Is this a scam?

[Tulipomania]

DS is a 2nd year student, terms started today.

He has received an unsolicited credit in his bank account for £500 - source states "tax free gift".

Is it a scam?

Is it from a grandparent perhaps? It's the kind of thing my in laws would do - they don't want to leave us all with inheritance tax bills, so are utilising the £7k (?) they are allowed to give away annually without running into tax issues. They would probably put something like that as the reference...

Have you asked your son ? Listened to the money programme last Saturday and it featured the growth of money mule accounts…basically criminals launder money through young persons accounts. Recruited via Instagram etc. Hopefully not! Wasn’t something I was aware of but it’s illegal and can result in your account getting blocked.

Thanks - it turns out it is from the GPs! I also heard the money prog's alarming stories about student scams which was why I was suspicious. Glad that DS checked with me first.

How lovely of them.

It is worth everyone with a student going to university listening to Radio 4's money box programme about scams as so many are being asked to "earn money" by receiving funds to their account and some students are not aware enough to realise it is a criminal activity and they could be barred from having a bank account as a result or worse.