Scam Awareness

Student looking at computer

A scam is a fraudulent activity aimed at stealing your money or identity.

Living away from their home country and perhaps having to speak a different language, international students are particularly vulnerable to being scammed. If you lose money in a scam, it can be difficult - sometimes impossible - to get back.

The truth is that anyone can be scammed. If you stay careful and alert, you can minimise your chances of becoming a victim.

Seven signs of a scam

How do you tell if it's a scam? If you receive a phone call, message, email or see a social media post with one or more of the following features, be careful - it may be a scam.

Asking for large amounts of money (i.e. more than $500)
Repeated requests for personal information
Threats of deportation or arrest
Pressure put upon you, trying to get you to act immediately
Discounts or cheap prices that seem too good to be true
Demands to communicate only via encrypted messaging apps (e.g. WhatsApp, WeChat, QQ, Telegram)
Demands for payment through third-party services (e.g. Convera, Moneygram), or in non-money forms (e.g. Bitcoin, gift cards), or payment to foreign bank accounts

Real life examples

Below are three cases of scams that we have seen in International Student Support.

Anh* saw a post on a social media site from her home country, which offered a way to get cheaper tuition fees. The service claimed to provide a discount if tuition fees were paid to them instead of to the University. Anh was sceptical at first, and sent a small amount of money - and was surprised when the system seemed to work. When she sent the rest of her tuition fees, though, the money (and the scammer) vanished.

Total loss: AU$45,000 (annual tuition fees)

(*name changed)

What to do if you see an offer like this

Be wary of any offer that claims to give a discount in tuition fees
Ask yourself if it seems too good to be true
Never transfer tuition fees to a third party. Tuition fee payment is made through your MyAdelaide account.
Contact International Student Support with a screenshot / link, to ask if the offer is legitimate

Rohit* found a listing online for a new rental apartment, which was listed for a cheap price in a good location. He contacted the owner, who asked him to pay the first six months' rent in advance as a deposit. The owner said they were out of the country so they couldn't show Rohit around the apartment.

The owner mentioned that many other people were interested in the apartment and that if Rohit didn't pay the deposit now, someone else would take it. Feeling the pressure, Rohit transferred the money - and the owner, apartment listing, and money vanished.

Total loss: AU$ 7,500 (six months' rent).

(*name changed)

What to do if you see an accommodation listing like this

Ask yourself: does it seem too good (and cheap) to be true?
Be wary if there are lots of excuses about why you cannot view the property in person
Visit the University's Accommodation Service for advice
Never pay a deposit without viewing the property first
Always ensure you have a written and signed contract for any accommodation

Yan* received a phone call from an unknown number. The caller was very angry, and told him they were from the police in his home country, and that Yan had been caught in an illegal activity. If he didn’t pay $100,000 immediately, they said his visa would be cancelled and he would be arrested and deported from Australia.

Yan was told not to talk to anyone else, even his parents, or he would get into more trouble. He sent the money to an international bank account right away - and realised too late that it had all been a scam.

Total loss: AU$100,000.

(*name changed)

What to do if you get a call like this

Hang up - scammers may try to panic you to keep you on the call, but it's OK to hang up
Block the number
Even if the phone number appears legitimate, remember it may be a scam. Scammers can impersonate phone numbers of police stations, Consulates, etc.
Talk to your family, friends, the University, and your country’s Consulate in Australia – you won’t get into trouble
Do not provide any personal details to strangers on the phone or internet
Do not make any payments over the phone

Protecting yourself from scams

Here are some tips for avoiding common scams.

Always be careful if someone is asking you for a large amount of money
Beware of urgent requests from unknown sources to transfer money due to a crisis in your home country
Beware of random phone calls you are not expecting or from phone numbers you don’t know
Do not click on direct links in emails claiming to be from your bank, the Australian Government, the ATO, your home country government, or other authorities. Always go directly to the organisation's website yourself to confirm its legitimacy and contact details
Ensure your PINs and passwords are secure and private
Be cautious of any offer that sounds too good to be true
Take a step back: if someone is putting pressure on you, hang up or walk away from the computer
Be aware that sometimes scammers will be from your country and speak your language
Check your bank and credit card statements regularly for suspicious activity, and contact your bank immediately if something is not right
If you are unsure about something, contact International Student Support

In this scenario, scammers pose as an agent working with an Australian university, and ask for large sums of money in exchange for their services, which might include providing fake documents or academic transcripts, or providing false migration or program advice.

Students from China have been targeted with this scam . Students are threatened by someone claiming to be a high ranking official from China, who convinces them to make a fake hostage video of themselves. This video is then sent to the student's family in China, who are convinced by the scammer that their child has been kidnapped, and pay large sums of 'ransom' money.

Be careful of fake job adverts that ask for application forms, including personal and banking details as well as copies of identification documents. These details are then used to steal your identity.

Job scams may also involve asking you to pay money before you can start work somewhere. If a job asks you to pay them first, it is most likely a scam.

Recently, we have seen several students who have been victims of scams through online marketplaces. In particular, when selling a product, be wary of any buyer who asks you to send them money. For example, a scammer may offer to buy a $100 item by saying you first have to transfer them $1,000, and they will then send back $1,100. This is a scam. You will never receive your money back.

If you think you have been scammed...

Contact your bank or financial institution immediately
Make a report to the South Australian Police
Contact International Student Support
Report the scam to the Australian Government's Scamwatch and Report Cyber services

More information

ScamWatch
StudyAdelaide - Protecting Yourself from International Student Scams
SA Police - Scams and Cybercrime
Secure IT - Online cyber security training modules
Mandarin Phone Scam - Protect yourself from phone scams targeting Mandarin-speakers

Scam Awareness

Seven signs of a scam

Real life examples

What to do if you see an offer like this

What to do if you see an accommodation listing like this

What to do if you get a call like this

Protecting yourself from scams

If you think you have been scammed...

More information

International Students

Future Students

Current student enquiries

Make history

Information about

Information for

Scam Awareness

Seven signs of a scam

Real life examples

1. "A way to get cheaper tuition fees"

2. "If you don't pay the deposit now, someone else will take it"

3. "Pay immediately or you will be deported and arrested”

Protecting yourself from scams

If you think you have been scammed...

More information

International Students

Future Students

Current student enquiries

Make history

Information about

Information for