Phone scammers target Oregon's international students

(SEPTEMBER 26, 2019) The Oregon office of the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) issued a warning Tuesday. It said international students should be careful when answering their phones. There are reports of scams that try to get money.

International students are getting phone calls. They seem to come from a government agency. The scammer often fakes the caller ID. It looks like a real call.

Then the scammer tries to seem more believable. He might say information about the student's immigration status or details about the student's school.

The scammer then claims there is some problem with the student's visa or immigration documents. The scammer threatens the victim. He says the student could be arrested or deported. The scammer says the student must immediately make a payment. Usually the scammer asks for a wire transfer, gift card, or cryptocurrency.

However, U.S. government officials do not ask for payment by phone. They do not ask for those kinds of payments. They do not ask students to confirm personal information over the phone.

If students get a call or email like this and are concerned about their immigration or visa status, they can call United States Citizenship and Immigration Services at 800-375-5283.