How Students Can Stay Safe from International Education Scams

A high-profile International Education Scam shook the student community in 2025 when an immigration consultant from Punjab was arrested for forging Canadian college admission letters for around 700 Indian students. These students had paid large fees for admissions, only to discover later that their documents were fake.

This is not an isolated incident. International students around the world are facing a growing threat from immigration and education scams that put their plans at risk.  International Education Scams are mostly associated with fake colleges and false promises often through or fraudulent agents.

Rising Cases of International Education Scam Schemes Worldwide

In early 2025, hundreds of international students in Australia were left stranded and financially drained after authorities shut down several “ghost colleges” that were operating without delivering real education. 

Students from India and Southeast Asia shared that they paid large sums for courses that were barely run, while a few colleges shut down without warning and vanished. Later, these students found out that some of these places were set up just to help people get student visas, and when checks started, the colleges closed, leaving the students without refunds and facing visa problems. 

Situations like this show how scams in international education can also happen through fake colleges, trapping students who are looking for a legal way to study abroad and leaving them with financial stress and visa issues.

Recognizing the Tactics Behind an International Education Scam

An international education scam can show up in different forms. It could be a fake admission letter, an agent asking for money without giving a receipt, or threats of deportation to scare students into paying. 

Some students get offered guaranteed scholarships or visas that turn out to be false. Others may end up at colleges that are not allowed to take international students. In many of these cases, students feel rushed and unsure about the right steps, so they don’t know how to check if what they are being told is true.

Important Checklist: How to Avoid an International Education Scam

When you are planning to study abroad or sending your children overseas, there are many things you need to check carefully. While the list can feel long, these are the key points that deserve your attention first.

Check Accreditation

Each country maintains its own official list of approved education providers, especially important to check if the institution you plan to attend is not widely known or popular in the student community.

Use the SEVP-certified school list in the U.S., Canada’s DLI list, Australia’s CRICOS register, or New Zealand’s NZQA list to confirm the institution’s approval before applying.

Verify Agents

There are various kinds of agents working in the education and immigration field. Some agencies are fully managed by licensed immigration consultants, while others have licensed consultants on their team but run under a larger agency structure. 

There are also agents who do not hold their own license but work under the network of bigger registered agents or run their operations independently. For these agents, it becomes even more important to check their credibility. Look at their past success rates and student experiences. See how they handle applications before you decide to move forward.

You can check if a consultant is licensed by looking them up on Canada’s CICC, the MARA register in Australia, or the IAA register in New Zealand. Stay away from agents who are not registered and claim they can offer shortcuts or guaranteed visas without following proper legal steps. Always verify these details carefully before you pay any money or sign any documents.

Use Official Communication Channels

According to USCIS, genuine authorities will never demand payments over personal calls, social media messages, or random messaging apps.  This applies to other countries as well.

No matter what an agent or caller claims during an International education scam attempt, Immigration and education departments do not resolve issues or collect fees through personal calls or pressure tactics.

Scammers pretend to be from the immigration department or a university and pressure you to pay. You might have to pause and check if the request is real before taking any action.

Check their official website for contact details to see if it’s real.It’s best for applicants to email the admissions or visa office first and only share personal details or make payments after getting a clear reply.

Making Safer Payments

Visa fees and any other payments related to your studies should be made through recognized online payment systems linked to the institution. The Government of Canada and other governments recommend making the payments only through official portals or direct institutional accounts. 

Do not send money to personal bank account or individuals claiming to act on behalf of an institution without written proof and official verification.