Scam in the name of Scholarship:Students and parents, beware! Learn to distinguish between genuine offers and fake ones

Every year, thousands of students apply for international scholarships. These provide them with financial assistance for tuition fees, accommodation, and other study-related expenses. But cybercriminals have now set their sights on this as well. Scammers are targeting students. Through fake websites, emails, and social media posts, they are offering students fraudulent scholarships. By luring students with the promise of scholarships, they are extorting money in the name of registration, processing fees, and document verification. Not only that, scammers are using students’ passports, bank details, and other documents to carry out various types of fraud. In recent days, the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) have warned about this scam. So today, in ‘Cyber Literacy’, we will discuss the ‘international scholarship scam’. We will also learn- Expert – Rahul Mishra, Cyber Security Adviser, Uttar Pradesh Police Question – What is a ‘scholarship scam’? Answer – This is a cyber fraud in which scammers target students and guardians by luring them with fake scholarships. The aim is to extort money and steal sensitive information, such as personal and banking details. Question – How do cyber scammers trap students in this scam? Answer – Scammers contact students through fake scholarship advertisements, emails, messages, and websites. They then extort money under the pretext of registration fees, document verification, and processing fees. Understand the entire scam through the graphic: Question: Which students do scammers target? Answer: Scammers generally target students who are looking for scholarships to study abroad. In particular, they send fake offers to students seeking scholarships for undergraduate, postgraduate, and research programmes. Question: What are the potential risks of applying for a fake scholarship? Answer: Along with financial losses, the student’s personal details may fall into the wrong hands. Scammers may use them for banking fraud or other cybercrimes. See all the risks in the graphic.

Question: What excuses do scammers use to demand money? Answer: Fraudsters convince students that paying a fee is necessary to complete the scholarship process. They demand money on various pretexts so that students transfer the amount without much scrutiny, such as: Question: How can you tell the difference between genuine and fake scholarships? Answer: There are some clear differences between them, but students often overlook them in their haste. See the difference in the graphic: Question: Is there any fee for a genuine scholarship? Answer: Most scholarships do not charge any processing or verification fee. However, some institutions may charge an application fee, but this is always clearly mentioned on the official website. If money is repeatedly demanded in the name of securing a scholarship, you should be cautious. Question: What should students keep in mind while applying for a scholarship? Answer: Scholarship information should always be checked only on the official website of the university, government department or concerned organisation. See the graphic for all the precautions. Question: What signs should alert you while applying for a scholarship? Answer: Here are the key points: Question: Is it safe to apply through an agent? Answer: According to cybersecurity adviser Rahul Mishra, applicants can apply through a registered and trusted agent. However, do not share bank details, OTPs, passwords or original documents without proper verification. Be cautious if an agent guarantees that they will secure a scholarship or asks for money upfront. Question: What should you do if you fall victim to a scholarship scam? Answer: In such a situation, take a few essential steps without delay: Remember, the sooner you act, the lower the risk of loss will be. Question: Where should you report a scholarship scam? Answer: Understand it through these pointers-