🚩 Scam Alerts

Don't Get Scammed by a
Fake Education Consultancy

Every year, thousands of students lose money — and their futures — to fraudulent education agents. Know the warning signs before you pay a single cent.

🚨 See Warning Signs📧 Report a Scam
⚠️ The scale of the problem

International student visa fraud is a growing problem across South Asia, Southeast Asia, and Africa. Students report losing anywhere from $500 to over $10,000 to fake agents — money that is rarely recovered. The best protection is knowing what to look for before you hand over any money.

🚨 8 Warning Signs of a Scam Consultancy

If you see any of these signs, stop and do more research before paying anything.

💸
Guaranteed visa approval
No legitimate consultancy can guarantee a visa. Visa decisions are made solely by the immigration authority of the destination country. Any agency promising "100% visa success" is lying — this is the single biggest red flag.
📲
Operates only on WhatsApp or social media
Scam consultancies often have no physical office, no registered business address, and no professional website. They operate entirely through WhatsApp, Facebook, or Instagram to avoid being traced.
⚡
Pressure to pay immediately
Legitimate agencies give you time to review contracts and make decisions. High-pressure tactics like "this offer expires tonight" or "only 2 spots left" are designed to stop you from doing proper research.
💳
Requests for cash or personal bank transfers
Reputable consultancies use invoices, receipts, and traceable payment methods. Requests for cash, Western Union, or direct personal bank transfers are a major warning sign.
🏫
Unrealistically easy university admissions
If an agent claims they can get you into a top-ranked university despite low grades, or promises entry to programs you do not qualify for, they are likely using fabricated or altered documents.
📄
Asking to hold your original documents
Consultancies should never hold your original passport, degree certificates, or transcripts. Providing only certified copies is safest. Agents who insist on originals may use them as leverage.
🔇
Goes silent after payment
Scammers collect fees and then become unreachable — ignoring calls, blocking on WhatsApp, or simply disappearing. Always verify an agency has a fixed office and registered contact details before paying.
💰
Unusually low fees or free services
While some legitimate agents charge nothing (they earn commission from universities), suspiciously cheap services can indicate corners being cut — including submitting fake documents on your behalf.

✔ How to verify a consultancy is legitimate

✓Check if the consultancy has verified reviews on ConsultancyCheck — read what real students say.
✓Search for the agency name + "scam" or "fraud" on Google before engaging.
✓Verify they have a registered physical office address — visit it in person if possible.
✓Ask for their business registration number and verify it with your country's business registry.
✓Check if they are a registered ICEF agent, QEAC (Australia), or OISC-regulated (UK).
✓Never pay without a signed contract that specifies exactly what services are included and what happens if your visa is refused.

🆘 If you've already been scammed

Act quickly — the sooner you take these steps, the better your chances of recovery and helping prevent others from being victimised.

1
Stop all payments immediately
Do not make any further payments. If you paid by credit card, contact your bank to dispute the charge as fraud.
2
Gather evidence
Screenshot all conversations, save all receipts, contracts, and emails. Record names, phone numbers, addresses, and any other contact details.
3
Report to local authorities
File a police report in your country. This creates an official record and may help recover funds. In many countries, education fraud is a criminal offence.
4
Report to the destination country's immigration authority
Embassies and immigration authorities maintain watch lists. A report may prevent the same agent from scamming other students.
5
Warn other students
Leave a review on ConsultancyCheck so others can be warned before they make the same mistake. Your experience directly protects future students.
6
Email us
Send your report to consultancychecks@gmail.com — we investigate every report and can publicly flag repeat offenders on our platform.
📧

Report a fraudulent consultancy

Send your report to our team. Include the agency name, location, what happened, and any evidence you have. We investigate every report and flag repeat offenders publicly on ConsultancyCheck.

📧 Email Us Your Report✍️ Write a Review

Help protect other students

Your review — positive or negative — helps the next student make a safer, smarter decision.

✍️ Write a Review🔍 Browse Verified Consultancies