In an emergency
In a life-threatening emergency in Australia, call 000 for police, ambulance, and firefighters. If you have a non-life-threatening emergency that you need to discuss with an Advisor, please contact us to arrange emergency support.
For on-campus emergencies, contact University of Adelaide Security (8313 5444).
Out-of-hours support is also available on the University Crisis Line. You can call on 1300 107 441 (in Australia only) or text 0488 884 163 (from anywhere in the world), 5 pm - 9 am on weekdays; 24 hours on weekends and public holidays.
Other emergency out-of-hours support services:
Scam awareness
A scam is a fraudulent activity aimed at stealing your money or identity. Living away from their home country and perhaps having to speak a different language, international students are particularly vulnerable to being scammed. If you lose money in a scam, it can be difficult - sometimes impossible - to get back. The truth is that anyone can be scammed. If you stay careful and alert, you can minimise your chances of becoming a victim.
Seven signs of a scam
How do you tell if it's a scam? If you receive a phone call, message, email or see a social media post with one or more of the following features, be careful - it may be a scam.
- Asking for large amounts of money (i.e. more than $500)
- Repeated requests for personal information
- Threats of deportation or arrest
- Pressure put upon you, trying to get you to act immediately
- Discounts or cheap prices that seem too good to be true
- Demands to communicate only via encrypted messaging apps (e.g. WhatsApp, WeChat, QQ, Telegram)
- Demands for payment through third-party services (e.g. Convera, Moneygram), or in non-money forms (e.g. Bitcoin, gift cards), or payment to foreign bank accounts
Protecting yourself from scams
Here are some tips for avoiding common scams.
- Always be careful if someone is asking you for a large amount of money
- Beware of urgent requests from unknown sources to transfer money due to a crisis in your home country
- Beware of random phone calls you are not expecting or from phone numbers you don’t know
- Do not click on direct links in emails claiming to be from your bank, the Australian Government, the ATO, your home country government, or other authorities. Always go directly to the organisation's website yourself to confirm its legitimacy and contact details
- Ensure your PINs and passwords are secure and private
- Be cautious of any offer that sounds too good to be true
- Take a step back: if someone is putting pressure on you, hang up or walk away from the computer
- Be aware that sometimes scammers will be from your country and speak your language
- Check your bank and credit card statements regularly for suspicious activity, and contact your bank immediately if something is not right
- If you are unsure about something, contact International Student Support
If you think you have been scammed...
- Contact your bank or financial institution immediately
- Make a report to the South Australian Police
- Contact Student Assist
- Report the scam to the Australian Government's Scamwatch and Report Cyber services
More information
