Campus & Community
The Information Technology Services (ITS) team has received reports of a scam targeting international students. Attackers are impersonating government agencies (such as U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement) via email and phone calls, falsely claiming there are visa or immigration issues. Victims are pressured to stay silent and make urgent payments to the scammers—often using gift cards.
ITS offers up the following advice should you receive one of these calls or emails:
- Government agencies and legitimate businesses will NEVER demand payment via gift cards, cryptocurrency or wire transfers;
- If you receive a threatening email or call, do not respond—immediately report it to the ITS Helpdesk (315.443.2677) for assistance;
- Verify any requests by contacting the agency directly using official contact details.