{"id":28626,"date":"2026-05-04T15:27:54","date_gmt":"2026-05-04T07:27:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/?post_type=oasis-news&#038;p=28626"},"modified":"2026-05-04T15:27:58","modified_gmt":"2026-05-04T07:27:58","slug":"lets-eradicate-scams-on-campus","status":"publish","type":"oasis-news","link":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/oasis-news\/lets-eradicate-scams-on-campus\/","title":{"rendered":"Let&#8217;s Eradicate Scams On-Campus"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"notification notification--important small\" data-segment=\"dom\">\n    <span class=\"ico ico-info\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 32 32\"><path d=\"M16 2a14 14 0 1 0 14 14A14 14 0 0 0 16 2zm0 26a12 12 0 1 1 12-12 12 12 0 0 1-12 12z\"\/><path d=\"M15 15h2v6h-2z\"\/><circle cx=\"16\" cy=\"12\" r=\"1\"\/><\/svg><\/span><p>If you ever feel unsafe or need to report any suspicious activities on campus, call the Safer Community Team on 4444 from an internal phone or (08) 9266 4444 from an external or mobile phone. In a life threathening situation, call 0 000 from an internal phone or 000 from an external or mobile phone.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Reading time: 4 minutes<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Curtin is a vibrant and welcoming place where students from around the world come to learn, grow and build meaningful connections. While Curtin is a safe and supportive community, it is still important to stay aware of people who may try to take advantage of your trust, especially if you are new to Perth or just settling in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Although these scams are uncommon, being able to recognise the warning signs can help protect you and others from getting caught up in something suspicious. By staying informed, confident and looking out for each other, we can make Curtin a smarter and safer campus for everyone.<\/p>\n\n\n<section\n                class=\"block block--no-indent article-overlay \"\n        role=\"complementary\" aria-label=\"Article overlay\"\n        data-segment=\"all\">\n    <div class=\"grid\">\n\n        <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/a-large-group-of-people-engaged-in-a-spiritual-gathering-and-prayer-28688241-1000x500.jpg\" class=\"article-overlay__image\" alt=\"A large group of people engaged in a spiritual gathering and prayer\">\n        <div class=\"article-overlay__inner\" data-overlay-offset=\"default\">\n                            <h2 class=\"article-overlay__title\">Religious Recruitment Scams<\/h2>\n                                        <div class=\"article-overlay__content content\">\n                    <h4><strong>What does it looks like<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>Some international students have reported being approached by strangers on campus or around the city, often in pairs. These individuals may start a conversation by complimenting something you\u2019re wearing or holding, trying to make new friends, and then invite you to an event or catch-up. The word event or catch-up is key. This is often code for a faith-based gathering connected to a high-control group, even if it\u2019s framed as a social, cultural or student-led activity.<\/p>\n<h4><strong>Red flags<\/strong><\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li>You\u2019re approached by two strangers, often overly friendly or rehearsed in how they speak<\/li>\n<li>They&#8217;re not affiliated with the <a href=\"https:\/\/guild.curtin.edu.au\/clubs\/search\/\">Curtin Student Guild<\/a> or ºìÌÒÊÓƵ (no staff ID)<\/li>\n<li>The conversation starts with a compliment, followed by small talk<\/li>\n<li>They invite you to an \u201cevent\u201d that sounds vague or unrelated to religion<\/li>\n<li>They also might invite you for a catch-up another time<\/li>\n<li>They may ask about your faith<\/li>\n<li>They ask for your phone number or social media at the end<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4><strong>How to deflect<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>Once they immediately invite you for a catch-up or event, it\u2019s best to step away with a polite excuse. Try something like \u201cSorry, I\u2019m late for class\u201d or \u201cNo thanks, I\u2019m not interested.\u201d You\u2019re allowed to leave the conversation at any time.<\/p>\n<p>If they ask you for a phone number or social media, decline and leave. It&#8217;s important to know that Curtin-affiliated groups should not harrass or chase you. If they do, they must be reported to Safer Communities.<\/p>\n\n                <\/div>\n                                <\/div>\n\n    <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><\/h3>\n\n\n<section\n                class=\"block block--no-indent article-overlay \"\n        role=\"complementary\" aria-label=\"Article overlay\"\n        data-segment=\"all\">\n    <div class=\"grid\">\n\n        <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/polish-100-zloty-notes-with-pills-and-blister-packs-illustrating-medical-costs.-47327-1000x500.jpg\" class=\"article-overlay__image\" alt=\"Polish 100 z\u0142oty notes with pills and blister packs, illustrating medical costs.\">\n        <div class=\"article-overlay__inner\" data-overlay-offset=\"default\">\n                            <h2 class=\"article-overlay__title\">Multi-level Marketing (MLM)\/Pyramid Schemes and Fake Business Opportunities<\/h2>\n                                        <div class=\"article-overlay__content content\">\n                    <h4 data-start=\"383\" data-end=\"798\"><strong data-start=\"383\" data-end=\"405\">What it looks like<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p data-start=\"383\" data-end=\"798\">Multi-level Marketing (MLM), sometimes seen as &#8216;Pyramid Schemes&#8217; often appear as exciting business or entrepreneurship opportunities, pitched by someone who claims they\u2019re \u201cliving their dream\u201d or \u201cbuilding a legacy.\u201d You might be invited to a casual catch-up, motivational session or online group, where someone shares how they make thousands of dollars a month selling a product.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"800\" data-end=\"1258\">These schemes usually rely on you buying a starter product or \u201cinvesting\u201d in something upfront, like a nutrition supplement or expensive gadget. In some cases, people have gone into serious debt through loans or payment plans just to join the program, all with the promise of huge earnings that almost never happen.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1260\" data-end=\"1452\">Instead of focusing on selling the product, the scheme pushes you to recruit others into the business. This is how the pyramid grows, and why it\u2019s hard to make money unless you\u2019re at the top.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1260\" data-end=\"1452\">If recruiting fails, then the person might attempt to sell you the products for an inflated price.<\/p>\n<h4 data-start=\"1454\" data-end=\"1467\"><strong data-start=\"1454\" data-end=\"1467\">Red flags<\/strong><\/h4>\n<ul data-start=\"1468\" data-end=\"1989\">\n<li data-start=\"1468\" data-end=\"1524\">\n<p data-start=\"1470\" data-end=\"1524\">They avoid naming the company or product until later<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1468\" data-end=\"1524\">You have never have heard of the product at all and does not appear in store shelves<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1525\" data-end=\"1590\">\n<p data-start=\"1527\" data-end=\"1590\">You are promised \u201cfinancial freedom\u201d or \u201csix-figure earnings\u201d<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1525\" data-end=\"1590\">You are promised &#8220;trips&#8221; and &#8220;travel&#8221;<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1591\" data-end=\"1666\">\n<p data-start=\"1593\" data-end=\"1666\">You are encouraged to spend large sums upfront on equipment or packages<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1667\" data-end=\"1725\">\n<p data-start=\"1669\" data-end=\"1725\">You are asked to recruit others and build a \u201cdownline\u201d<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1726\" data-end=\"1807\">\n<p data-start=\"1728\" data-end=\"1807\">There\u2019s pressure to constantly post on social media and \u201csell your lifestyle\u201d<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1808\" data-end=\"1897\">\n<p data-start=\"1810\" data-end=\"1897\">Training or access to success tools costs extra, often through monthly subscriptions<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1898\" data-end=\"1989\">\n<p data-start=\"1900\" data-end=\"1989\">Real profits are vague or unproven, and most participants never earn back what they spent<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1898\" data-end=\"1989\"><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p data-start=\"1991\" data-end=\"2133\"><em>According to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.abc.net.au\/news\/2024-06-19\/enagic-multi-level-marketing-scheme-targetting-rural-woman\/103891720\">independent data from the US<\/a>, over 99 per cent of participants in these types of schemes make no profit, and many end up in debt.<\/em><\/p>\n<h4 data-start=\"2135\" data-end=\"2461\"><strong data-start=\"2135\" data-end=\"2153\">How to deflect<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p data-start=\"2135\" data-end=\"2461\">Be polite but direct. \u201cI\u2019m not interested, thanks\u201d is enough. You can also say you\u2019re not in a position to spend money or that you prefer to focus on your studies. You should not need to feel bad for walking away, if the opportunity is real, it wouldn\u2019t rely on pressure tactics or secretive sales structures. If someone you know is pressuring you, do not respsond back and block their contact, if possible.<\/p>\n\n                <\/div>\n                                <\/div>\n\n    <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><\/h3>\n\n\n<section\n                class=\"block block--no-indent article-overlay \"\n        role=\"complementary\" aria-label=\"Article overlay\"\n        data-segment=\"all\">\n    <div class=\"grid\">\n\n        <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/CurtinDayTwo-79-1000x500.jpg\" class=\"article-overlay__image\" alt=\"student with headphones studying.\">\n        <div class=\"article-overlay__inner\" data-overlay-offset=\"default\">\n                            <h2 class=\"article-overlay__title\">Fake Tutors or Education Agents<\/h2>\n                                        <div class=\"article-overlay__content content\">\n                    <p><!-- wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<h4><strong>What it looks like<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>Someone offers you academic support or says they can connect you with scholarships, essay help or even transfers to other universities. They might seem helpful at first, but they may charge large upfront fees, ghost you after payment or provide plagiarised work that could get you in trouble. They might approach you on your social media DM&#8217;s or you may see a flyer on-campus offering this service.<\/p>\n<p><!-- \/wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p><!-- wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<h4><strong>Red flags<\/strong><\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li>Guarantees of top grades or academic results<\/li>\n<li>Asks for upfront payment through cash or transfer<\/li>\n<li>Doesn\u2019t provide proper contact or ABN details<\/li>\n<li>Offers to do assignments for you<\/li>\n<li>In social media, they will follow you and then DM you asking if you study at ºìÌÒÊÓƵ<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><!-- \/wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p><!-- wp:list --><\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><!-- wp:list-item --><\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none\"><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><!-- \/wp:list-item --><\/p>\n<p><!-- \/wp:list --><\/p>\n<p><!-- wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<h4><strong>How to deflect<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>Online, do not respond to their messages and block them, if possible. If you are approached, politely decline and let them know you\u2019ll go through Curtin\u2019s official support services if you need help. Curtin has lots of resources, softwares and programs that are free and safe to use.<\/p>\n\n                <\/div>\n                                <\/div>\n\n    <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Other Scams to Watch For<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">These aren\u2019t the only scams out there. Here are a few more to be aware of:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Fake job offers<\/strong> that ask for upfront payment or personal bank details<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>\u201cCharity\u201d or \u201cpetition\u201d scams<\/strong> that pressure you into giving money or your information<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Romance or \u201cfriendship\u201d scams<\/strong> that ask for favours or money after gaining your trust<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Accommodation scams<\/strong> that offer fake rental listings and ask for deposits<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If it feels off, it probably is. Trust your instincts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Stay Safe and Confident<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Curtin is a safe and welcoming place, and the majority of your interactions here will be positive. But having this knowledge helps you stay sharp and protect yourself. You are never rude for walking away or saying no. And you are never alone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you\u2019ve had an experience that made you uncomfortable, or if you\u2019re unsure about something, support is always available.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Contact the <strong>Curtin Safer Community Team<\/strong><br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/students\/campus\/safety-security\/\">curtin.edu.au\/students\/campus\/safety-security<\/a><br>(08) 9266 4444 \u2014 available 24\/7<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Scammers are getting smarter, and students are their main targets. Help eradicate scammers on-campus by spotting the red flags and knowing how to respond. | Reading time: 4 min<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4452,"featured_media":6018,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":true,"_oasis_is_in_workflow":0,"_oasis_original":0,"_oasis_task_priority":"","_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"5250,5792,4794,6757,4587,4807","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","wds_primary_oasis-categories":0,"footnotes":""},"oasis-categories":[137,138,140],"class_list":["post-28626","oasis-news","type-oasis-news","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","oasis-categories-important","oasis-categories-international","oasis-categories-on-campus"],"acf":{"post_options":{"":null,"banner":{"image":false}}},"featured_image":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Safer-community.jpg","author_meta":{"first_name":"Joaquin","last_name":"Atizado","display_name":"Joaquin Atizado"},"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-08-02 10:29:43","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"oasis-categories","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/oasis-news\/28626","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/oasis-news"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/oasis-news"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4452"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/oasis-news\/28626\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6018"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=28626"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"oasis-categories","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/oasis-categories?post=28626"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}