Avoiding Scams

Don't be a victim – get informed!

Students are often the target of scams -- dishonest and sneaky activities which aim to steal money or information, collected from fraudulent sources.  

As a general rule, do not give out your personal or financial information to someone you do not know.  

• Government agencies will never force you to stay on the phone or prohibit you from contacting friends/family or legal advice.
• Only trust phone numbers you recognize.
• Official government agencies will never use text or email to contact you.
• You or your family will never be threatened by an official government agency.
• United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement or the Student and Exchange Visitor Program will never contact you about college fees or fines and say it is to avoid deportation or other consequences.
• You will never be asked to make large cash withdrawals, purchase gift cards, Bitcoin or make a money transfer by an official agency,
• If you think you have been a target of a scam, please reach out to an ISSS staff member.
• NEVER give out any personal information.

Common Scams which target international students and their families have been identified in this 2019 SEVP newsletter. Notably, it advises students to take the below actions if they have received a threatening or suspicious call or message from someone claiming to be a government or law official.

• Do not give the person any personal or financial information.
• Collect the caller’s contact information. 
• End the conversation immediately if threats and intimidation persist. 
• Contact your designated school official and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations Tip Line to report the scam. 

A phishing attack, usually received as suspicious email, routes recipients to a website or ask them to reveal private information, such as credit card information.  To better protect your information online: 

• Do not access personal or bank accounts from a public computer or public WiFi network. 
• Do not reveal personally identifiable information, such as a bank account number, Social Security number or date of birth to unknown or untrustworthy sources. 

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has also shared detailed information about common scams.

If you receive any suspicious calls or emails, collect as much information as you can and send the details to isss@ohio.edu and we will help you report it to ICE’s anonymous Homeland Security Investigations Tip Line.

Additional Scam Resources

The below resources also can help you identify and actively avoid scams.