La Trobe University is aware there are common scams targeting international students. It is important for you to keep informed so you can stay safe while you are studying.
What is a scam?
A scam is when criminals trick you into giving them your personal or financial information so that they can steal from or exploit you.
Sometimes scammers impersonate government or consular officials, banks, military or police to try and convince you to give them your personal information.
Scammers can attempt to reach you via text, phone call, email, social media, websites or in
Common types of scams may include student fee, jobs, visas, relationships, investment, bank-related and remote access scams.
How to identify a scam
There are some things to look out for if you are contacted by someone you suspect might be trying to scam you.
- Pressure to act – A scammer will often try to make you act fast. Legitimate organisations will not pressure you to make decisions on the spot. It’ s ok to take your time and do your research. Some scammers may even use threats to make you comply.
- Suspicious links or attachments – Never click on links or attachments without checking that the sender is who they say they are.
- Asking for money – Some scammers will try use your kindness against you and will sometimes tell you tragic stories to gain your sympathy. Be wary of any appeal for money. Some scammers may also ask for money upfront for services or as part of a recruitment process.
- Opportunity to make money – Scammers will try to convince you that you are getting an amazing deal, or that you will make money. Remember, if it seems too good to be true, it probably is.
- Unusual payment requests – Scammers may ask you to pay for goods or services with preloaded debit cards, iTunes cards or virtual currency. They may also ask you to set up new bank accounts or PayID.
What to do if contacted by a scammer
- Ask yourself – could this message or call be fake? End the conversation if you are unsure or uncomfortable.
- If a scammer threatens your safety, hang up and contact police. If the scammer threatens your family, contact your family and ask them to contact their local police. If is an emergency (in Australia), ring emergency on 000.
- Follow Scamwatch’s steps if you have been scammed, including reporting the scam attempt to Scamwatch. Scamwatch also has resources available in your language.
If you have been scammed
Remember, it is not your fault! There is a lot of support available, and you should seek help without feeling embarrassed.
- Immediately contact your bank or financial institution. If you think you have paid money to a scammer, immediately contact your financial institution and the police to see if the payment can be stopped or returned to you.
- Get help to recover. Contact IDCARE. IDCARE is Australia and New Zealand’s national identity and cyber support service. They can help you make a plan to limit the damage – for free. Visit the IDCARE website to find out more.
- Report the scam to police and Scamwatch. Never feel embarrassed about reporting a scam. Reporting helps to warn others of potential scams and helps us learn more ways to avoid them. Note: if you are in immediate danger, ring emergency on 000.
- Be aware of further scam attempts. If a scammer has stolen money from you, they will often come back for more. Scammers will scan your social media, friends lists and other information in an attempt to further exploit you. Be especially wary of someone offering to help you get your money back.
- Get support from La Trobe. You can access a range of free and confidential support to help you recover from a scam – this includes:
- Safer Community – contact Safer Community whenever you have safety or wellbeing concern for yourself or someone else. Safer Community can help if you are unsure or nervous about contacting police and can provide confidential advice that will not affect your study, visa or access to university support.
- International student support – not sure where to start? Find information and support from ASK La Trobe and the International Student Support team. Visit the ASK La Trobe website for contact details. If you need help after-hours (at night, during public holidays or on the weekends) call 24-hour international student support hotline 1800 758 360.
- Wellbeing support – visit the Counselling and mental health Service webpage for information on how to access counselling and mental health services.
- Financial advice – make an appointment with one of La Trobe’s experienced financial counsellors to help you get your finances back on track.
- Legal support – free and confidential legal support is available to all enrolled La Trobe students.
Staying safe
- Keep social media profiles private. Don’t share images of home addresses, hotels, airline boarding passes, student IDs, driver’s licence or passports.
- Maintain password safety – update passwords regularly. Always have a minimum 6-digit pin for mobile phones.
- Avoid replying to emails or text message from unknown senders.
- Never give identity verifying information over the phone. Hang up and call businesses back on their listed Australian contact number.
- Do not download apps or software someone has told you to download or allow remote access to someone who has called you.
- Consider changing your phone settings to only allow those in your contacts list to call you. All other calls will go to voicemail or be blocked. Find out more about these options by researching your phone features or from your phone service provider.
- Keep informed. Regularly view websites such as Scamwatch, the Study Melbourne student scams webpage and the Australian Government eSafety Commissioner for information on current scams and advice on staying safe online. IDCARE also have a range of resources and advice on how to prevent and detect scams.
- Visit Be Aware: International student scams to view a list of current scams we’re aware of, and links to support resources.
The University is here to support you to stay safe during your studies. Remember, you can always contact ASK La Trobe if you have any questions or concerns.