Guide
Guidance on scams for international students
This page explains common scams affecting international students and how to recognise and avoid them, so you can make informed decisions and stay safe
Updated on 27 April 2026
International students can sometimes be targeted by sophisticated scams involving phone calls, emails, and other communication channels, where individuals are falsely informed that they are in trouble and must pay a fee or fine to avoid further consequences.
If this has happened to you, please be assured that you are not alone. The information below is intended to help students recognise and avoid scams, and to protect themselves from losing money or sharing personal information that should not be disclosed.
Types of scams
There are many types of scams. Some include:
| Type of Scam | Explanation of scam | What to do |
| Phishing email impersonation | Fraudulent emails are sent to staff and students pretending to come from a trusted University staff member. The message may include fake offers (e.g. free items, opportunities for students) to encourage engagement or payment. In some cases, individuals have been tricked into making payments to the attacker. | Do not respond, click links, or make payments. Treat unexpected offers as suspicious, especially if they involve money or urgency. Report the email immediately via the IT Service Desk or the University Cyber Security reporting guidance. |
| Rental fraud | Students looking for property are asked to pay a fee in advance for a property that doesn’t even exist. |
Information on support and what to look out for can be found on the Live in Scotland webpage. |
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Fake Railcard / transport discount scam
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Fraudsters advertise fake “free” or heavily discounted Railcards (e.g. 16–25 Railcard or other travel discount cards). Students are asked to pay a small “processing fee” or enter personal/bank details to receive the card. In reality, the card does not exist or is not valid. |
Only buy Railcards from official sources such as the National Rail or Railcard websites. Do not follow links from social media adverts or unofficial messages offering free or unusually cheap cards.
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| WhatsApp job offer / commission scam | Students are contacted via WhatsApp or other messaging apps offering easy remote work or commission-based jobs. Victims are often asked to pay an upfront fee for “training”, “activation”, or “tasks” before they can start earning. No genuine work or payment is provided. |
Be cautious of unsolicited job offers, particularly via messaging apps. Never pay any upfront fees for work. Always verify opportunities through trusted employers or the University Careers Service.
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Image-based blackmail scam
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Victims are tricked or pressured into sharing personal or intimate images online. The fraudster then threatens to share the images publicly or with friends/family unless money is paid. | Do not engage or pay any money. Stop all communication immediately and do not send further images or information. Save evidence if safe to do so and report the incident to the University and relevant authorities. Support is available and you will not be judged for seeking help. |
| 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 and ‘kidnap’ themselves. Money is then extorted from the family as well as from the student. |
This video from the BBC World service gives advice and understanding of how this scam works. BBC World Service - The Scammers who make you kidnap yourself |
| Fake Home Office scam | This scam targets international students. Fake officials claiming to be from the Police or Home Office contact the student and tell them they did not complete the correct paperwork on entry into the country and that they must pay a fine or be deported. |
This UK government page gives tips and advice on what to look for. Gov.uk-Frauds, Tricks and Scams
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| HMRC (His Majesty's Revenue and Customs) scam | Fraudsters ring and tell the victim that they will be arrested for tax fraud, unless they instantly hand over payment details and pay a fee. Alternatively, someone claiming to be from HMRC offers a 'tax refund' in exchange for personal or financial details. |
This government website allows you to check if the email your received is a genuine HMRC email |
| Tuition payment help 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. | The University will only send emails to you from addresses ending with dundee.ac.uk. Any official email issued by the University will advise how to pay using an approved online payment system. |
| Student Loans Company phishing scam | Students get an email or a text from what appears to be the Student Loans Company asking for their bank details. |
Information on what to look out for can be found on the UK government webpage: |
How to report an incident
- Contact the International Advice Service – they can assist you in reporting the fraud to Police Scotland and guide you through the steps of reporting the matter and exploring potential recovery of any lost funds through your bank.
- Report directly to Police Scotland – call 101 (non-emergency number).
- Report scam text messages – forward them to 7726 (Ofcom spam reporting service).
- Report online (optional) – submit details to Action Fraud, the UK’s national fraud and cybercrime reporting centre.
Identifying a Legitimate Home Office Communication
Official Home Office email addresses are always in this format:
These are the formats of official Foreign and Commonwealth Office email addresses:
The Home Office will not contact people by phone in the methods described above, nor will they ask you to pay money for fines over the phone or offer legal services to you.
Often, Home Office communications come in the form of emails or letters. If you are worried about the legitimacy of any email or letter, please forward it to us at [email protected] and we will help.
Official UK government websites will always end in “.gov.uk”
Police Scotland online Safety Guide
Police Scotland aims to provide you with important safety advice to help prevent you from becoming a victim of crime.
Student online safety guide - Police Scotland