DHS warns of scam targeting immigrants

Scammers posing as immigration authorities are calling immigrants and seeking payment, the Department of Homeland Security has warned in a fraud alert.

The scammers identify themselves as “U.S. immigration” employees and the caller ID appears as though the calls originate from the DHS Office of Inspector General’s 1-800 hotline. They then ask for personal information, often by claiming that the recipient has been the victim of identity theft.

Reminders:

• DHS is reminding the public that it never seeks payment over the phone or in an email. All requests for payment are made via mail on official DHS letterhead.
• To verify whether the call is from U.S. immigration authorities, individuals may call the National Customer Service Center at 1-800-375-5283, make an InfoPass appointment here, or go to the MyUSCIS webpage.
• Suspicious calls may be reported to the Federal Trade Commission’s complaint website. Suspicious emails may be forwarded to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services at uscis.webmaster@uscis.dhs.gov.

BAL Analysis: Unfortunately, email, phone and phishing website scams have become increasingly common around the world. Individuals should protect their personal information, including any relevant immigration-related details, and hang up if they receive suspicious calls seeking personal information or demanding payment. Additional information on common scams and tips to avoid them is available at the USCIS avoiding scams website.

This alert has been provided by the BAL U.S. Practice group. For additional information, please contact BerryApplemanLeiden@bal.com.

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