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Get startedPhishing is the online crime people report most. The FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center logged 193,407 phishing and spoofing complaints in 2024, more than any other type, according to its 2024 report.
Moving abroad makes you an easy target. New bank, new visa, new landlord, new university systems, all sending real messages you have never seen before. These examples of phishing show what the fakes look like, and the one detail that gives each away.
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Examples of Phishing That Copy Official Bodies
The most frightening phishing messages pretend to come from people with power over your stay: immigration, tax and police. They work because new arrivals do not yet know how these offices contact people.
So how do you stay calm when a message threatens your visa? Remember that real offices rarely demand instant payment through a link. A layer of software helps too: Bitdefender's scam protection is built into its antivirus and warns you about web pages that carry phishing or fraudulent content before you type anything in.
The fake visa office email
An email claims to come from the immigration office and says there is a problem with your visa, your biometrics or your residence permit. It asks you to "verify" your passport details or pay a fee through a link today, or face cancellation. The tell is the combination of urgency and a link. Immigration offices send real problems by letter or inside your official online account, and they do not threaten you with a deadline measured in hours. Never use the link. Log into the official government site by typing the address yourself, and check whether any message is waiting there.
The surprise tax refund
A text or email says you are owed a tax refund and only need to confirm your bank details to receive it. In the UK, HMRC says on its reporting page that it will never send a tax rebate notification or ask for personal or payment information by text. In the US, the IRS warns on its scams page about impersonators and odd or misspelled web links. A refund that arrives by text, with a link, is a fake. Check your real tax account instead, and see our guide to your US tax return for how real refunds arrive.
The "you will be arrested" call
Someone calls claiming to be the police, the tax office or immigration. They say there is a warrant, a fine or a deportation order, and you must pay now to stop it. The IRS says impersonators "threaten arrest or deportation" and want you to pay "now or else". The FBI received 17,367 government impersonation complaints in 2024 alone. Real authorities do not take payment over the phone to cancel an arrest. Hang up, find the official number yourself and call back if you are worried.
The tuition refund link
An email that looks like your university says you are due a tuition refund, a scholarship payment or a fee correction. It asks you to log in through a link to claim it. These often arrive at the start of term, when real money messages are common. The tell is the login page: check the address bar, and you will see it is not your university's real domain. Open your student portal from a bookmark or your university's app instead. If a refund is real, it will be there.
The student loan "update"
A message warns that your student loan or financial aid is on hold until you update your details or pay a processing fee. It often uses official-looking logos and a deadline. Loan providers and aid offices do not charge you to process aid, and they do not ask for your login by text. The tell is the fee: legitimate aid does not cost money to receive. Log into your loan account directly, or call the number on an official letter, to check whether anything is wrong.
The embassy fee demand
You get an email or call claiming to be from your home country's embassy or consulate. It says your passport is flagged, a family member is in trouble or you owe an urgent fee. Consulates do sometimes contact citizens, but they do not demand payment by gift card, crypto or bank transfer to a personal account. The tell is the payment method. Look up the embassy's real phone number on its official site and call to check before you do anything.
Official-looking messages work because they scare you. Money messages work because they look routine, and those come next.
Examples of Phishing About Your Bank and Money
Bank and payment phishing is the most common kind of fraud message. The Anti-Phishing Working Group found that attacks on online payment and banking sectors together made up 30.9% of all phishing in early 2025, according to its 2025 trends summary.
So what is the safest habit with any money message? Never act inside the message. Open your banking app instead, and let a filter catch the links you miss: on Android and iOS, scam protection for texts detects scams and harmful links in SMS messages in real time.
The "suspicious login" alert
An email or text says someone tried to log into your bank account and asks you to confirm it was you through a link. The page looks exactly like your bank and asks for your username, password and a code. The tell is that you were sent to a login page at all. Real banks show security alerts inside the app. Close the message, open your banking app the usual way, and check for any alert there. If there is nothing, delete the message.
The blocked card text
A text says your card has been blocked or a large payment is pending, with a number to call or a link to "cancel" it. New account holders abroad are a natural target, because they expect teething problems with a new card. The tell is the pressure to act before you think. Call the number on the back of your card, not the one in the message. Your bank will tell you in seconds whether anything is blocked. Setting up alerts when you open a new bank account makes these fakes easier to spot.
The "safe account" transfer
A caller says they are from your bank's fraud team. Your account is under attack, they say, and you must move your money to a "safe account" right now. They may know your name and the last digits of your card, which makes them sound real. No genuine bank will ever ask you to move money to protect it. Hang up, wait a few minutes in case the line stays open, then call your bank on a number you trust.
The payment app request
You get a payment request or a "money sent to you by mistake" message in a payment app, asking you to send it back or approve a request. It may come from a stranger or from what looks like a friend. Payment app requests can look like incoming payments if you tap too fast. The tell is any request that you did not expect. Check your actual balance in the app before you send anything, and ignore requests from people you do not know.
The crypto investment tip
A friendly stranger on social media or a dating app starts chatting, then mentions how much they earn from a crypto platform and offers to show you. The platform looks professional and even shows your "profits" growing. The tell is that you cannot withdraw without paying a "tax" or "release fee". Investment fraud was the costliest crime type in the FBI's 2024 data. Never invest through a link from someone you met online, however long you have been talking. A real adviser never needs you to move money to an app they chose.
The overpayment refund
Someone pays you too much, often for something you are selling or for a room you are renting out, then asks you to send back the difference. Days later, their original payment bounces or is reversed, and your refund is gone. This works on students selling furniture before a move. The tell is any buyer who "accidentally" sends extra. Wait until the payment has fully cleared with your bank before you send anything back, or simply refuse. A genuine buyer can always ask their own bank to reverse a mistake.
Money phishing hides in routine admin. The next group hides in the big life tasks of moving abroad: housing, work and parcels.
Examples of Phishing Around Housing, Jobs and Deliveries
Every move abroad comes with a flat hunt, a job search and a pile of deliveries. Scammers know these moments well, because each one involves paying strangers or sharing documents.
So which of these causes the biggest losses? Housing, because deposits are large and usually paid before you arrive. Before you pay, the web protection in that same antivirus is designed to warn you about pages carrying phishing or fraudulent content, which is where most of these scams end.
The landlord deposit email
A landlord you found online asks for the deposit and first month's rent by bank transfer before you can view the room. They may say they are abroad, send a copy of a passport and use a convincing contract. The tell is paying before viewing, to a personal account. Our guide to housing scams covers the full pattern. Use a verified platform, ask for a video viewing at minimum, and never transfer money to someone you have not met or checked.
The fake rental platform page
You agree a room and the "landlord" sends you a payment link to a booking site, so it feels protected. The page looks like a real platform but sits on a different web address. The NCSC warns that criminals copy real sites and use lookalike addresses, in its guide to shopping safely. The tell is a booking link sent by the landlord rather than found by you. Always log into the real platform yourself and pay only inside it. If the landlord refuses to let you book through the platform's own page, walk away.
The recruiter on WhatsApp
A recruiter messages you on WhatsApp or Telegram about a remote job with great pay and flexible hours. They found your CV online and want to move fast. The FBI logged 20,044 employment scam complaints in 2024. The tell is the channel and the speed: real recruiters rarely start on WhatsApp and hire without an interview. Look up the company yourself and check that the person really works there. A real employer will also be happy to move the conversation to a company email address and a proper interview, so ask for both before you share your passport or bank details.
The "training fee" job offer
You are offered a job, then told you must pay for training, equipment or a visa processing fee before you start. Sometimes they send a cheque to buy equipment, then ask you to send part of it to a supplier. The tell is simple: nobody legitimate charges you to get hired. If a job asks for money up front, it is not a job. Stop replying, and never pay or forward money for an employer you have not met. Job scams repeat a handful of patterns, so learning them once protects every application after.
The customs fee text
A text says a parcel is held at customs and you must pay a small fee to release it. The amount is small on purpose, because the real target is your card details. These spike during holiday shipping and after big online sales. The tell is the link and the payment page. Check the tracking number from the shop you ordered from, on the courier's own website or app, never through the text. Real customs charges usually appear in the courier's official tracking, with a clear breakdown of the amount.
The missed delivery message
A message says the courier tried to deliver and you need to reschedule or confirm your address through a link. The NCSC lists "missed deliveries" among the official-sounding scam messages that follow data breaches, in its breach guidance. If you are not expecting anything, that is your first tell. If you are, use the courier's official app, where real redelivery options live. Delete the text once you have checked. Couriers rarely ask for your full card details just to rebook a delivery, so any page that does is a strong warning sign.
Life admin phishing targets your money directly. The next group targets your accounts, which can be even more valuable to a scammer.
Examples of Phishing That Target Your Accounts and Devices
Some phishing does not ask for money at all. It wants your login, your codes or remote access to your device, which a scammer can then use to steal far more.
So what is the simplest rule for these? Never type a password or read out a code because a message asked you to. Start from the official app or site every time.
The "account suspended" warning
An email says your email, streaming or social media account will be suspended unless you verify it through a link. The page looks right and asks for your password. The tell is the threat plus the link. Services that need you to act show a notice when you log in normally. Open the app or type the address yourself. If the warning is not there, it was phishing. Report the email with your mail app's phishing button, so the provider can block the same message for others.
The "read me the code" call
Someone calls or messages saying they are from your bank, your phone network or a platform's support team. They say they will send you a code to "verify" you and ask you to read it back. That code is the second step of your login, and reading it out gives them your account. The tell is anyone asking for a code at all. No real support team needs your one-time code. Hang up and never share it. An authenticator app as your second login step is harder to talk out of you than a text code.
The "mailbox full" university email
An email that looks like your university IT team says your mailbox is full or your password is expiring, and you must log in through a link to keep access. These target new students before they know how IT normally communicates. The tell is the login page address. Your university's real login page uses its own domain. Check with the IT help desk through the university website if you are unsure. Most university IT teams publish a page listing the scam emails currently going round campus.
The QR code in an email
An email asks you to scan a QR code to sign a document, unlock a payment or reset a password. QR codes hide the address, so you cannot check it before you scan. The NCSC warns to be wary of QR codes within emails, in its guide to spotting scams. The tell is a QR code where a normal link would do. Treat it exactly like a suspicious link and do not scan it. If the document is real, the sender can share it through a normal link or attachment instead.
The fake virus alert
A pop-up or call says your computer is infected and you must call a support number or install a tool right now. The "technician" then asks for remote access and payment. The FBI received 36,002 tech support scam complaints in 2024. The tell is any warning that pushes you to call a number. Real security software deals with problems inside its own app. Close the browser, and never give a stranger remote access. If you already did, disconnect from the internet and run a full scan straight away.
Account phishing often arrives through people you trust, or seem to. That is the last group.
Examples of Phishing Through Friends and Social Media
The most convincing phishing comes from someone you know, or someone pretending to be them. A hacked account or a new number makes the message feel safe.
So how do you check without being rude? Contact the person another way, such as a call or a message on a different app, before you send money or codes.
The "new number" message
A message from an unknown number says, "Hi, it's me, I lost my phone, this is my new number." It is your parent, sibling or friend, they say, and they urgently need money for a bill. The tell is a new number plus an urgent payment. Call the person's old number or ask a question only they would know. A real family member will understand why you checked. Agreeing a simple family code word for money requests makes this check quick and painless.
The friend asking for a code
A friend messages you saying they accidentally sent their verification code to your number and asks you to forward it. In fact, the code is for your account, and forwarding it hands it over. Often the friend's own account has already been hacked this way. The tell is any request to share a code. Never forward one, and call your friend to warn them their account may be compromised. Turning on two-step login yourself stops the same trick working on you.
The prize or giveaway DM
A message says you have won a giveaway from a brand or influencer you follow, and you only need to pay shipping or log in to claim it. The account looks real but has few followers or a slightly different name. The tell is paying or logging in to claim a prize you did not enter. Check the official account directly. Before you reply to any message like this, you can paste it into Scamio, a free scam-checking chatbot that runs on the web and in WhatsApp, for a quick second opinion.
Social phishing works because it borrows trust. Checking through a second channel breaks it.
Conclusion
These examples of phishing share a pattern: a message you did not expect, pressure to act now, and a link, number or code that skips your normal route in. The NCSC calls the tactics authority, urgency, emotion, scarcity and current events. Spot two at once and you have probably spotted a scam.
When in doubt, close the message and open the official app or site yourself. Report phishing emails to [email protected] in the UK, and texts to 7726, as GOV.UK explains in its reporting guide. The purpose of this guide was to help you keep your devices, data, money and identity safe while you live your whole life online in a new country. To help you on this journey, College Life has partnered with Bitdefender to make your life easier. Join College Life Club for free and start taking advantage of this today.
FAQ
What are the most common examples of phishing?
Fake bank and payment alerts, delivery texts, account suspension warnings and messages that copy tax or immigration offices are among the most common. They all try to get you to tap a link, share a code or pay quickly. Starting from the official app or site instead defeats almost all of them.
What are the main types of phishing?
Email phishing, text message phishing (often called smishing), phone call phishing (vishing) and phishing through social media and chat apps. Spear phishing is a targeted kind that uses your name and details to look personal. The same rule works for every type: do not act inside the message.
How can I tell if a message is phishing?
Look for an unexpected message, urgency or threats, a request for passwords, codes or payment, and a link whose real address does not match the organisation. If two of these appear together, treat it as phishing and check through the official app or website.
What should I do if I clicked a phishing link?
Disconnect, run a full antivirus scan and change any password you typed, using a different device. If you entered card details, call your bank straight away. Report the message so it can be taken down.
Where do I report a phishing email?
In the UK, forward phishing emails to [email protected] and texts to 7726. In the US, report fraud to the FTC. You can also use the report or phishing button in your email app and tell the organisation being copied.