Recently, a Rector of a university with more than 40,000 students, dozens of research groups and hundreds of researcher, has received an email that pretends to be from a canadian university. The email (in French) announces the offering of more than 400 shcolarships for students from inustrialized european countries but also from developing countries (practically, all countries in the world are eligible). In addition to the scholarship, the email promesses that the host university will help with immigration issues and provides jobs for those who choose to stay in Canada after their studies. Who can ask for more?
Despite the appearant scam nature of the email, the rector forwarded the email to his staff asking for wide dessimination. You can imagine that the email reached almost every potential victim at the university. On top of that, the email is forwarded from the rector, a person with high authority and trusted by everyone inside as well as outside his institution. The victims will have no reason to doubt. A valuable service provided by the rector to the scammer.
How to detect the scam?
For an average internet user, it is not difficult to detect the scam nature of this email. First, the email is poorly written with many typos and grammatical errors. The senders name "Université Laval Canada" is not the official name of the university which is "University Laval". The scammer adds "Canada" to the name to make it more appealing. The email address obviously does not belong to the Université Laval. Instead of an address @ulaval.ca, the scammer uses @lineone.net email address. LineOne was an internet service provide in the ... UK. Email addresses @lineone.net are still working. The scammer asks the victims to send their applications to a @secretary.net email address. This domain is not in use (it is parked).Furthermore, the email makes refers to non existing depatments. Hence, "la direction régional des bourses étrangères canadienne" has no existance (Yes, it should be "direction régionale" but you know that scammers also can make grammatical errors). The same for "secrétariat d'état à l'étude et à la recherche de l’Université Laval" (again, it should be "secrétariat d'Etat" but then how can a State's secretary be part of the university). It suffices to put the names in google and to look at the results.
The email is intetionally vague, to capture the attention of maximum number of possible victims. First, almost all the countries in the world are illigible. No conditions whatsoever besides speaking a language (it doesn't matter which one) and having a high school or higher level. Yes, everyone can apply and everyone will be granted scholarship. Additionally, you receive a filght ticket, they take care of the immigration procedure and they offer you a job at the end of your study.
In theory, this is perfect. But, doesn't it look too beautiful to be true?
What is the risk?
Back to earth now. Here is what happens if you take the bait.First, the scammer will receive and accept your application. Congratulations, you are awarded a scholarship at the university of Laval.
The scammer will ask the victim to pay an small amount of money as administration fee. The payment will be done using Western Union or a similar money transfer services that guaranties the anonymity for the scammer.
If the victim performs the first payement, then the scammer will most probably continue to ask money under different pretexts. In many cases, it is not the scammer who will give up first. The victim motivated by false hope will sometimes continue until it is too late.
The scammer might ask the victim to send him personal documents (copy of passport, ID, diplomas, etc..) and might use them in fraudulent activities.
What to do?
As a general rule, ignore such emails.If you have already engaged with the scammer, then stop immediatly. Even if you have sent him documents or money. Cut your losses at this point.
Report to the police.
Text of the SCAM email :
De: "Université Laval Canada" <david.a.woods@lineone.net>
Envoyé: Jeudi 1 Octobre 2015 21:36:11
Objet: Inscription a la demande de bourse d'étude canadienne 2015-2016.
Par l'intermédiaire de la direction régional des bourses étrangères canadienne, le secrétariat d'état à l'étude et à la recherche de l’Université Laval lance un appel à la candidature pour 400 bourses d'études Canadienne au titre de l'année académique 2015-2016. Ces bourses sont destinées aux ressortissants des pays de la catégorie A (pays industrialisés européens, et extra-européens) et ceux des pays de la catégorie B (pays en développement, du tiers monde et extra -européens) elles doivent leur permettre de poursuivre leurs études, de parfaire leurs connaissances pour les travaux de recherches dans les domaines auxquels l’Université Laval accorde une attention particulière.
SPÉCIFICITÉ DE LA BOURSE:
- L’Université Laval entend faciliter l'immigration aux personnes désireuses de Poursuivre leurs études et d'obtenir des diplômes d'état canadienne.
- Les candidats retenus au terme de la sélection de candidatures seront insérés outre leur étude dans les secteurs sensibles de la vie économique et sociale du Canada: (santé, droit, diplomatie, communication, finance, énergie, industrie, transport, agriculture...).
Cette option de l’Université Laval vise à donner une aptitude professionnelle aux boursiers pour pouvoir travailler s'ils le désirent au Canada à la fin de leur formation.
DURÉE DE LA BOURSE:
Les bourses couvrent la période d'un cycle de formation ou au maximum six (06) semestres voir plus.
FRAIS DE VOYAGE:
Les billets d'avion aller-retour (Provenance – Canada/ Québec), sont pris en charge par la direction régional des bourses étrangères canadienne. Conditions préalables à la candidature en règle générale, les candidats aux bourses étrangères Canadienne doivent:
- Avoir au maximum 18 ans à 55 ans;
- Comprendre et parler correctement l'une des langues d'enseignement an Canada (Anglais, Français, Espagnol, Allemand, Italien);
- Avoir un diplôme équivalent au brevet d'étude de premier cycle d'enseignement, au baccalauréat ou au brevet d'aptitude professionnelle des pays de l'union européenne.
PROCÉDURE DE SÉLECTION:
- Veuillez faire votre demande de bourse en réclamant le formulaire d’inscription à remplir par une lettre de motivation à envoie à l'adresse émail de notre secrétariat: universite.laval@secretary.net
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