Is the ICE Call to F-1 Students a Threat or a Scam?

Anxious international students across the United States 🇺🇸 are reporting phone calls from people posing as federal agents, warning of immediate “immigration violations” and even “deportation” unless the student shares personal information or pays a fee. Campus advisors and fraud experts say the pattern is clear: these calls are a scam.

Officials and school advisors stress that real Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) or U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) officers do not call students to threaten them, demand money, or order action over the phone.

How the scam is delivered

The calls often target F-1 students and tend to follow a scripted approach. Callers typically:

• Claim to be an ICE or USCIS officer and cite a supposed case number.
• Allege the student failed to file a required form or broke a rule.
• Warn that an arrest or deportation is imminent unless the student acts immediately.
• Press for sensitive details like passport numbers, I-94 numbers, banking information, or payment via gift card or wire transfer.

According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, scammers use fear and urgency combined with caller ID tricks (spoofing) to make a number look official and frighten students into staying on the line.

In recent cases, callers have named Form AR-11—the change-of-address form—as the alleged problem. While F-1 students must keep their SEVIS record current through their school’s international office, this process does not happen by phone with a stranger. If an address update is needed, students can use their school’s portal or submit the official USCIS Form AR-11, Alien’s Change of Address Card online: Form AR-11, Alien’s Change of Address Card.

Red flags that indicate a scam

Officials point to simple rules that separate legitimate contact from fraudulent calls:

• Real ICE or USCIS officers do not:
  • Threaten arrest or deportation over the phone.
  • Ask for immediate payment.
  • Pressure callers to keep the call secret.
• Scammers may know basic facts (major, home country) from social media or school websites. That knowledge does not make the call genuine.

Important takeaway: Behavior matters more than caller ID. Spoofing can make a call appear official, but the request and tone reveal the truth.

How the scheme typically works

1. The fraudster claims an urgent immigration problem and pressures the student to act immediately.
2. Caller ID may show “ICE,” “USCIS,” or a government-style number due to spoofing.
3. The caller demands personal data or money to “resolve” the issue.
4. The caller may threaten deportation or claim officers are on the way to arrest the student.

Students describe feeling cornered—especially when far from home and unsure about rules. That fear is intentional: it lowers defenses, keeps victims talking, and blocks them from checking with their school or a trusted advisor.

What students should do now

• Hang up immediately. Do not engage, do not share personal information, and do not send money.
• Contact your school’s International Student Services office and explain what happened. Ask them to confirm your SEVIS record and address.
• If you think you missed a real notice, reach out yourself using official channels. For general USCIS scam guidance, see: USCIS: Avoid Scams.
• Report the call to the ICE Tip Line: 1-866-347-2423. Include details like the phone number, the name used, and any payment requests.
• If an address update is needed, follow your school’s process and, if appropriate, submit the official form at Form AR-11, Alien’s Change of Address Card.

How real enforcement works (what to expect)

• If ICE conducts an in-person action, officers arrive with proper identification and, when required, a warrant.
• They do not run arrests by phone.
• They do not ask for gift cards, cryptocurrency, wire transfers, or bank logins.
• Any demand for payment over the phone tied to threats of deportation is a red flag.

When these scams spike and common variations

Advisors say reports rise in early fall and early spring, when new students arrive and scammers try to exploit inexperience. Tactics include:

• Pretending to be campus police or a consular officer, then “transferring” to an “ICE supervisor.”
• Rotating scripts: switching from AR-11 claims to fake “SEVIS fee” problems or invented “case audits.”
• Using pressure tactics, scripted pauses, poor grammar, requests for secrecy, or escalating threats when the student hesitates.

VisaVerge.com notes the same crews often reuse these scripts; the themes—fear, urgency, payment demands—remain consistent.

Guidance for families abroad

Hearing about these calls can be frightening. Parents should remind students that:

• Official case updates arrive by letters, secure online accounts, or through school officials—not sudden phone demands.
• If a student truly needs to fix a record issue, their Designated School Official (DSO) can explain next steps and confirm whether Form AR-11 applies.

Campus and community responses

Many universities and community groups now include phone scam warnings in orientation sessions, email bulletins, and workshops. These programs teach students to spot telltale signs and to prioritize the request over caller ID.

Practical protective steps include:

• Keep your phone number private on public profiles.
• Do not post full addresses or official documents on social media.
• Save your school’s International Student Services phone number and email so you can contact them quickly.
• If a caller claims to be from ICE or USCIS, hang up, then call your school or check official sites yourself.
• If you lost money, contact your bank and file a police report. Save any emails, texts, or receipts.

The broader impact and final reminder

Phone scams cause harm beyond financial loss: they can undermine confidence, harm mental health, and distract from studies. When deportation is mentioned, stress spikes—this is intentional.

Schools and immigrant support groups recommend a calm plan: stop the call, talk to a trusted advisor, and verify information through official sources. Students who follow this plan usually discover there is no actual problem with their status.

Key rule: Real officers will never demand payment, personal information, or threaten deportation over the phone. If a call breaks those rules, it is a scam. Ending the call protects you; reporting it to your school and the ICE Tip Line can help protect others.