If you get a call from someone who says they are from your government and they are demanding that you send them money right away, it is a scam. Students have recently lost more than $150,000 to these scams. Here are more details of the phone scams from the University Police:
The scammer “... calls the victim, speaking their native language, telling the student they are with their country's embassy and working with that country's local police. The scammer sometimes has all of the personal information of the victim: name, date of birth, family information, etc. The scammer explains to the victim that their information has been compromised in some way, and they need to wire a lot of money to a bank account in their home country. Sometimes the scammer even tells the victim to call their parents and get more money."
Please Note: These are all scams. No police department, federal agency, foreign country will call and request that you wire-transfer money to them for any reason.
If you receive this type of call, get assistance right away. Do not call the phone number provided by the caller. Instead:
If you are a victim of this type of scam:
International students and immigrants are often targeted by phone and email scams. These criminals often make threats and/or pose as local law enforcement or a federal agent in an attempt to scare the individual so that they will pay the caller money or share their personal information. Frequently, scam artists use software to change the information shown on caller ID to real government phone numbers like the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services or even 911.
The number of scams can increase around times immigrants or international students are particularly vulnerable. For example, we often receive reports from international students at the beginning of the school year, during tax season or when there are changes in immigration policies.
If you receive a phone call or email from someone stating you could be arrested or jeopardize your immigration status if you do not pay them money or give them your personal information, IT IS FAKE. Do not pay them money, even if your caller ID shows the name or phone number of USCIS or a law enforcement agency.