If you are a Chinese student at BU, please take note of the following important information.
We have recently been made aware of a scam that is targeting Chinese students studying in higher education.
Cyber criminals have been impersonating Chinese police officers and telling victims that they are being investigated for an alleged financial crime in China. Victims are told that they need to pay large sums of money to avoid arrest.
Police and banks will never ask you to transfer money or threaten you with deportation. If you receive such a request, it is not genuine. Do not act on it, Please report it to the Dorset Police immediately via their website or by calling 101.
How to protect yourself
- If an unknown individual contacts you to accuse you of a crime, do not release any personal or financial information and do not send any money. Stop any further contact
- Contact from a seemingly official phone number is not proof of official action. Criminals are able to use technology to disguise or "spoof" the actual number they are calling from to appear as a trusted number.
- If you are contacted by any organisation or government agency for an allegedly official purpose, you may verify the contact is legitimate by using public sources (phone book, internet, etc.) to identify their contact information. You can then directly contact the organisation or agency to confirm the legitimacy of the communication you received.
- Do not consent to 24/7 video or audio monitoring.
- If you believe you have been contacted by an individual claiming to be a Chinese authority, report it to Dorset Police on their website, or by calling 101. You can also contact AskBU for further guidance and support.
If you have any queries about any of the above, please contact the IT Service Desk on (01202 9)65515 or freephone 0808 196 2332. Or you can visit our staying safe online webpages for further guidance and support. If you think you have been the victim of a scam, please get in touch with AskBU, Dorset Police or Action Fraud for help.
