Summary
Share on X X.com Share on Facebook Facebook Email Email The FBI is warning the public about a fraud scheme targeting foreign individuals lawfully residing in the United States on valid student visas. Criminal scammers impersonate US and foreign government officials claiming there is an issue with the student's immigration status and exploit this for financial gain. Thus far, we are aware scammers have targeted students from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Jordan. Scammers contact foreign students lawfully studying in the United States, or who are in the process of coming to the United States and impersonate government or immigration officials claiming the student is out of status for violations of F-1 student visa requirements or otherwise facing immigration issues. Victims are threatened with prosecution or deportation and asked to pay an unknown entity or bank account to process immigration paperwork, pay university registration fees, or pay a legal fee. These scammers represent themselves as agents from Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), or US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to increase the credibility of the scam.