March 27, 2023
During tax season we typically see an increase in the amount of scam phone calls and emails that our international community receives, so we wanted to take this opportunity to remind everyone to be vigilant in protecting your identity and finances. You should never give money to someone you do not know or before you have verified their identity.
DHS (Department of Homeland Security) or the IRS (Internal Revenue Service) will never use the internet or telephone to contact students and scholars to ask for money or identity information. It is important to note that you should not always trust the caller ID; phone numbers can be manipulated to appear as a legitimate government agency, Yale offices, or even the police. If you are ever in doubt, hang up and check-in with our office or Yale Police about the call. Read the latest article by Yale Information Security about how to avoid scams.
How does the FRAUD happen:
- The imposter will identify themselves as a federal law enforcement officer, employee or contractor of ICE or the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
- The imposter will demand money or merchandise from you claiming to be able to help you get an immigration benefit, legal status, or documents.
- The promised benefit or service is never received.
Legitimate ICE Officers will never:
- Offer lawful immigration status or other immigration services in exchange for money or merchandise
- Use the internet or telephone to contact a member of the public to offer immigration services in exchange for payment through pre-paid cash cards like GreenDot or services like Western Union and MoneyGram
- Use a third-party person to solicit and collect a fee from a member of the public in exchange for immigration services
- Ask you or any member of the public for payment of any kind
For more information on common scams, please read our website. If you receive a scam phone call, be sure to report it online right away.
