Tuition Payment Scams on Instagram
Fraudsters impersonate university payment services or scholarship programmes on Instagram, redirecting students to fake portals that capture tuition payment details.
Part of: Tuition Payment Scams
Last reviewed: 1 June 2026
Students increasingly use Instagram to follow their university accounts and engage with campus communities. Scammers exploit this by creating fake university payment or scholarship pages, reaching students with posts or DMs that mimic institutional communications about fee deadlines or bursary payments.
The visual nature of Instagram makes these fake pages convincing — the university logo, campus photos, and student-life imagery are easy to replicate — while the payment link in the bio or DM leads to a credential or payment-harvesting site.
How this scam works on Instagram
A fake Instagram account mimicking the university's official account posts about a fee payment deadline or a new instalment payment programme, directing followers to click the link in bio. The link leads to a cloned payment portal that captures the student's banking details.
Direct message variants involve the fake account messaging students who follow the university, warning of an outstanding balance and offering a 'payment plan' that requires entering card details immediately.
Scholarship scams are a related variant: a fake 'university bursary' or 'government scholarship' Instagram account DMs students telling them they have been selected for a grant but must pay a processing fee to receive it.
Common red flags
- Instagram account mimicking the university with a slightly different handle or account name
- Link in bio leads to a URL that does not match the university's official domain
- DM warning of a fee deadline you have not seen communicated through official channels
- Scholarship or bursary offer requiring an upfront processing fee
- Account uses the university's branding but was created recently with few followers
- Payment requested via Instagram Pay or a link rather than the official student portal
How to protect yourself
- Verify the university's official Instagram account by finding it through the university's official website
- Log in to your student portal directly to check any claimed balance — never through an Instagram link
- Legitimate scholarship programmes do not require an upfront processing fee
- Enable Instagram's account recovery and login alerts so you are notified of unusual activity
- Report any fake university account to Instagram immediately
- Contact the university's student services team directly if you receive a suspicious payment DM
How to report it
- Report the fake account using Instagram's 'Report > It's pretending to be something else' option
- Notify the university's communications or IT security team so they can warn students
- File a report with your bank if payment details were captured
Frequently asked questions
How do I find my university's verified Instagram account?
Navigate to the university's official website and follow their social media links — do not search Instagram directly for the account name, as scammers create near-identical names designed to appear in those searches.