📚 Common Scams Targeting International Students in the UK and Prevention Tips | 英国留学常见诈骗手法与防范建议
As an international student in the UK, you will encounter exciting opportunities but also potential risks from scammers who specifically target newcomers. These fraudsters exploit unfamiliarity with local systems, language barriers, and students' eagerness to save money or find housing. Understanding common fraud schemes can help you stay safe and protect your finances, identity, and well‑being.
作为英国留学生，你会遇到令人兴奋的机会，但也可能面临专门针对新来者的诈骗风险。不法分子会利用你对当地制度不熟悉、语言障碍以及学生想省钱或租房的心理实施诈骗。了解常见的诈骗手法，有助于保障你的人身安全、财产安全和身份信息。
1. Telephone Scams Impersonating Authorities | 冒充官方机构的电话诈骗
Scammers often call posing as officials from the Home Office, Chinese embassy, police, or a courier company. They may claim that you are involved in a criminal case, that your visa has a problem, or that an illegal package under your name has been intercepted. The aim is to create panic and force you to transfer money or provide personal details such as passport and bank account numbers.
诈骗分子经常冒充英国内政部、中国大使馆、警方或快递公司的工作人员打来电话。他们可能声称你卷入刑事案件、签证出现问题，或有非法包裹被截获。目的是制造恐慌，逼迫你转账或提供护照号、银行账号等个人信息。
These scammers can manipulate caller ID to show official‑looking numbers and may even provide fake badge numbers or case file references. They often keep you on the phone, warning you not to tell anyone else, and threaten arrest, deportation, or account freezing if you do not comply immediately.
这些骗子可以篡改来电显示，让号码看起来像是官方机构，甚至提供伪造的警号或案件编号。他们常要求你保持通话，警告你不要告诉任何人，并以逮捕、遣返或冻结账户相威胁，强迫你立即照做。
Genuine authorities will never demand money or bank details over the phone, nor will they threaten you with immediate arrest. If you receive such a call, hang up, do not engage, and verify the claims independently using official contact details from their genuine website.
真正的官方机构绝不会在电话里索要钱财或银行信息，也不会以立即逮捕相威胁。接到此类电话，直接挂断，不要理会，并通过其官方网站上的联系方式独立核实。
2. Rental Fraud | 租房诈骗
Housing scams are among the most common traps for students arriving in the UK. Fraudsters post attractive listings on social media or property websites with below‑market rents, often using stolen photos. After gaining your trust, they ask for a holding deposit or several months' rent upfront before you have even viewed the property.
租房诈骗是留学生最容易遇到的陷阱之一。骗子在社交媒体或房产网站上发布诱人的低价房源，常盗用他人照片。获得你信任后，会在你实地看房前索要订金或数月租金。
In many cases, the 'landlord' claims to be abroad and will send the keys after receiving payment, but the keys never arrive or do not fit the lock. Some scammers even arrange brief Airbnb check‑ins to show a fake rental in person, then disappear with your deposit and first month's rent.
许多情况下，‘房东’声称身在国外，收款后会寄出钥匙，但钥匙从不到手或打不开门。还有些骗子会短暂租用爱彼迎来当场展示虚假房源，之后携押金和首月租金消失。
Always view the property in person before transferring any money, check the landlord's identity and ownership documents, and use a secure payment method. You can also consult your university's accommodation office for verified listings and contract advice.
务必先实地看房再付款，核实房东身份及产权证明，使用安全的付款方式。你还可以咨询学校住宿办公室，获取经过验证的房源信息和合同指导。
3. Currency Exchange Scams | 换汇骗局
International students often need to exchange large sums between GBP and their home currency. Scammers exploit this by offering 'better rates' than banks through WeChat groups, student forums, or social media. The fraud may involve fake transfer receipts showing money has been sent, but in reality no funds leave the scammer's account.
留学生常需大额兑换英镑与本国货币。骗子通过微信群、学生论坛或社交媒体，提供比银行‘更划算’的汇率。他们可能出示虚假转账截图，显示已汇款，但实际上钱款从未离开骗子账户。
In some cases, the scammer will send you a small initial amount to build trust, then ask you to transfer a large sum to them for a 'big deal.' Once you send the funds, they block you and vanish. Alternatively, they may use stolen bank accounts, causing your receipt to be flagged for money laundering.
有的骗子会先小额转款骗取信任，然后让你向他们的账户转一大笔钱以完成‘大额交易’。你一转款，他们就将你拉黑消失。或者他们使用被盗账户转账，导致你的收款账户被标记为涉嫌洗钱。
Only exchange currency through regulated institutions like banks or licensed money transfer services. If you must use peer‑to‑peer exchange, meet in person at a bank and verify the transaction immediately. Be extremely cautious of deals that seem too good to be true.
务必通过银行或持牌汇款机构等受监管渠道兑换货币。若一定要用私人换汇，应约在银行当面即时验证。对好得不真实的汇率要保持高度警惕。
4. Tuition and Fee Payment Fraud | 学费代缴诈骗
A growing scam involves individuals offering to pay your tuition or accommodation fees at a discounted rate, claiming they can use 'agent channels' or stolen credit cards to reduce the cost. The student sends them the reduced amount in cash or via transfer, and the scammer makes an initial payment to the university using fraudulent card details.
一种日益猖獗的骗局是有人声称能用‘代理渠道’或盗刷信用卡帮你以折扣价代缴学费或住宿费。学生将折扣后的钱款转给骗子，骗子便用欺诈性信用卡信息向学校支付一笔初始款项。
The university initially credits your account, but when the card provider detects the fraud weeks later, the payment is reversed. You are then left not only with the loss of the money you paid the scammer, but also with a debt to your university and possibly a damaged immigration record.
学校初期会显示已入账，但几周后发卡机构发现欺诈，款项被撤回。届时你不仅损失了付给骗子的钱，还欠下学校债务，甚至可能留下不良签证记录。
Never use third parties to pay tuition fees. Always pay directly through the university's official finance portal. If someone offers to pay on your behalf with a 'discount,' assume it is a scam and report it to your institution.
切勿通过第三方代缴学费。务必通过大学官方财务门户直接支付。若有人以‘折扣’提议代缴，一概视为诈骗，并向校方举报。
5. Fake Job and Internship Scams | 虚假工作与实习诈骗
Students seeking part‑time work or internships can fall prey to adverts promising high pay for simple tasks, such as processing payments, reposting ads, or mystery shopping. These 'opportunities' often require an upfront fee for a starter kit, training, or background check, but no real job materialises.
寻找兼职或实习的学生可能被高薪轻松工作的广告欺骗，如处理付款、转发广告或神秘顾客。这些‘机会’通常要你先付材料费、培训费或背景调查费，之后根本没有真正的工作。
Some fake jobs are money‑laundering fronts: you are asked to receive funds into your own bank account and forward them to another, keeping a small commission. This makes you an unwitting money mule, which is a criminal offence that can lead to a criminal record and even imprisonment.
有些假工作是洗钱幌子：要求你用自己银行账户收款后再转给他人，并留下少量佣金。这会让你无意间成为洗钱‘钱骡’，属于刑事犯罪，可被判刑并留下犯罪记录。
Legitimate jobs never ask you to pay money to start working, nor do they involve using your personal bank account for third‑party transfers. Verify employers through LinkedIn, the university careers service, and Companies House. If an offer seems too easy, it is probably a scam.
正规工作绝不会要求你先付钱才能开始上班，也不会让你用个人银行账户为他人转款。通过领英、学校就业指导中心和英国公司注册署核实雇主。若工作轻松得不像真的，那多半就是骗局。
6. Virtual Kidnapping Scams | 虚拟绑架诈骗
This terrifying scam involves fraudsters claiming they have kidnapped you or your family, using a combination of caller ID spoofing and emotional manipulation. They may call your parents, claiming you have been taken hostage and demanding a ransom, often while keeping you distracted on another phone line to prevent you from contacting your family.
这种骇人的骗局是诈骗分子利用来电显示伪造和情感操控，声称绑架了你或你的家人。他们可能打电话给你父母，说你已被劫持，索要赎金，同时用另一通电话缠住你，让你无法联系家人。
The scammers might have gathered personal details from social media or previous phishing attempts to make their threats sound credible. They instruct the student to find a quiet place, stay on the line, and film a staged video or photo that is then used to extort money from relatives.
骗子可能从社交媒体或之前的网络钓鱼中收集个人信息，让威胁听起来可信。他们要求你找僻静处保持通话，甚至让你拍摄假绑架视频或照片，再用这些材料向亲属勒索钱财。
If you or your family receive a kidnapping call, remain calm, attempt to contact the loved one independently, and report to the police immediately. Establish a family codeword beforehand so that you can verify each other's identity under pressure.
你或家人接到绑架电话要保持冷静，设法独立联系对方，并立即报警。提前设定一个家庭暗号，以便在紧急情况下核实身份。
7. Romance and Friendship Scams | 网络交友诈骗
New students, feeling isolated, may be targeted on dating apps, social media, or language exchange platforms. The scammer builds an emotional relationship over weeks or months, then begins inventing emergencies requiring financial help, such as medical bills, legal fees, or flight tickets to visit you.
新生初到英国，容易孤单，容易在约会软件、社交媒体或语言交换平台上被盯上。骗子在数周或数月内建立情感关系，随后编造需紧急经济援助的故事，如医疗费、律师费或来见你的机票钱。
The victim, already emotionally invested, sends money repeatedly, often under the belief they are helping someone they love. The scammer may also coax the student into sharing intimate photos and then blackmail them, threatening to send the images to family or the university.
已投入感情的受害人一再汇钱，往往以为自己在帮助心爱之人。骗子还可能诱使学生发送私密照片，然后进行敲诈，威胁将照片发给家人或学校。
Never send money to someone you have not met in person, and be wary of relationships that progress very quickly online. Protect your privacy, avoid sharing compromising material, and speak to a trusted friend or support service if you feel pressured.
绝不要给未曾谋面的人汇款，对网上进展过快的恋情保持警惕。保护隐私，不分享可能惹来麻烦的内容，若感到有压力，要告诉信赖的朋友或求助支持机构。
8. Online Shopping and Ticket Scams | 网购与票务诈骗
From second‑hand textbooks to concert tickets, scams on social platforms and online marketplaces are widespread. Scammers create fake product listings with images copied from genuine sellers, list items at attractive prices, and demand payment via bank transfer or unsecured payment apps before delivery.
从二手课本到演唱会门票，社交平台和在线购物网站上的诈骗比比皆是。骗子盗用真实卖家的图片发布虚假商品，标出诱人价格，并要求先银行转账或通过无保障支付应用付款再发货。
Once payment is made, the item never arrives, and the seller's profile disappears. Alternatively, the buyer may receive counterfeit tickets that are rejected at the entrance, or the same ticket is sold multiple times. Students also lose money when paying upfront for goods that never existed.
一旦付款，商品永不送达，卖家账号随即消失。或者买家收到的是假票，在入口处遭拒，或者同一张票被多次售卖。学生预付款后，往往连商品影子都见不到。
Use secure payment methods that offer buyer protection, such as credit cards or PayPal's goods‑and‑services option. Where possible, meet in person in a public place and inspect the item before paying. Be suspicious of prices significantly below market value.
使用有买家保护的付款方式，如信用卡或PayPal‘商品与服务’选项。尽可能在公共场所当面交易、先验货再付款。对远低于市场价的商品要警惕。
9. Phishing and Identity Theft | 网络钓鱼与身份盗用
Phishing emails, SMS, and WhatsApp messages are designed to look as though they come from your university, student accommodation, bank, or even the UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI). They ask you to click a link and ‘verify your account,’ leading to a fake website that steals your login credentials and personal data.
钓鱼邮件、短信和WhatsApp消息伪装成来自你的大学、学生公寓、银行甚至英国签证与移民局。它们要求你点击链接‘验证账户’，带你进入虚假网站，窃取你的登录凭证和个人资料。
With those details, criminals can access your bank account, take out loans in your name, or even hijack your social media to scam your contacts. Some phishing attacks specifically target the student finance portal to divert maintenance loan payments.
犯罪分子获取这些信息后，可进入你的银行账户、以你名义贷款，甚至劫持你的社交账号诈骗你的联系人。有的钓鱼攻击专门针对学生助学金门户，试图转移生活费贷款。
Do not click on links in unsolicited messages. Access your accounts directly by typing the official web address into your browser. Enable two‑factor authentication wherever possible, and regularly check your bank statements and credit report for unusual activity.
不要点击来路不明信息中的链接。直接在浏览器输入官方网址登录账户。尽可能启用双重验证，定期检查银行流水和信用报告，留意异常活动。
10. How to Protect Yourself and Seek Help | 如何保护自己与寻求帮助
Prevention starts with awareness. Be sceptical of unsolicited contact, never share sensitive personal details with strangers, and pause before making payments under pressure. Genuine organisations will respect your need to verify, while scammers will try to rush you. Talk to your university's international student adviser if you are unsure.
防范始于认知。对无来由的联系保持怀疑，不向陌生人透露敏感个人信息，在压力下付款前先停下来想一想。正规机构会尊重你的核实需求，骗子则会催你行动。如果不确定，和学校的国际学生顾问谈谈。
If you suspect a scam, stop all communication, do not send any money, and report it to Action Fraud (the UK's national reporting centre) via their website or by calling 0300 123 2040. You can also contact your local police by dialling 101, or 999 in an emergency. Your university's wellbeing team and the students' union can offer emotional support and guidance.
若怀疑是诈骗，立即中断所有联系，不转入任何资金，并通过网站或致电0300 123 2040向英国国家举报中心Action Fraud举报。也可拨打101联系当地警方，紧急情况拨打999。学校的健康支持团队和学生会能提供情感支持和指导。
Remember, being the victim of a scam is not your fault. The important thing is to act quickly to limit the damage, protect your identity, and help prevent others from being deceived.
请记住，受骗并不是你的错。重要的是快速采取行动以限制损失、保护身份信息，并帮助防止他人上当。
Published by TutorHao | International Student Safety Revision Series | aleveler.com
更多咨询请联系16621398022（同微信）
或截图后用「扫一扫 → 相册」选择本图