunities. Usually the scammer wants you to send money, or make a payment, but once you do, your money is gone, and there’s generally no way to get it back. Blackbullion have put together a really helpful guide to what cryptocurrency is, why it attracts young people and the dangers of trying to make money from it.

Be aware of these common scams circulating via social media:

• Finfluencers - beware of so-called finance 'experts' on YouTube, TikTok and Instagram
• Money mules - how criminals are using students to move money through their bank accounts
• Check our advice on protecting yourself from enabling fraud
• For more information, check out how to spot a social media scam or online trading scams.

Watch out for anyone who:

• Guarantees that you’ll make money
• Promises big payouts that will double your money in a short time
• Promises free money or cryptocurrency
• Says that the offer is only available for a limited time
• Makes claims about their company that are not clear
• Asks for your personal ID, bank details or to set up a new bank account.

There are lots of different cryptocurrencies around, and you might hear about them in the media, but make sure that you're aware of these common scams:

• Fake exchanges - investment opportunities of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies being marketed on social media and via email – these will send you to fake exchanges which can often disappear overnight. Make sure websites are HTTPS secured - although this is no guarantee the site is genuine – but the most important thing is to do your research and seek out reviews of sites.
• Fake wallets - wallets are primarily about storing your cryptocurrency and not buying or selling it. Fake wallets are scams for malware to infect your computer to steal your passwords and other personal information. They are not easy to spot but sites like Bitcoin.com, for example, do recommend wallets for mobile and desktop users and provide a simple, secure way to send and receive bitcoin.
• Phishing scams - phishing is when someone tries to trick you into thinking that a website or company is genuine. Scammers will often encourage you to make a transaction, but this will be fake, meaning you’ll lose your money as a result. Alternatively, it could be an opportunity for scammers to place malware on your device to steal your personal details.
• Ponzi scams - ponzi scams usually involve making strong or unrealistic claims about the returns you are able to make by investing in cryptocurrencies. They often have referral programmes to encourage investors to sign up their friends and families. In reality, most people will lose some of all of their money in these types of schemes.

If you spot a cryptocurrency scam, report it immediately to the Financial Conduct Authority. You can also follow the FCA ScamSmart on Facebook.

It can be common for there to be scamming attempts targeting international students, especially during the start of term, regarding accommodation contracts, visas and immigration, or tuition fees. These organisations may pose as the police or government departments and try to gain your personal information or money. 

Important: Please be aware that official communications will only come from official channels. Double check anything which seems suspicious, always think twice before clicking on email links, or accepting offers which may appear too good to be true. If someone tries to put you under pressure or blackmail you into giving away your personal details or money, then stop communicating with them immediately and report it using the contact details below.

Make sure that you're aware of the following scams and contact us if you are concerned about yourself or a friend:

• National Insurance scam - phone scammers claiming to be from the National Insurance department or police, reporting that the student's NI number has been used for criminal activities, and attempting to get NI numbers and bank account details

• Tuition payment scam - students are contacted and offered ‘help’ to pay their tuition fees or told they can have a bursary if they supply their bank details.

• Foreign exchange scam - students looking for favourable exchange rates may unwittingly be laundering money and may also end up losing their money.

• The ‘virtual kidnapping’ scam - a student is contacted by someone pretending to be from the embassy of their home country who tells them they are implicated in a serious crime. They are persuaded not to tell anyone and to cut off all contact with their family. Money is then extorted from the family as well as from the student

• Fake Home Office scam (including gift cards and iTunes voucher scams) - scammers are calling students, claiming to be from the Home Office or police and demanding money for non existent visas fee and fines. Sometimes saying the student did not complete the correct paperwork on entry into the country and that they must pay a fine or be deported.

What to do if you’re a victim of a scam

If you receive a communication trying to blackmail you, we encourage you to seek help and support from AskBU or our IT Service Desk in the first instance. You can also report it via Action Fraud and tell the local Bournemouth Police, if you think you have been targeted. Visit the government website for official advice on how to report these known scams. 

The threats can cause considerable financial damage, and can also mean your personal information could be shared with other illegal organisations.

University students can be targeted by scammers with fake tax refunds in an effort to steal money and personal details.

Genuine organisations like banks and HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) will never contact you out of the blue to ask for your pin, password or bank details. Often HMRC related email and message scams spoof the branding of gov.uk and well known credit cards in attempt to look authentic. Fraudulent emails and messages will regularly include links which take students to websites where their information can be stolen. 

Stay vigilant if someone online ask you for money or personal information. If in doubt, HMRC advises that you:

Stop: 

• Take a moment to think before parting with your money or information
• Don’t give out private information or reply to text or What's App messages, and don’t download attachments or click on links in texts or emails you weren’t expecting
• Do not trust caller ID on phones. Phone numbers can be spoofed.

Challenge: 

• It’s ok to reject, refuse or ignore any requests – only criminals will try to rush or panic you
• Search ‘scams’ on gov.uk for information on recognising a genuine HMRC contact and how to avoid and report scams.

Protect:

• Forward suspicious emails claiming to be from HMRC to [email protected] and texts to 60599. Report scam phone calls on gov.uk
• Contact your bank immediately if you believe you have submitted card details to a scammer and report to Action Fraud if you suffer financial loss. 

Further information

If you think that you've fallen victim to a financial scam, contact Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or use its online fraud reporting tool. If you receive any suspicious emails you can report these to BU IT Services or send as an attachment via [email protected]. Read our top tips on how to be cybercrime aware.