This article was automatically translated from HIBAPRESS, the Arabic version:
This article was automatically translated from HIBAPRESS, the Arabic version:
Heba Press – Muhammad Zariyouh
A number of Moroccan students wishing to continue their postgraduate studies at European universities are exposed to systematic fraud which exploits them financially by claiming false tuition fees after their acceptance into these institutions. This phenomenon has caused widespread concern among students and their families.
Once students arrive in European countries, they receive text messages claiming to be from the universities they have been accepted to.
The messages request payment of additional tuition fees and make false promises like facilitating long-term student visas or financial scholarships in an attempt to take their money without providing any real services.
These messages are professionally designed to instill fear among students and contain threats of legal consequences such as filing lawsuits or referring cases to litigation authorities, with a very short deadline for payment.
Many of these letters bear the names of well-known universities such as those of the Basque Country, Valencia and the Autonomous University of Madrid, which reinforces their false credibility.
The fraudulent operations have not been limited to Spanish universities alone, but have extended to other European countries, such as Great Britain and Eastern European countries, where students are invited, via false advertising, to pay fees for processing their files or to obtain university accommodation. When they arrive, they discover that the promises were false and that the money has disappeared.
Spain’s National Cybersecurity Institute has warned students not to respond to suspicious messages or make financial transfers, calling on them to communicate directly with universities or embassies to verify any financial requests.
It also recommended collecting evidence related to any fraud attempts, such as messages and screenshots, and submitting them to the relevant authorities.
Experts advise students to avoid dealing with unreliable intermediaries or unofficial websites and rely only on official channels of universities or government institutions, while ensuring the accuracy of information and messages before taking any financial action.
These fraudulent operations reveal an organized network that exploits students’ aspirations to study abroad.
It is urgent to intensify awareness-raising efforts among students and their families and to strengthen cooperation between educational establishments and European governments to combat this type of crime which threatens the future of young people and drains their resources .
