Innumerable instances have been reported in the past of Indian students falling prey to scams while pursuing education abroad.
Students who are oblivious of all the necessary information regarding housing, the Biometric Residence Permit (BRP), banking guidelines, employment and internship rules, of their international education destination, often become victims of these scams.
A Student Who Lost Rs. 90,000 In Such A Scam
Salman Qureshi signed up for the MSc Engineering Project Management programme at the University of Manchester in July 2023. All his finances were arranged by the university, yet he faced a nightmarish ordeal.
At the airport, he discovered that his tickets were not confirmed and a transit visa through France was required. “The security was not allowing me to go out and discuss with my family. Then a relative arranged a mobile number at the supposed visa office in India. I doubted at first but didn’t want to let go of the chance to travel,” he said to Moneycontrol.
The person on the other side of the phone promised to arrange a visa within 10 minutes in exchange for a one-time transfer fee of Rs. 25,000. Salman was asked to download the AnyDesk app and while talking to the “visa person” the money started to get debited in three simultaneous transactions.
Before he realised and disconnected the AnyDesk app and call, he had already lost Rs. 90,000. Dejected, Salman decided to cancel his travel plans, reporting the incident to the police, although he successfully embarked on his trip to the UK later.
Also Read: Watch: 5 Cases Where Indian Students Were Victims Of Hate Crimes Abroad
Why Are Such Scams On An All Time High?
The United Kingdom (UK) is one of the most sought-after destinations for higher education globally.
The UK government’s recent decision to tighten immigration rules and efforts by the UK Consulate to expedite and streamline the visa application process, along with the growing number of avenues available to Indian students seeking education there, are the contributing factors to the surge in such fraud cases.
The 2023 Student Living Index revealed by NatWest, a retail and commercial bank in the UK, says that a third of the students in UK universities have been targeted by criminals in 2022.
How To Stay Safe?
Students fall prey to such fraudulent cases when they receive calls from scammers citing policy changes, which were never notified by the government.
Experts say that students are often contacted by individuals posing as immigration officers. These impostors then claim that there are discrepancies in the student’s immigration history or missing documents and the failure to address these issues will lead to apprehension. Under panic, students pay huge amounts of money.
Students should reach out to the international student’s department of the university they want to study at before taking any steps based on information from questionable sources.
Urgency and pressure are used to manipulate students. Thus, one must take their time in researching and making decisions. Legitimate processes do not usually require rushed actions.
The journey for Indian students in the UK is not only about academic excellence but also about resilience and vigilance when it comes to dealing with scams and frauds. Navigating the real-world challenges that lay in wait for those seeking education far from home with calmness and composure is the key solution.
Image Credits: Google Images
Feature image designed by Saudamini Seth
Sources: Moneycontrol, News18, The Economic Times
Find the blogger: Unusha Ahmad
This post is tagged under: scams, frauds, higher education, abroad, UK, United Kingdom, University of Manchester, Biometric Residence Permit, BRP, internship, Engineering, AnyDesk, Consulate, policy
Disclaimer: We do not hold any right, copyright over any of the images used, these have been taken from Google. In case of credits or removal, the owner may kindly mail us.
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