Frauds and scams:

• A scam, or a fraud, is a dishonest or illegal plan or activity for making money. Some scams target individuals and result in a personal loss.
• In recent months a small number of our students had significant amounts of money stolen via fraud.
• Criminals have posed as someone working for a trusted organisation (for example, the University, police or UK government department such as HMRC or UK Visas and Immigration) and asked our students to transfer money. Contact may be via telephone, email or social media.
• If you are approached in this way please take some time to consider if this is a genuine request – if you have any doubts you can contact the University’s dedicated Fraud Support email for help with this: support@durham.ac.uk.
• Other methods may be used – protect yourself by following this advice from the police:

Stop Challenge Protect

General Advice | Take Five (takefive-stopfraud.org.uk)

SCAM

Stop – after every communication you receive, stop and take 5 minutes to think about it

Chat – talk to trusted people about the communication.

Add – add up all the evidence you have (the communication, your thoughts and trusted person/s thoughts)

Manage – report to police, bank, platform, college and family & friends

ABC

Beware of any communication from somebody who you don’t know. Beware of any communication that is out of the ordinary.

ABC…Never Assume. Don’t Believe. Always Confirm.