How to Spot a Scam Call Claiming to Be USCIS, ICE, or the IRS
By Muntasir Minhaz • Published Aug 19, 2026
Scammers fake caller ID to look like ICE, USCIS, or the IRS, then threaten arrest, deportation, or a SEVIS problem to scare you into paying by phone. Real US agencies never demand payment by gift card, wire transfer, or cryptocurrency on a call.
🛂 A claimed I-94 error or arrest warrant is a common opening line
💵 Any demand for immediate payment by phone is a scam
📩 The IRS and USCIS contact you by mail first, not with a surprise call
Real agencies never tell you to stay on the line and not tell anyone
Report scam calls to the FTC and FBI, and tell your DSO
How the scam usually starts
You get a call from a number that looks real, sometimes matching your local ICE or USCIS field office. In June 2026, international students in Colorado reported spoofed calls appearing to come from ICE and local police, according to the University of Colorado Boulder international office . The caller claims your I-94 record has an error, that a warrant is out for your arrest, or that you owe an unpaid SEVIS fee, and says you will be detained or deported unless you act immediately.
Tactics scammers use
They create urgency, saying you must pay or respond within minutes
They tell you to stay on the phone and not hang up or contact anyone else
They demand payment by gift card, wire transfer, cryptocurrency, or a payment app
They know or guess basic details about you, like your name or school, to sound credible
They pose as USCIS, ICE, the IRS, or a local court and threaten immediate arrest or deportation
What real government agencies do
USCIS, ICE, and the IRS do not call to demand instant payment to avoid arrest or deportation. DHS has separately warned students to watch for callers who impersonate DHS staff, per Study in the States . A real immigration or tax issue arrives first by official letter, not a surprise phone call demanding money on the spot.
USCIS shares case updates through your online account or by mail
SEVIS and visa fees are paid only through official government payment sites, never to a caller
The IRS first contacts taxpayers by mail, not by phone or email, about a tax bill
No government agency accepts gift cards, cryptocurrency, or wire transfers as payment
How to verify a call is real
Hang up, then contact the agency yourself using a number or website you look up independently, not one given by the caller.
Check your case status directly through your USCIS online account or uscis.gov
Call your DSO to ask whether your SEVIS record or I-20 actually has an issue
Look up your local ICE or USCIS office number yourself instead of calling back the number that contacted you
If you already paid or gave out information
Contact your bank or card issuer right away to try to stop or reverse the payment. Report identity theft at identitytheft.gov if you shared your Social Security Number, passport number, or financial details. Tell your DSO so the school watches for related activity on your student record.
Where to report a scam call
Report to the Federal Trade Commission at reportfraud.ftc.gov
Report to the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov
Report USCIS impersonation directly through uscis.gov
Tell your school's international student office so they warn other students
Verify the SEVIS fee claim specifically
You already paid your SEVIS I-901 fee before your visa interview, through the official payment site at fmjfee.com, not through a phone call. If a caller claims you owe an additional or repeat SEVIS fee, treat that claim as a red flag on its own, since the fee is a one-time payment tied to your SEVIS ID, not a recurring charge collected over the phone. Your DSO confirms your SEVIS fee history if you are unsure.
What to do while you are still on the call
Stay calm and do not react to the pressure. Write down the caller's phone number, name, and any case or badge number given, then say you will call back after verifying independently. Never read out a Social Security Number, passport number, or bank details to a caller who reached you first.
Help other students avoid the same call
Scammers often call several students at the same school within a short window, since lists of phone numbers tied to a university circulate among scam operations. Share what happened with your school's international office or a student group as soon as you hang up, so staff send a warning before more students get the same call. A quick warning post in a class or dorm group chat helps stop the same scammer from reaching your friends.
Why international students are targeted
Scammers count on unfamiliarity with US agencies and fear of losing your status to make threats land harder. A US citizen might recognize an arrest-warrant call as absurd, but a threat involving your I-20, SEVIS record, or visa can feel plausible if you are still learning how these systems work. Scammers also target students soon after arrival, before you know your DSO or understand which offices actually handle your record.
The same tactics show up in texts and emails
Not every scam arrives by phone. Watch for texts or emails with the same threats, urgency, and payment demands, often with a link to a fake payment or login page. Do not click links in unexpected messages about your visa, SEVIS fee, or taxes. Type the agency's website address yourself instead.