Beware of tuition fee fraud and other student scams
Published: 20/09/2023
The University has been made aware of a scam involving tuition fees. Find out how to avoid this type of fraud with our advice below.
The tuition fee scam
What is the scam?
Scammers have been telephoning students and their parents, pretending to be NTU staff, and asking them to pay tuition fees over the phone.
The scam is convincing because they have done research online and know specific details about students and their families. They also use Nottingham phone numbers (with the area code 0115) to make the scam more convincing.
What you should do
NTU will never ask you to pay tuition fees over the phone. Please don’t give out bank details or set up payment plans over the phone to anyone who calls you claiming to be from NTU.
If you receive a call from someone asking for these details, hang up the call, make a note of the phone number used, and let us know. You can also report scams to Action Fraud.
Remember that even if the caller has information about you, this does not mean they can be trusted. Scammers can easily find information about you online, such as your name, names of family members or the course you are studying.
Advice from the Student Loans Company
The Student Loans Company is also asking students to be aware of fraud as the new academic year starts. They have seen an increase in ‘smishing’ attacks – fraud via text message – and have offered advice on how to spot and stop a scam.
Accommodation fee scam
What is the scam?
Scammers pretend to work for university accommodation providers and contact students over the phone asking for fees to be paid.
They come prepared for the call by doing background research on the student online, so when they call they could know your name, names of relatives and the accommodation you are staying in.
What you should do
You should never give out bank details or set up payment plans over the phone to anyone who cold calls you.
If you receive a call from someone claiming to represent NTU or your accommodation supplier, please verify their identity first. Even if the person on the phone has information about you, this does not mean they can be trusted.
You should hang up the call, make a note of the phone number used and contact either NTU, your accommodation provider directly or the Digital Technologies Service Desk. You can also report scams to Action Fraud.
Cyber security at NTU
Read NTU's advice for keeping yourself safe online.