Important Scam Advisory

There have been numerous reports that international students are the target of different types of scams in the U.S. These scams can be difficult to recognize and feel scary for the targeted individuals. We want to provide you with information about these scams so you can protect yourself and seek help if you believe you are being targeted. 

These scammers identify themselves as government officials and threaten individuals with prison or deportation if they don't pay them a certain amount of money. Additionally, they demand that the individuals provide or, in some cases, verify information such as social security number, passport number, date of birth, etc. Not long ago, the U.S. Department of Justice Federal Bureau of Investigation alerted about scams [PDF] specifically targeting Chinese students at U.S. universities. Individuals posing as People's Republic of China law enforcement officers contact students and claim that the students are going to be arrested. These individuals then request money to "help," and steal up to hundreds of thousands of dollars from students and their China-based families.

We understand that you may feel scared and intimidated, but please:

• Do not ever give any personal information over email to anyone.
• Do not ever send any payment regardless of the verbal threat you may receive.
• If you receive such a call, it is best that you immediately hang up. If you receive an email, do not respond and delete it immediately.
• Contact ISSS immediately. If you feel that you are in danger, contact Drexel Public Safety.

PLEASE NOTE: U.S. government entities, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), and the Social Security Administration will never call you requesting information and would never demand money to be paid immediately.