FRAUDS & SCAMS

Fraud is when a person lies to you, or ‘scams’ you, to gain an advantage, such as taking your money or learning private information about you. This could be via email, text, phone or in person, either on the street or on your doorstep.

Remember, you should never give your financial details to

someone you don’t know and trust.

When it comes to paying your Tuition and Accommodation fees or any other money that should be paid to the University – this should be always directly paid to the University.

For international students, who are more likely to be a victim of a fraud/scam Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) offers further information:

UKCISA - international student advice and guidance - Frauds and scams

Ten golden rules to prevent fraud – Met Police London

Remember these ten golden rules to help you prevent fraud.

Be suspicious of all ‘too good to be true’ offers and deals. There are no guaranteed get-rich-quick schemes.
Don’t agree to offers or deals immediately. Insist on time to get independent or legal advice before making a decision.
Don’t hand over money or sign anything until you’ve checked someone’s credentials and their company’s.
Never send money to anyone you don’t know or trust, whether in the UK or abroad, or use methods of payment you’re not comfortable with.
Never give banking or personal details to anyone you don’t know or trust. This information is valuable so make sure you protect it.
Always log on to a website directly rather than clicking on links in an email.
Don’t just rely on glowing testimonials. Find solid, independent evidence of a company’s success.
Always get independent or legal advice if an offer involves money, time or commitment.
If you spot a scam or have been scammed, report it and get help.
Don’t be embarrassed about reporting a scam. Because the scammers are cunning and clever there’s no shame in being deceived. By reporting it, you'll make it more difficult for them to deceive others.

If you receive a suspicious call/email/message:

Check the email address carefully - often, the emails look like they have come from a friend but there is a slight variation, such as an added letter or number.
Do not transfer any money to anyone unless you are entirely sure the request is genuine and you know the person.
Do not give the caller/sender any personal information, and do not confirm that any information they have is correct.
Do not make any payment. The Home Office does not issue financial penalties. Nor does UKCISA.
You may wish to tell the caller/sender that you know about the fraudulent contact they are making, and that you will be reporting it to the police and the Home Office. Or you may simply wish to hang up.
Report the incident to your international student adviser, who can report the fraud to the police and to the Home Office if you wish.
If you wish, you can report the matter online to Action Fraud

Either online using Online Reporting Tool or by phone +44(0)300 123 2040 (Monday to Friday, 8am to 8pm)

You can also help other potential victims of this fraud by adding details of your experience to a discussion about this specific fraud on the Who Calls Me website.

What to do if I was a victim of a fraud/scam?

The general guidance is to:

Report this to the police. Only call 999 if you or someone else is in immediate danger or risk of harm. For non-emergency number for Police only call 101.
If your bank details were exposed - contact you bank.
Report it to Action Fraud

Either online using Online Reporting Tool or by phone +44(0)300 123 2040 (Monday to Friday, 8am to 8pm)

Contact Student Centre if you think you may have been a victim of a scam student.centre@brunelac.uk

If you have received suspicious email on your student email or have any IT security-related issues, please contact the IT services: itservicedesk@brunel.ac.uk

If you require any emotional support after being the victim of a scam/fraud, you can contact the free, confidential Victim Support: Get help - Victim Support

You can also speak to the Student Support and Welfare Team: studentsupport@brunel.ac.uk or by visiting them in the Student Centre in Howell building on Campus.

Staying safe online – prevention

You can prevent being a victim of a fraud/scam. Below is the list of some examples of actions that you can take to make sure you keep yourself and your personal details safe.

Create different passwords for internet sites and be wary about giving out personal information.
Include a mixture of letters and numbers in passwords, including capital letters and punctuation.
Try not to use the same password for more than one account.
Be aware of fraud when using bank cards and credit cards to make payments online.
Make sure the website you are using is secure: check that the web address starts with https:// and that there is a padlock symbol in the address bar next to it.
Make sure your antivirus software is up to date.
If you do get hacked, change your password immediately.

For more information please, see:

Protect yourself from fraud and cyber-crime | Action Fraud

Money Mules video

The Little Book of Big Scams – 5th Edition (met.police.uk)