Scammers targeting Chinese students in Australia

​Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS) schools should be aware of National Anti-Scam Centre warnings that scammers are using increasingly sophisticated tactics to intimidate and steal from Chinese students living in Australia.

Since the beginning of 2023, there have been over 1,000 reports made and over $8 million lost to these scams.

Scammers often call students under the guise of working for a financial institution. If students do not comply with their requests, scammers may pose as Chinese police and threaten students with extradition or deportation.

These scammers use highly convincing technology to intimidate students. They may issue fake arrest warrants and demand to monitor students via video.

As CRICOS schools have a duty of care to protect students under 18 years of age, they should be aware of the potential for scammers to target their overseas students. It is important for students to be informed about potential signs of scams and tips for avoiding them. This information is available in the National Anti-Scam Centre media release.

In accordance with the VRQA guidelines, CRICOS schools must ensure that they support the general welfare of students and meet the Child Safe Standards. This includes Child Safe Standard 9 – Child safety in physical and online environments.

For more information, see the:

• National Anti-Scam Centre media release (also available in Mandarin)(opens in a new window)
• VRQA Guidelines for the Enrolment of Overseas Students Aged Under 18 Years (docx - 829.17kb)(opens in a new window)
• Child Safe Standards International – Child safety in physical and online environments(opens in a new window)