Beware of USCIS Phone Scams Targeting International Students
If you’re an F or J international student, be cautious of phone scams where callers impersonate U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) officers. A recent scam has surfaced where students receive threatening calls regarding Form AR-11, claiming a complaint has been filed against them.
Details of the Scam
Students have reported receiving repeated calls from a person posing as a USCIS officer. The scammer may:
- Claim that you failed to file Form AR-11 (Change of Address Form) and that a complaint has been lodged against you.
- Threaten deportation or legal action.
- Possess some of your personal information such as your major, nationality, etc., likely gathered from public sources.
The reported scam calls have come from numbers such as 202-307-3231 and 202-225-0124, but scammers can spoof numbers, so any similar call should be treated with suspicion. U.S. government officials will never call you directly.
Understanding Form AR-11
Form AR-11 is used to report a change of address to USCIS. However, for F-1 students, this is handled by the International Student Services (ISS) office. If you ever need to update your address, you can do so through your MyUW (enrolled students) or MyISSS accounts (alumni).
How to Protect Yourself
- Do not engage: If you receive a suspicious call, hang up immediately.
- Do not share personal information: USCIS will never ask for sensitive details over the phone.
- Verify independently: If you are concerned, call International Student Services about your immigration record. We can verify whether there are any problems.
- Report the scam: You can report suspicious calls to International Student Services so that we can warn others.
Remember: scammers often prey on international students due to their unfamiliarity with U.S. immigration procedures.