Beware of scams
Scams are increasing in frequency and severity with scammers often targeting international students, including those at ¹úÃñ²ÊƱ.
Scams are a way of tricking people into handing over money or personal details. Most students think they will never fall for a scam, but many do.ÌýThat’s because scammers are becoming increasingly sophisticated. Remember that ¹úÃñ²ÊƱ will mainly charge you for your tuition fees, SSAF, or rent for on-campus accommodation, if applicable.
If you are unsure of the validity of any ¹úÃñ²ÊƱ emails or text messages, contact The Nucleus: Student Hub to confirm.Ìý
See also
Report a suspicious activity
If you see someone behaving suspiciously on campus, or you are receiving suspicious communications (phone calls, messages or emails), report it immediately. ¹úÃñ²ÊƱ Protective services will be able to connect you quickly to relevant support services and help you file a report to the police, if needed.
Latest scams
Fake offer of study or scholarship
Fake offer of study or scholarship
What is it
There are reports of organisations falsely claiming to be the ¹úÃñ²ÊƱ Admissions and Scholarships team or that they are working for ¹úÃñ²ÊƱ. They send members of the public false admission or scholarship offers with a ¹úÃñ²ÊƱ letterhead to trick people into paying an acceptance fee or deposit for a fake offer.
What to expect
As a potential target of this scam, you might receive a fake conditional letter of offer to study at ¹úÃñ²ÊƱ or to complete a joint exchange program with another university. They will request proof of deposit of a large sum to be sent to a bank account that is not associated with ¹úÃñ²ÊƱ.
What to do
- If you are unsure of the validity of your offer letter, you can log on to theÌýÌýto check or byÌý
- We have an official network of agent partners and representatives with whom we work closely to provide support to future students. Find a list ofÌýofficial representatives here
- You can report any attempts to the who will be able to provide further support and connect you to the right team.Ìý
Fraudulent job listings
Fraudulent job listings
What is it
Scammers are advertising fake job opportunities across social media platforms with the promise of flexible working arrangements, high rates of pay, and no experience required. Scammers will prompt victims to pay using their own money or cryptocurrency to access further tasks or unlock commissions.Ìý
Official recruiters will never send unsolicited messages on encrypted messaging platforms, including WhatsApp, Telegram or Messenger. If you receive a job offer without an interview, reference checks, and without submitting your resume, the offer is likely a scam.ÌýÌý
What to do
- Avoid job opportunities that require upfront payments in order to be considered
- Verify the business by contacting them through their official channels before proceeding with any opportunities
- If your financial data have already been compromised, contact your bank immediately for further support.Ìý
Phishing
Phishing
What is it
There are numerous emails, text messages and social media posts being circulated that will prompt you to click on a link for more information. When clicking on this link, malicious software would then gain access to your devices and obtain your personal and financial information.
What to do
- Do not click on any links unless the URLs are hosted on official domains. For example:Ìý
- unsw.edu.au/ÌýorÌýunsw.to/
- [...].gov.au/
- Report or mark communications as phishing through your email platform
- Delete and do not reply to suspicious texts, emails or posts.Ìý
1. Keep yourself safe
- Do not provide any information to a suspected scammer.
- Hang up if your receive a suspicious phone call and delete any suspicious texts, emails or posts.
- Report any suspected financial scam to your bank immediately.
- Read our tips on staying cyber safe.
2. Report and get support
- Contact for support or guidance on further actions
- Don't be afraid to speak up and seek advice. Speaking up protects you, your family and other students.
- Seek support fromÌýÌýor a Ìýif you have been targeted and need help.
When to suspect a scam
There are several common signs to identify when trying to spot a scammer. They might:
-
Over time, scams have evolved to become more specific, targeting university applicants and students. Be sure to verify any communications from ¹úÃñ²ÊƱ with The Nucleus: Student Hub if you are a current student, or with the Future Student team if you are an applicant.Ìý
-
-
There are reports of organisations falsely claiming to be the ¹úÃñ²ÊƱ Admissions and Scholarships team or that they are working with ¹úÃñ²ÊƱ. They send members of the public false admission or scholarship offers with a ¹úÃñ²ÊƱ letterhead to trick people into paying an acceptance fee or deposit for a fake offer.
What to expect
As a potential target of this scam, you might receive a fake conditional letter of offer to study at ¹úÃñ²ÊƱ or to complete a joint exchange program with another university. They will request proof of deposit of a large sum to be sent to a bank account that is not associated with ¹úÃñ²ÊƱ.
What to do
- If you are unsure of the validity of your offer letter, you can log on to theÌýÌýto check or byÌý
- We have an official network of agent partners and representatives with whom we work closely to provide support to future students. Find a list ofÌýofficial representatives here
- You can report any attempts of fraud to theÌýÌýwho will be able to provide further support and connect you to the right team.Ìý
What's being done?
The Conduct and Integrity Office (CIO) has worked with ¹úÃñ²ÊƱ Legal and Compliance to send a cease-and-desist letter and has separately reported the matter to NSW Police. The CIO continues to monitor for similarÌýoccurrences and will take action when necessary.Ìý
-
There are reports of individuals posing as education agents who are targeting international applicants across Chinese social media platforms. They claim that they can help students get their offers of study re-issued if they have been withdrawn from ¹úÃñ²ÊƱ for a fee. This is false.Ìý
What to expect
These claims are fraudulent and these entities are not official representatives of ¹úÃñ²ÊƱ. Only the ¹úÃñ²ÊƱ Admissions & Scholarships teamÌýcan issue offers to students. These decisions cannot be influenced or changed by external parties.
What to do
- We have an official network of agent partners and representatives with whom we work closely to provide support to future students. Find a list of official representatives here
- If you have received another offer to study at ¹úÃñ²ÊƱ and are unsure of the validity of your offer letter, you can log onto the to check orÌý
- You can report any approaches from these companies to the ¹úÃñ²ÊƱ Conduct & Integrity Office.
-
-
Scammers may impersonate ¹úÃñ²ÊƱ departments or officials, and claim you have outstanding tuition fees that must be paid directly to a bank account. The bank details used for this phishing scam are not owned by ¹úÃñ²ÊƱ. The goal of this scam is to manipulate victims into transferring money to an individual that is not affiliated with the university.Ìý
What to expect
At ¹úÃñ²ÊƱ, information on payment methods and details can be accessed through my¹úÃñ²ÊƱ and will not be disclosed through email or text messages. Our communications to you will also never include sensitive information such as bank account details when prompting you to pay for an outstanding fee.
What to do
If you receive an email or letter claiming late payments or outstanding tuition fees, look out for the following signs:
- ÌýEnsure the sender's email address ends with '@unsw.edu.au'
- Spot for spelling mistakes
- Call-to-actions should lead to my¹úÃñ²ÊƱ instead of personal bank accounts (i.e. containing BSB and account numbers).
Avoid clicking on links within the email if you are unsure about its validity. Check to verify the message or contact The Nucleus: Student Hub to confirm the origin and validity of the email.
-
Scammers are using stolen credit cards to pay for an international student's tuition fees. They pretend to be authorised agents of universities and offer to pay students' tuition fees on their behalf at a discounted rate.
What to expect
Scammers would make the full payment to the university on behalf of the student and instruct the student to pay them the discounted tuition fee directly to the scammer's bank account. The payment to the university would then be cancelled as the scammer has used a fraudulent credit card to complete the transaction.ÌýÌý
What's being done to prevent this?
The Conduct & Integrity Office (CIO) has reported these scams to NSW Police and the Australian Signals Directorate. We have put controls and protocols in place for these reports and have relayed this procedure to relevant areas of the University including Finance, Security, Registrar and reception.
The CIO is working with ¹úÃñ²ÊƱ Protective Services and the Division of Education & Student Experience to warn students of the scam and to prevent further victims and fraud. A report is being prepared for the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA).
-
Beware of scammers who offer to alter your academic records for money on WeChat. They falsely claim they can change grades, secure fee remission, or amend student records in exchange for money.ÌýNo services or companies outside of ¹úÃñ²ÊƱ can influence or guarantee the outcomes of Fee Remission, Review of Results, or change any aspects of a student's records.
What to expect
Victims of this scam are usually approached by a person or 'agent' claiming to be from an educational organisation that focuses on helping underperforming students. They may also pretend to be students and join WeChat groups to look for their targets. The next step would then be to approach individual students separately by sending them friend requests.
Tips
- Decline friend requests from unknown users or suspicious accounts
- Be cautious when sending messages in WeChat groups
- Avoid sharing personal information on social media with strangers.
-
Contract cheating companies, often disguised as tutoring companies, are known to take your money and cheat you out of the education you deserve. These contract cheating companies position themselves as being officially connected to ¹úÃñ²ÊƱ and can put you in danger of blackmail, identity theft, and being in breach of the ¹úÃñ²ÊƱ Student Code of Conduct and Values. They are not connected to the University in any way.Ìý
What to expect
Commercial academic cheating services are illegal in Australia, with penalties of up to two years in jail for anybody found to be providing this service. If you use , you could:Ìý
- fail your subject or courseÌý
- be suspended or excluded from universityÌý
- lose your visaÌý
- lose your professional accreditationÌý
- be blackmailed by cheating service operators.
Contract cheating scammers may also pretend to be students, attending campus and targeting international students to get them to sign up to groups on social media by scanning a QR code.Ìý
What to do
If you are being blackmailed, please report this to theÌýConduct & Integrity OfficeÌý(CIO) as soon as possible. You can also contactÌýÌýfor advice about academic misconduct and how to get help from ¹úÃñ²ÊƱ.Ìý
If you require academic support, book an appointment with an instead.Ìý
-
Scammers are offering fake airport shuttle services to new international students travelling to Australia with the promise of taking them from Sydney Airport to ¹úÃñ²ÊƱ. Students will be prompted to pay for the service days in advance and will lose contact with the scammer once they arrive in the country.Ìý
What to do
- Do notÌýaccept a lift with anyone you do not know or have not booked a shuttle or transfer with - only use pre-booked shuttles or transfers
- ¹úÃñ²ÊƱ provides a free airport pick-up through Sydney Super Shuttle for new and returning international students. The shuttle transports students from Sydney Airport to ¹úÃñ²ÊƱ Campus and select accomodation providers.
-
-
Financial scams can come in many forms, including credit card data theft, bank transfers, gift cards and many more. If you suspect that you've been engaged in a scam, secure your account and contact your bank immediately for support.Ìý
-
Rental scams trick people into paying money for accommodation that doesn't exist or isn't actually available. In the current competitive rental market, scammers target vulnerable people in our community, particularly international students.
What to expect
Scammers are advertising false accommodation through messaging services such as Kakao, WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger. These properties would then be inspected on behalf of the victim, which would turn out to be a holiday accommodation and not available for rent. These scammers would demand a bond and rental payments upfront for a property that they are not allowed to rent out to others.Ìý
Tips
- Never share personal information or send money to strangers.
- Avoid paying for a rental property by transfer or cash as these payments methods are difficult to trace
- Pay bonds through trusted third parties such as NSW Fair Trading Rental Bonds Online, who will lodge and refund bond money securely
- Use well-known platforms and research properties and agents - only use well-known platforms
- Never pay upfront for a property before you’ve seen it in person - scammers may display impressive photos of properties or ask for a deposit before you've inspected it
- Be cautious of properties with significantly lower prices than other comparable rental properties in the area or landlords who pressure you to sign a lease quickly
- Understand your rental rights.
What to do
Speak to the team or for advice on tenancy and rental enquiries.
-
Money mules are individuals recruited by criminals to receive and transfer stolen money. Often targeted through online and in-person offers, these mules unknowingly assist in money laundering and other illegal activities.
What to expect
- Victims are approached via social media, email, online pop-up ads or fake job offers (e.g. money transfer agents)
- The money being transferred is often used by criminals to fund other serious crimes like cybercrime, terrorism, and human trafficking.
- In Australia, participating in money muling is a serious criminal offence. If convicted, you can face anywhere from 12 months to life in prison.
Tips
- Reflect on whether the offer is too good to be true - be on guard
- Do not engage with any online posts offering large sums of money
- Do not share your personal and banking details with anyone you don't know of trust, even among friends or family.
-
Sexual extortion (or sextortion, or image-based abuse) is a form of blackmail where someone threatens to share intimate personal images of you online unless their demands are met.ÌýThese demands are typically for money, more intimate images or sexual favours.Ìý
What is considered as an intimate personal image?
The image does not need to be pornographic to be intimate. An 'intimate image' means an image (or altered image) of a person's private parts, or of a person engaged in a private act where they would reasonably expect to be afforded privacy. Examples include showering, bathing, using the toilet, engaging in a sexual act, or any other similar activity.Ìý
What to do
If you experience sexual extortion, ensure you record communications as evidence:
- Save text messages, voicemail and/or photos, including dates and times
- Use screenshots and save the image as the date and time it was taken (include the URL in the screenshot where possible)
- Do not pay or send any more images orÌý videos yourself
- Stop all contact with the blackmailer
- Notify the relevant social media platform
- Change the passwords for your social media and online accounts and review the privacy and security settings of your accounts
- Get support from a trusted friend or family member, or from an expert counselling and support service if you are feeling anxious or stressed.
- Report to the NSW Police Assistance LineÌýon 131 444Ìýor to your local police station. You may also callÌýCrime StoppersÌýonÌý1800 333 000.
-
Scammers are advertising fake job opportunities across social media platforms with the promise of flexible working arrangements, high rates of pay, and no experience required. Scammers will prompt victims to pay using their own money or cryptocurrency to access further tasks or unlock commissions.Ìý
What to expect
Official recruiters will never send unsolicited messages on encrypted messaging platforms, including WhatsApp, Telegram or Messenger. If you receive a job offer without an interview, reference checks, and without submitting your resume, the offer is likely a scam.ÌýÌý
What to do
- Avoid job opportunities that require upfront payments in order to be considered
- Verify the business by contacting them through their official channels before proceeding with any opportunities
- If your financial data have already been compromised, contact your bank immediately for further support.Ìý
-
-
Many scams are carried out by individuals pretending to be representing an organisation or government authority with the aim to get victims to send their money, give away their personal information, or control the victims.
-
There are numerous emails, text messages and social media posts being circulated that prompt you to click on a link for more information. When clicking on this link, malicious software would then gain access to your devices and obtain your personal and financial information.Ìý
Tips:
- Do not click on any links unless the URLs are hosted on official domains. For example:Ìý
- unsw.edu.au/ÌýorÌýunsw.to/
- [...].gov.au/
- Report or mark communications as phishing through your email platform
- Delete and do not reply to suspicious texts, emails or posts.Ìý
- Do not click on any links unless the URLs are hosted on official domains. For example:Ìý
-
There have been reports of groups recruiting students on and around campus under the guise of religious or social activities. These cults or cult-like groups would use concerning tactics and behaviours to keep members within their groups, making it difficult for them to leave. It may involve isolating members from their loved ones by trapping them in an intensive commitment.
Common techniques for recruitment
In the past, cults or groups exhibiting cult-like behaviours have targeted students and approached them on campus by:
- Asking personal questions for a survey
- Offering coffee for a chat
- Inviting students to free social group events.
Some of the behaviours or activities conducted by these groups have been reported to result in them isolating their members from their families and friends, verbal abuse, and causing sleep deprivation.
At ¹úÃñ²ÊƱ, we want to ensure the safety of our students and the broader ¹úÃñ²ÊƱ community. We advise that you remain vigilant when in public spaces and engaging with people or organisations that you don't know.Ìý
Tips
- If you feel unsafe while conversing with people you don't know, try to leave the conversation as soon as possible
- Stay in public areas where there are always people around to observe any incidents
- Flag down nearby security staff if they refuse to let you walk away.
What to do
Contact ¹úÃñ²ÊƱ Security if you feel unsafe or would like to report an incident on campus.
-
Virtual kidnappings involve online scammers impersonating a Chinese government official and convincing victims they have been implicated in a crime and must pay large amounts of money or cryptocurrency into offshore Chinese bank accounts to avoid being deported or arrested.
What would usually happen in this situation?
- If victimsÌýcan't transfer money to overseas bank accounts, they're told to fake their kidnapping
- Victims must buy a new phone and not use their old one at all to make the kidnapping look real
- They must book a hotel or Airbnb and only communicate with the "government official".ÌýSome victims are even told to travel interstate or overseas
- Victims are told to buy a rope and makeup, tie themselves up, and make it look like they've been beaten
- Victims are told to take photographs and videos of themselves whilst tied up and to send them to their parents, to create the impression they have been kidnapped
- Scammers would then threaten to jail the victims' parents if they don't pay
- Some male victims are told to go to addresses where female victims are staying and act as a government official for the scammers
- Scammers use false police IDs and fake police stations to convince victims of the threat's legitimacy.
What to do
- Immediately contact NSW Police or ¹úÃñ²ÊƱ Protective Services for support
- Don’t use any contact details provided by the caller. Verify their identity by calling the relevant organisation directly.
-
Scammers target victims using pre-recorded messages about a parcel being on hold, left as voicemail or through messaging platforms. This is followed by threats from false government authorities claiming that victims have been implicated in a crime and that a parcel with their name on it has been intercepted.Ìý
What do scammers want?
Victims are told they must transfer large sums of money to prevent themselves or any of their family or friends from being deported or charged. This is always a lie. Only the Australian Department of Home Affairs canÌýcancel your visa or deport you. Any other organisations or authories do not have the power to do this.
What to do
- Hang up immediately if you receive such a call
- Report the incident toÌýÌýandÌý
- Never provide personal, credit card, or online account details over the phone.
-
Victims are instructed by a false authority or government official to pay a sum of money or risk being deported or having their visa cancelled. Some scammers may also be pretending to be from ¹úÃñ²ÊƱ.
Examples
- Immigration & visa complianceÌý - pretending to be from ¹úÃñ²ÊƱ College -Ìý.
- Gift-card scams - with scammers blackmailing and threatening victims if they do not purchase gift cards and provide the codes over the phone - read more on theÌýÌýand on theÌý.
What to do
- Hang up.
- Do not pay any money.
- ContactÌýÌýor your Consulate in Sydney for advice.
- Report to the NSW Police Assistance LineÌýon 131 444 or to your local police station. You may also callÌýCrime StoppersÌýon 1800 333 000.
- If they have your bank details, contact your bank immediately.
- Warn your friends and family about this scam.Ìý
-
