Protect Yourself From Scams

Scams are unfortunately becoming increasingly sophisticated and common in the United States. International students are sometimes targeted by scammers, especially those entering their authorized post-completion OPT period and actively searching for jobs. ISSS has noted an increase in scam calls targeting students in this phase. If you are applying for jobs and have posted your resume and contact information online, be mindful of the risks. Scammers often exploit such information. Stay vigilant and familiarize yourself with common scam techniques to protect yourself.

Be aware of scammers posing as government/immigration/law enforcement officials requesting payment or personal information. Some scammers will manipulate caller ID technology so that it appears they are calling from a legitimate office or agency (e.g., FBI, IRS, USCIS, DHS, ICE, police). This is called .��

Scammers may create email addresses that look similar to government addresses. If you look closer you may notice they are not official .gov email addresses.

��e.g., From: iceprivacy@ice.dhs. gov @gmail.com>��

Scammers may also use personal information they legally or illegally obtained about students to scare individuals into providing immediate payment or information. Be careful about what personal information you share on social media (Facebook, LinkedIn etc.). Also be wary of of employment opportunities presented in suspicious emails, especially if you did not pursue the opportunity.

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In many instances, scammers will:

Claim they are from a U.S. agency or law enforcement.
Provide some pieces of your directory or confidential information (e.g., passport number, SSN, employer) to try to convince you they are legitimate
Identify false problems with your immigration record, work authorization, taxes etc.
Threaten deportation or arrest.
Tell you not to tell anyone since you have a legal issue.
Ask for an immediate payment to correct the issue.
Encourage you not to get off the phone until the payment has been received.

If you receive a threatening call or message from someone claiming to be a government or law enforcement official:

Do not give the person any personal or financial information.
Try to collect contact information from the caller.
End the conversation immediately if threats and intimidation persist.
Contact ISSS and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s��.��

Be aware that scammers:

Try to confuse you by complicating the immigration process;
Use social media, email, or phone calls to conduct their attacks; and
Impersonate government officials to manipulate the victim into giving out personal information.

Be cautious of:

Emails that look legitimate, but are sent by people you don’t know;
Emails with typos and incorrect spellings;
E-mails that do not end in .gov and end in (.net, .org, .com, or .info for example)
Suspicious emails you don’t normally receive;
Offers of assistance to expedite your case for money;
Promises of a quick benefit; and
Downloading or opening attachments from senders you don’t recognize.; and
Requests from USCIS to transfer money to an individual or pay fees other than through your myUSCIS account

Be aware of these common scam techniques:

Payments by Phone or Email: The government will never ask you to transfer money to an individual. They do not accept Western Union, MoneyGram, PayPal, or Venmo as payment for immigration fees. In addition, they will never ask you to pay fees to a person on the phone or by email. You can pay some immigration fees online, but only if you pay through your and Pay.gov.
Requests for payment by gift cards: No reputable business or government agency will ever tell you to buy a gift card to pay them. .
Phishing: Scammers use by sending an email or text that looks like it’s from a company you know or trust, like a bank or a credit card or utility company or from an online payment website or app. While real companies might communicate with you by email, legitimate companies won’t email or text with a link to update your payment information.
Spoofing: Some scammers will manipulate caller ID technology so that it appears they are calling from a legitimate office or agency (e.g., FBI, IRS, USCIS, DHS, ICE, police). This is called .
Fraudulent Links: Scammers may include hyperlinks that take you to fraudulent websites (e.g., uscis-online.org) or download viruses on your device.
Intimidation: Scammers will try to scare and threaten you. They may threaten legal action such as arrest or deportation.
Creating a crisis or a sense of urgency: Scammers are experts at convincing their target that this is an urgent and important situation. They try to convince you that they are in trouble, that they must act now to avoid arrest, deportation, or a higher fine. They say that you need to send payment or a deposit immediately for something important like an apartment, car, or laptop.
Request for personal information: Be very suspicious when someone calls or e-mails you and asks for any personal or financial information such as your address, passport number, social security number, bank or credit account information, passwords, etc.

Did you receive a suspicious email regarding your immigration status?

Forward it to the USCIS webmaster email box at the USCIS Webmaster email box.��Their webmaster can confirm whether an email is a scam or not and provide useful information on how to report it. The webmaster cannot answer immigration questions.

Reporting Scams

In addition to reporting a scam to the local police department, our ISSS office, and the at ��Ƶ Boulder, you can also report a scam to the following offices:

(if applicable)
(if applicable)

What To Do if You Paid a Scammer

No matter how you paid — , or , , cash reload card, or — immediately��contact the company you used to send the money,��report the fraud, and ask to have the transaction reversed, if possible. For specific advice on how to reverse different types of payments, read��.

If you are the target of a scam, you may want to contact the following on-campus offices to seek additional support or assistance:

Scam Alerts

Common Scams

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