Fake USCIS, IRS, police and embassy calls, job and rental scams, and a simple checklist to decide if a call or message is real.
Scammers target newcomers because they know you may not yet understand how US offices work, and that you worry about your status. Learn the patterns once and you can say no with confidence.
Common scams
Fake immigration call: "This is USCIS (or ICE). There is a problem with your visa. Pay a fee now or you will be deported." USCIS does not call to ask for payment by phone.
Fake IRS call: "You owe taxes. Pay today or the police will come." The IRS usually contacts you first by mail and does not demand payment by gift card, wire or crypto.
Fake police or court: "You missed jury duty" or "There is a warrant for your arrest. Pay to cancel it."
Fake embassy or consulate: calls in your language saying a package with your name has illegal items, then asking for money or a video call with a "police officer".
Social Security number "suspended": SSNs are not suspended.
Job scams: a job offer that pays well for little work, then asks you to buy equipment, cash a check, or pay for training.
Rental scams: a cheap apartment, the "owner" is abroad, you must pay a deposit before seeing it.
Overpayment scams: someone sends you a check for more than they owe and asks you to send back the difference. The check bounces later.
Romance and investment scams: an online friend introduces a crypto "opportunity".
Fake package texts: "Your delivery failed. Click to pay $1.99."
Is this call real? A checklist
Answer each question. One "yes" is enough to stop.
1
Do they demand payment right now?
2
Do they want gift cards, wire transfers, crypto, a Bitcoin ATM, or a payment app like Zelle?
3
Do they threaten arrest, deportation or losing your visa?
4
Do they say keep this secret, or "do not hang up"?
5
Do they ask for your SSN, A-number, passwords or a code sent to your phone?
6
Does the caller ID or email look official? Caller ID can be faked.
What to do
1
Hang up or do not reply. You do not need to be polite.
2
Look up the agency's number yourself on its official .gov website and call that number.
3
Check your real USCIS case in your USCIS online account or at uscis.gov.
4
Never share one-time codes sent to your phone.
If you already paid or shared information
1
Call your bank or card company immediately.
2
If you paid with a gift card, call the gift card company.
3
Report at reportfraud.ftc.gov. For immigration scams, also see uscis.gov/scams.
4
If you shared your SSN, see the guide on identity theft.
Common mistakes
Trusting a caller because they know your name and address. That data is easy to buy.
Paying a "notario" or "visa consultant" for a faster process. There is no secret fast lane.
Feeling ashamed. Scammers fool smart people every day. Reporting helps stop them.