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UK Schools Lose £10k to Student Fee Scams
1 Feb
Summary
- Foreign students are targeted by fraudsters intercepting school fee payments.
- Families have lost up to £10,000 to scams impersonating school bursars.
- Schools face cyber-attacks aiming to divert tuition funds to criminals.
Independent schools in the UK are reporting frequent cyber-attacks targeting foreign students' fee payments. Scammers impersonate school bursars, successfully diverting funds into their own accounts. Some families have lost up to £10,000 due to these fraudulent activities.
Research indicates that these attacks occur on average once a year per school. The primary method involves sending fake emails to parents, often offering early payment discounts, and providing false bank details for fee transfers.
Parents of foreign students are particularly vulnerable, as language barriers can make them susceptible to believing fraudulent communications. Scammers meticulously monitor school communications and replicate official payment instructions with high accuracy.
To protect themselves, parents should scrutinize any unusual payment requests or urgent demands. If a request seems suspicious, it's crucial to verify it through official school channels, not through the provided contact information. Reporting suspected fraud to banks and Action Fraud is recommended.
