There is currently an active telephone scam targeting international students. The call appears to come from a genuine Home Office number, matching one shown on the gov.uk website, and the caller may already have some personal information about the student they are calling, such as name and nationality.
The caller claims that the student is under investigation and that their immigration status is at risk. They then try to obtain personal and/or financial information from the student. According to the students affected, the telephone manner of the caller starts out fairly polite but can become aggressive if the student does not give the information requested.
Important note to all students: The Home Office will never ask for personal information over the phone or demand money.
If you are ever unsure whether any correspondence you receive from the Home Office is genuine, please contact the VISAS Team who are here to advise you. You can either stop by during one of the drop-in sessions, usually Tuesday and Thursday between 9:00 and 10:30, and Wednesday between 13:00 and 14:30, or you can use the Enquiry Form available by clicking here.
