Pause carousel
Play carousel
Tuition fee payment scams
Scams involving the payment of tuition fees are on the rise with scammers taking advantage of new students. Learn how to recognise, avoid and protect yourself.
Scams involving the payment of tuition fees are on the rise with scammers taking advantage of new students. Learn how to recognise, avoid and protect yourself.
There has been an increase in finance scams invovling tuition fees lately, with some students losing significant amounts of money.
In many cases, international students are most commonly targeted by these scams, particularly around the time that fees are due, so it's important you are familiar with the correct payment processes and stay alert to warning signs. Language barriers can also make it easier for fraudsters to exploit the urgency around payment deadlines.
By staying vigilant, you can protect yourself and your money from fraudulent activity.
Tuition fee scams involve criminals pretending to be legitimate payment agents or offering discounts on your fees. They may promise lower exchange rates or faster processing, but their real goal is to steal your money. Once you pay them, your funds - and sometimes your personal details - are gone.
Scammers may present themselves as government agencies, legitimate payment services, and associates or friends.
Common tactics include:
Unsolicited offers: Someone contacts you claiming they can pay your fees for less.
Pressure to act fast: Threats that you’ll lose your place if you don’t pay immediately.
Unusual payment methods: Requests for cryptocurrency, gift cards, or third-party accounts.
Too good to be true: Promises of big discounts or guaranteed savings.
The safest way for international students to pay tuition fees is through the University’s official payment channel, Flywire. This secure platform is designed to protect your money and ensure your payment reaches the University safely.
Never use third-party agents or individuals who claim they can pay on your behalf for a lower cost - these offers are almost always scams.
Before making any payment, take these steps:
Always pay through the secure Flywire payment portal which can be found on the Abertay intranet. If someone suggests an alternative method, treat it as a red flag.
If you receive an email, message, or phone call about tuition fees, check that it comes from an official Abertay email address. If you’re unsure, contact finance@abertay.ac.uk directly before taking any action.
Never share your university login details, banking information, or personal documents with anyone other than official Abertay staff. The University will never ask for your password.
Scammers often advertise in student forums, WhatsApp groups, and social media pages. If someone offers to “help” with payments or promises discounts, do not engage and report the message.
Fraudsters often pressure students to act quickly. If you feel rushed or uncomfortable, stop and check with the University. It’s better to delay payment than to lose your money.
If you think you have been targeted by scammers, report it immediately to Abertay’s International/Finance team.
Then, you should contact your bank as soon as possible to stop or trace the payment.
If you receive a suspicious email in your student email inbox, do not click on any links and do not reply, but let us know by sending the email as an attachment to cybersecurity@abertay.ac.uk.
You can also report the email directly but clicking “Phish Alert!” button in Outlook.
