How To Protect Yourself From Immigration Scams As A Student?
Some practical jokes are fine, especially if it’s April Fools’ Day, but there’s plenty of difference between a joke and a scam. Are you an international student worried about getting scammed?
Immigration Scams have become pretty common – we think it’s because fraudsters find it easy to scam people who are new and don’t have much idea about such scams including Green Card Scams as well. Moreover, there are multiple ways in which immigration scams are carried out – most people don’t even realize that they have been scammed until and unless the scam actually goes through.
In that case, it’s best to be aware and then take action when it’s too late – simply scroll down and find out how to protect yourself from immigration scams if you are an international student.
Protecting Yourself From Immigration Scams As Students: How?
The era of immigration scams is touching an all-time high, and we feel that prevention is definitely better than cure, at least in such cases. So without wasting any further time, let’s check out some of the common immigration scams and find out how students can protect themselves from such scams!
Scam I: Stranger Asking For Personal Information
In such types of immigration scams, the fraudster either asks students for information that’s entirely personal or provides information that’s misleading. While you are applying for any benefits such as driving, obtaining your social security digits, or even working, be careful with your personal details because they can get stolen during such times.
Here’s what you can do in such cases:
- Always use data, resources, and other related information from government websites that are official such as the USCIS (U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services) and Study In The States.
- No matter what happens, do not ever share any kind of personal information with strangers. Don’t even consider sharing any usernames and website passwords because these details can be used for carrying out Green Card Scams as well.
- Visit the USCIS website for information related to immigration scams and even avoid the same inclusive of details related to some common scams.
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Scam II: Commission-Based Recruiters Providing Misleading Information:
It is possible that several commission-based recruiters might try convincing you about going through them for obtaining student visas or even getting an acceptance into the school or university of your choice. Now, this is a type of scam too!
Here’s what you can do in such cases:
- Firstly, you can definitely choose to work with these recruiters, but it’s not technically compulsory to do so! As long as your preferred school or university can meet your goals and is certified by SEVP or the Student and Exchange Visitor Program.
- Study in the States is one official website that is known for offering free resources so that visitors can learn all about international operations and processes via Study Guide to the States, along with a School Search Page so that you can easily find a school that is SEVP-certified.
It’s best to talk with a designated official from your school or university in case you suspect that a certain email address or even an entire website is unsafe. You can also get in touch with SEVP Response Center or call them at 703-603-3400 before you end up submitting any sort of information that’s personal.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):
Here’s what you can do to avoid scams:
1. Block text messages and unwanted calls
2. Don’t provide any personal information related to any response request that you didn’t provide in the first place.
3. Resist all kinds of pressure to act immediately
4. Find out how scammers can ask you for payment
5. Consult with people you trust.
Usually, when people you don’t know contact you out of the blue, it’s best to be alert about scam probabilities. If you are asked to make payments through some unusual method, then that is also a big sign of the same.
And It’s A Wrap!
Now that you have a fair idea about immigration cams, including green card scams, you can work towards becoming more alert about such possibilities. No matter what you do, consulting official websites and even people designated for the job can help you out and clear your doubts in the process.
Meanwhile, don’t forget to let us know your thoughts and experiences (if any) on the same in the comments below.
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