Fake Bath boarding school website 'dupes' students

Catholic senior school Prior Park College says it "deplores the fraudulent use" of its company name

Thousands of pounds have been paid to a scam website fraudulently using the name of a Bath boarding school.

Trading Standards in Bath said three foreign students were each duped out of between £5,500 to £6,000 by the site claiming to be Prior Park College.

The school said it "deplores the fraudulent use" of its company name "to offer adult education and the promise of UK visas".

The case has been referred to the police's Action Fraud to investigate.

The website uses a name identical to the Catholic senior school's formal company name, Prior Park Educational Trust.

'Crack down'

It also displays a Bath address and telephone number, but is not based there.

After making payments, the students affected attended Prior Park College to look around, only to find that they had not secured a placement.

Julie Barr, from the school, said: "Prior Park College has been contacted by a number of unfortunate individuals who have apparently parted with large sums of money and personal information... in the false expectation of receiving a top class education at the college."

Bath and North East Somerset Council advised potential students to "visit establishments prior to making any payments so that they can be sure that the college or university actually exists."

It added that it is "working really hard to crack down" on places offering fake courses, and advises people to contact the Citizens Advice Consumer Service.