There’s a scam email circulating which offers UEA students ‘free grants’

A scam email has been sent to most UEA students offering a financial grants. 

The email tells students they have been chosen based on their “financial circumstance and academic performance”, then asks for bank details to be sent “as soon as possible”.

Despite its “.ac.uk” email address, the scam account is not to be believed and, upon contacting the university, the Tab can clarify that the grant is neither legitimate nor affiliated with the university.

Katie, a second year Biology student, said she would have fallen for the scam had she not have been warned by a fellow student through a Facebook status: “That’s crazy. I would have easily fallen for that. When you click through to the details page it uses UEA’s icon and copyright details and everything. I’m so glad I was warned.”

An identical email was sent to Manchester students only last week, and another circulated the university two weeks before. All three scams appear to have been delivered from “@my.bristol.ac.uk” email addresses, which would explain why they were not intercepted by university spam filters.

Last week, IT services at the University of Manchester told The Tab: “Do not enter any details until you are sure that the source of the email is legitimate.

“You have to always protect yourselves, you can’t be sure the university is protecting you.

“If you think you have been scammed, go to your bank and cancel your card as soon you as you can.”

Students are encouraged to always contact UEA whenever emails asking for personal details are circulated so that the source can be reported and blocked.