Tuition Payment Scams: What Students Need to Know

Canadian universities are seeing an increase in tuition payment scams targeting students. These scams cause severe financial loss. Fraudsters trick students into sending money directly to them, while student university accounts remain unpaid.

Review these common tactics and learn how to protect your money and your student account.

Three Common Tuition Scams

Be alert to these three common fraudulent schemes:

1. The Impersonated "Friend or Family" Loan

Cyber criminals compromise an existing account or create a fake profile to impersonate a friend or family member. Posing as that contact on WhatsApp, WeChat, social media or email, the attacker offers to pay your tuition as a favour or loan.

• The deception: The scammer asks for your VIU student credentials (your student number or @my.viu.ca email address, and your password) to log into your account and make the payment.
• The setup: The attacker pays the tuition using a stolen credit card. They then ask you to start making repayments immediately through e-transfer or cryptocurrency.
• The catch: Weeks later, the credit card payment is reversed due to fraud. You lose any money you repaid to the attacker, still owe your full tuition and your VIU account credentials are now compromised.

2. The "Discounted Tuition" Broker

Scammers advertise online or contact students on social media and messaging apps. They pose as agents, brokers or education partners who claim they can secure a "discounted" tuition rate (for example, 10% to 20% off).

• The deception: The scammer instructs you to send a discounted fee directly to them by wire transfer, e-transfer or cash.
• The setup: To convince you, the scammer uses a stolen credit card to pay the full tuition on your student account. When you check your student record, the balance appears paid.
• The catch: When the credit card holder reports the fraud, the bank reverses the charge. VIU cancels the fraudulent payment, leaving you owing the full tuition amount to the university. You also lose all the money you transferred to the scammer.

3. The Urgent "Phishing" Threat

Students receive an urgent email, phone call or text message claiming to be from a university official, the registration office or financial aid.

• The deception: The message claims your student account has an immediate billing error or unpaid balance. The sender threatens that your course registration will be cancelled unless you pay within hours.
• The demand: The attacker directs you to send payment through Interac e-Transfer to an unverified email address. They may also instruct you to purchase gift cards or cryptocurrency.
• The catch: VIU departments will never demand immediate payment through informal transfer methods or personal email addresses. Any money sent to these addresses goes directly to criminals, leaving your official tuition unpaid.

How to Protect Yourself and Your Account

Protect your identity and finances by following these safety practices:

• Keep your credentials private: Never share your VIU username, student number or password with anyone. Do not share your login details with friends or third parties offering to pay fees on your behalf.
• Verify unexpected offers: If a family member or friend offers unexpected financial assistance online, verify their identity first. Call them directly on a known phone number or speak to them in person before accepting money or making transfers.
• Be wary of discounts: Any claim of reduced tuition in exchange for an upfront payment is a scam.
• Use official payment channels: Always pay using official methods. Review the VIU How Do I Pay? guide for instructions on approved payment options.
• Pause before you pay: Scammers create a false sense of urgency to prevent you from thinking clearly. If an email threatens immediate removal from classes, stop and verify the claim directly with the Registration Centre.

What to Do If You Suspect a Scam or Shared Details

Take immediate action if you suspect fraudulent activity:

If You Receive a Suspicious Message

• Report the message in Outlook: Select the email in Outlook and click Report Message (or Report), then select Phishing. This alerts the VIU IT Security team.
• Do not interact: Do not reply, click links or dial phone numbers listed in the message.

If You Shared Your VIU Password or Login Details

1. Change your password immediately: Follow the VIU password reset guide from a secure device.
2. Deny unexpected 2SV prompts: If you receive an unexpected 2-Step Verification prompt on your mobile device, select Deny immediately.
3. Contact the IT Helpdesk: Call 250.740.6300 (toll-free: 1.833.902.6301) right away to report the compromise and have your account secured.

If You Sent Money to a Fraudulent Contact

1. Contact your financial institution immediately: Notify your bank, credit union or card issuer to request a transfer cancellation or freeze on your accounts.
2. File a report with law enforcement: Report the incident to your local police detachment (such as the Nanaimo RCMP) and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC). Financial institutions often require a police file number to proceed with fraud investigations.