There are various ways in which you stay safe in the UK, from being made aware of scams, and also personal safety and how to protect your belongings.
The following organisations give advice to students on how to stay safe in the UK:
- Tips and guidance about online security can be found on the Brookes IT webpages.
- The Security Services at Brookes offers advice to students on personal safety, accommodation security, protecting your belongings and so on. You can also find further information in the Getting Started Guide.
- The British Council offers practical guidance on safety and security for international students living away from home in an unfamiliar environment.
Students are sometimes targeted by fraudsters.
Students can be contacted on their mobile phone by people claiming to represent their bank, the embassy, the Home Office (UKVI), HMRC, the Court of Criminal Appeal, the police or other reputable agency.
They are asked to provide their personal details, told they own funds immediately or notified that there is an issue with their visa. The person calling can be very threatening and say they will stay on hold until you pay the funds.
Sometimes, the number calling will be the same than the official phone number for that institution (the number has been cloned).
Officials will NEVER contact you and ask you to pay fines or visa fees over the phone or using iTunes gift cards, cryptocurrency or money transfer services.
What you need to do: DO NOT share any personal information, DO NOT make any payment - Hang up and contact ISAT for advice.
Tuition fee scams
There have been a number of frauds involving Chinese students who have been targeted by fraudsters saying that they can save money on their tuition fees by paying the university on the student’s behalf for a lesser amount. The flyers give further information about these scams: