Scams and misleading schemes are encountered by Indian students studying in the UK

 Scams and misleading schemes are encountered by Indian students studying in the UK

Scams and misleading schemes are encountered by Indian students studying in the UK

Many international university students fall prey to several forms of fraud. A few of them could also have to do with travel. According to a NatWest survey, one-third of university students in the UK may anticipate becoming the target of criminal activity in 2022.

Students, living in dread in the midst of the drastic changes, get calls from con artists claiming that the government has changed policies but they were never informed.

In July 2023, Salman Qureshi enrolled in the University of Manchester's MSc Engineering Project Management program. Even though the institution had set up funding and scholarships, he had a terrible time finding a flight.

Reluctant to make the reservation on his own, Qureshi urged his brother-in-law to do it instead. But when they arrived at the airport and learned that their ticket was not verified and that they needed a transit visa via France, the joyful anticipation of their departure turned into a nightmare.

Fear grew as he began to search for an answer. Security was preventing me from talking to my relatives outside. Next, a cousin made arrangements to attach a cell phone to the purported visa office in India. He told Moneycontrol, "At first, I was dubious, but I didn't want to pass up the chance to travel.

The guy on the other end of the call assured me that the visa could be arranged for a one-time payment of Rs 25,000 in less than ten minutes. Before requesting Qureshi's bank information, the AnyDesk software was downloaded on his phone.

The "Visa guy" began taking money in three transactions at once while we were speaking. Qureshi had already lost Rs 90,000 before he lost it all and shut off the AnyDesk app and calls out of fear.

Qureshi, fed up, made the decision to call off his trip and reported the event to the authorities.

Even though Qureshi eventually made it to the UK, the story serves as a warning about the risks that gullible students taking an overseas higher education program may encounter.

expanding frauds

According to overseas education advisors, there has been a noticeable increase in the number of students falling victim to certain scams since the UK government decided to tighten immigration regulations.

According to NatWest's 2023 Student Life Index, 33% of university students in the UK may anticipate becoming the target of criminal activity in 2022. With 44% of students as the target, Bournemouth was the most popular place for student scams. Edinburgh and Oxford came in second and third, respectively, with 41% of students falling prey to it. The study lacks country-specific statistics.

Students, living in dread in the midst of the drastic changes, get calls from con artists claiming that the government has changed policies but they were never informed.

"Students getting calls from someone posing as an immigration officer is the main scam we hear about." "They typically say there is a penalty that needs to be attached or we will come get you because something is missing from their immigration history or certain documents," said to Suneet Singh Kochhar, CEO of study abroad advisor Fateh Education.

Students in a panic volunteer to pay the 'fine,' which may be as much as 1,000 euros.

Phone numbers that are spoofing to look official and copies of government embassies are used to guarantee the validity of the calls.

Scams also affected identification cards; some students were victims of phony identity schemes that seemed to be a limited supply of cards that colleges had given to international students in an effort to help them cope with the immigration laws that were changing.

Priya Deshpande (name changed per request), a University of York student studying English literature, describes her experience getting a phony ID card that claimed to provide unlimited access to student discounts.

"I thought I was being smart, reducing expenditure on transportation and cultural events with an ID," Priya said. However, she said, "I got caught using it and had to deal with the legal repercussions."

How to Communicate Clearly

Traveling is a means for Indian students studying in the UK to develop their resilience and alertness against frauds, in addition to their academic achievement. The takeaways are evident: education involves more than simply reading textbooks and attending lectures; it also entails confronting the difficulties of the real world that face those who seek knowledge outside of their homes.

Scammers prefer to target people who have just arrived at their international education destination, says Kunal Verma, country head of overseas education consultancy Crimson Education. This is because these students now require all the crucial information regarding housing and biometric residence permits, and they are more likely to know it. (BRP), Rules for Jobs and Internships, and Banking Policies.

He said, "One should be informed of the requirements, laws, and regulations linked to admission and visa throughout the application or study procedure. The boundaries have to be well understood."

Additionally, Verma advises students to contact the International Students Department to learn more about the institution they want to attend before acting on information from dubious sources.

Pressure and haste are two common tools used by con artists to trick people. Pupils should conduct their research and decision-making slowly. In general, legitimate procedures don't call for hasty decisions.

Pre-departure seminars are another resource available to assist students in getting ready for their trip. Universities' foreign offices or student assistance departments often host these briefings.

Pre-departure briefings often address the following subjects: financial preparation, travel information, visa and immigration procedures, however specifics may differ from institution to university.

Every pre-departure session is meticulously planned out, including every possible occurrence. There is no such thing as a crime-free place, Singh of Fateh Education said, "so we make it clear to students that even if they are traveling to countries with low crime, they should still be aware." You must remain and save your sanity. where they are at the moment.