Last week, the Regina Police Service (RPS) reported that several people had fallen victim to a tuition scam which targeted students at the University of Regina.
Scammers posed as intermediaries, claiming they could offer reduced tuition rates if a student paid for an upfront payment.
The RPS reported that the fraud affected at least 23 victims, and the financial loss currently exceeds $125,000.
On Friday, the U of R provided an update to SaskToday regarding the scams. According to the institution, their protective services were first made aware of the scam back in Jan.
The U of R acknowledged the scam “has caused significant financial hardship to students who were victimized. These students are looking at alternate funding options. However, some have indicated they are unsure if they will be able to secure the necessary funding to continue their studies.”
As for whether the scam was targeted to select students or directed to all of them, the U of R couldn’t comment on that matter.
Since the scam started, “the University has notified students of this fraud via emails and social media and included information on how to avoid being victimized. A fraud notice has also been posted to the UR Protective Services website, which will remain on the site for the foreseeable future,” they said.
The U of R is “also considering other mechanisms for ensuring students are aware of potential risks of this and other fraudulent activity.”
This is now the second time in the past year that the institution has dealt with a fraud scam like this.
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