Immigration Compliance Fraud in education applications

Transcription

1 Immigration Compliance Fraud in education applications Passport Proven

2 About Us An online identity document verification system Developed and backed by former Immigration and Police Officers Work in partnership with registered Immigration Advisors We offer: Training; Audit and of course: Document Verification!

3 UKVI requirements: UKVI specify in Appendix D of the Immigration Rules: Education providers must confirm and verify: The identity of enrolling students Their Immigration Status Any qualifications detailed in the CAS (Plus other requirements) By seeing and verifying original documents And don t forget the Basic Compliance Assessment Statistics: Refusal rate under 10%; Enrolment above 90% and Completion Rate of at least 85%

4 You should: In addition to proof of right to study Confirm the student s contact details Ensure they have an ATAS certificate if required for the course ATAS certificate required for some courses check the relevant JACS code and level of course Generally only applies to post grad study Welfare arrangements are in place for any students aged under 18

5 To confirm identity for an international student You should: See an original identity document (for International Students this will be a passport) See their Student Visa or BRP showing the period of permitted stay and the relevant licence number See application documents listed on the CAS

6 Format of student visa

7 Format of student BRP Sponsor Licence Number

8 Student Visas and BRPs Should match the information in the passport, the CAS and student record Have security features to aid verification Must be copied to the student record Copy both sides of a BRP

9 Application Documents This could be: Certificates from previous courses; results notifications, or other similar documentation Translations of any documents which are not in English (ensure the translation includes translators credentials, signature and is dated) Don t forget English Language proof

10 Financial Documents Is it necessary to check finance? Depends on your application numbers and appetite for risk Finance and Credibility are closely linked Most refusals on the grounds of insufficient finance or lack of credibility Do we have the resources and knowledge to do it effectively?

11 Does it all make sense? Do names match across all documents and the student record? Are any name changes explained with another document (eg marriage certificate) Do the documents look genuine

12 So how do I validate documents? Checking the photograph(s) in the document(s) with the person in front of you Briefly examining the document to confirm it is genuine Confirm visa relates to the right person, the right course and to your institution, and Confirm the qualifications match those used to make the offer (on the CAS) Confirm the qualifications are genuine

13 Common issues Visa / BRP errors Name changes Wrong Sponsor Licence Number Missing ATAS Police registration If necessary: get them corrected!

14 If things don t add up What is your process? Who do you inform? Do you report to UKVI? Suggest: gain as much information as possible, but do not challenge the individual at the initial stage

15 Spotting Fraud

16 How to check a document Ensure you have the original document and then follow a process: does the document belong to the presenter? having checked the security features, is it genuine? has it been altered in any way? what further checks are required? 16

17 Identity Is the person in front of you who they say they are?

18 Counterfeit Document A counterfeit document is an un-authorised reproduction of a genuine document

19 Forgery A forged document is a genuine document but has had an unauthorised alteration made to it It includes: page substitution, photo substitution, name alteration application of false immigration officers stamps or visas

20 Fraudulently obtained documents Genuine document issued legally but obtained by deception possibly by:- use of breeder documents either forged or counterfeit the use of genuine documents that belong to someone else the involvement of a corrupt official impersonating the rightful holder of the documents

21 Imposter An imposter is someone who knowingly misrepresents himself by using another persons document, in which the biographical details and photograph more or less resemble the fraudster

22 Cats are clever!

23 Impersonation is the simplest form of passport fraud Carefully compare the photograph/digital image to the person presenting the document, Check age, visible marks and signature of the applicant, Check chin, lips, ear shape (if possible), eyes, nose and their relation to the face as a whole, Check details given correspond with what is already known about the applicant.

24 Identifying an imposter PASSPORT PHOTO SUBJECT PHOTO

25 Ear placement PASSPORT PHOTO SUBJECT PHOTO With a line, join the tops and bottoms of the ears. It is easy to see that the subject s ears sit higher on the head than the person in the passport photo.

26 Checking security features of documents: LOOK, FEEL, TILT!

27 Typical Security Features watermarks uv security features tactile printing intricate design silver foil holograms latent image ghost image and many more! Quality! Quality! Quality! 27

28 Security feature - watermark in Chinese passport

29 Daylight & UV light Intaglio printing

30 Intricate design

31 Silver foil hologram

32 Security feature - latent image

33 Security feature - ghost image

34 Basic Equipment Magnifying glass Ultraviolet light

35 Advanced tools Machine scanners many providers Online verification us!

36 Education fraud NARIC Qualification issuer But is it a problem?

37 Who commits education fraud Education fraud is a criminal act Individuals improve themselves with qualifications they have not earned. They believe they are doing no harm; they are only doing it to impress their friends until.... they use it to apply for a course; a job or as part of a visa application

38 Who would do this? Former Iranian Interior Minister Ali Kordan, ex-swedish minister for employment Sven-Otto Littorin, British politician and former deputy chairman of the Conservative Party Jeffrey Archer, Greek politician Kostas Margaritis, and a Lebanese parliamentarian: Antoine Zahra But it is not limited to Politicians

39 Who would do this?

40 Indicators of fraud in educational documents Check for any grammatical or spelling mistakes. Unlikely degree titles Read the text carefully to ensure it makes sense and is of a formal style. Is it grammatically correct Official seals or stamps lacking, or not present Not all diplomas will have a watermark or stamp so this should not be a sole determining factor that the document is fake. Incorrect translations into English Inconsistent terminology

41 Financial Fraud Universities don t have a responsibility to check funds for maintenance, but: Lack of funds is often the reason for visa refusal It makes business sense to do so Course fees are specified on the CAS Dependants also need money for maintenance UKVI require an enrolment rate of at least 90%

42 Insight into UKVI thought process Source of the funds? How long have they been in the account? How long has the student had an account? Family circumstances What is the background of the applicant? Does education in the UK fit the life plan Is the course available in the home country? Benefit of a UK education vs a home education Cost vs potential benefit Type of course and institution How did the student find the institution?

43 How to verify a financial document Use the make sense test: Have I heard of the bank before? Would it pass UKVI inspection (see previous slide) Are documents in the format expected? Translations? Do the figures add up Do I need to check the exchange rate?

44 How to identify a genuine document Common statement features 1. Name and address 2. Account and statement details, including statement date 3. Account summary 4. Transaction detail 5. Balance 6. End balance is this within 30 days? Also logo and header / footer? Become familiar with the formats you see! BUT not all statements conform to this format 44

45 Some examples

46 Curse of the internet

47 Summary Fraud is a problem but by paying attention to detail and following the processes we have outlined to you today you should not fall foul of it The process for checking ID documents; qualifications and financial documents is the same! By systematic; have a process Protect your licence!

48 Dealing with Adverse Material Any Questions To see examples visit us on stand 18

49 Visit us on stand 18 Contact Details Paul Leadbeater