- Immigration New Zealand warns of visa scammers using AI voices and spoofed mobile numbers to extort payments.
- Fraudsters demand payment via gift cards and cryptocurrency under threats of immediate deportation or arrest.
- Official agencies never request fees by phone, directing applicants to verify status only via government portals.
(NEW ZEALAND) — Immigration New Zealand warned on May 19, 2026 that scammers are calling visa holders from New Zealand mobile numbers, posing as immigration officials and claiming there is an “urgent problem” with their visa status.
The agency said the callers are using automated prompts, demands for payment and requests for sensitive personal data to create panic. Some victims are told to “press 1” to speak with an officer to avoid immediate deportation.
Immigration New Zealand said the fraudsters ask for “verification fees” or “processing fees” through gift cards, cryptocurrency or wire transfers. They also seek passport numbers, bank details and IRD numbers, a tactic that combines extortion with data harvesting.
“Immigration New Zealand will never contact you by phone asking for payments. These calls are not genuine, and we urge people not to engage,” the agency said in a statement published on May 8, 2026.
The alert in New Zealand matches warnings issued in the United States this year as fraud operations target migrants, students and green card holders during visa filing periods and policy changes. Officials on both sides of the Pacific have described a sharper, more convincing form of scam activity that now includes AI-generated voices and spoofed government phone numbers.
Joseph Edlow, USCIS director, said on April 20, 2026 that immigration fraud enforcement is widening. “No tip is too small. We will look into it along with our partners at ICE and with CBP. People who are perpetrating fraud, STOP! Because we are going to find you.”
Edlow said scammers are increasingly targeting green card holders with fake “case reviews.” His remarks tied fraud complaints to broader coordination with Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection.
Maria Chen, USCIS Fraud Detection director, said in a March 2026 briefing, “We’ve seen a 63% increase in fake visa agent operations since 2024. Scammers exploit urgency, especially around seasonal visa windows like the upcoming H-1B registration period.”
That increase has shown up across multiple scam formats. USCIS had reported 17 distinct scam alerts by April 2026, including fake websites tied to the “Trump Gold Card” program.
USCIS has said the legitimate source for that program is uscis.gov/i-140g. Fraud alerts and reporting guidance appear on the agency’s [USCIS scam alerts](https://www.uscis.gov/scams) page.
The Department of Homeland Security also issued a warning to foreign students on February 19, 2026. In its Study in the States alert, the department said fraudsters were spoofing the “DHS Imposter” identity and claiming there were problems with SEVIS records.
“DHS will never ask you to pay fees via phone or by email. Report it to the ICE Tip Line at 1-866-347-2423,” the department said. Student information and alerts appear at [DHS student protection](https://studyinthestates.dhs.gov).
Financial losses tied to immigration scams reached $1.2 billion in 2025, with U.S. applicants accounting for 38% of those losses, the Federal Trade Commission data showed. The numbers point to a fraud market that extends well beyond isolated calls or one-off phishing attempts.
Officials have also warned that AI-generated voices are making calls harder to detect by sound alone. Voice cloning lets scammers mimic real officials, while spoofed government phone numbers can make a caller ID appear legitimate even when the call is not.
That combination changes the old advice that people should trust a familiar voice or a recognizable number. A phone that displays a government-style contact and a voice that sounds official no longer offers much protection.
The harm can stretch far beyond the initial payment. Victims who follow false instructions, such as paying a “fine” instead of appearing in court, have faced actual arrest and deportation after missing legitimate deadlines.
Some families have reported losses of more than $600,000 to scammers posing as DHS officers and claiming identity theft protection was required. In other cases, people who turned to fake agents ended up with misfiled paperwork that put their immigration status at risk.
That pattern resembles notario-style fraud, in which unauthorized operators present themselves as immigration experts, collect money and submit incorrect forms. The result can be a finding of misrepresentation and a permanent bar from the United States or New Zealand.
Agencies in both countries are pushing one central message: status checks and case verification should happen only through official portals. Immigration New Zealand directs people to [Immigration NZ alerts](https://www.immigration.govt.nz), while U.S. agencies point applicants to government sites rather than phone numbers supplied in an incoming call or email.
Officials have flagged three recurring warning signs in 2026. One is a demand for payment through gift cards, Bitcoin or wire transfers. Another is an email domain ending in .com, .net or .org instead of .gov or .govt.nz. A third is pressure, especially threats of arrest or deportation within 24 hours if payment is not made at once.
Those tactics all work on speed. The caller tries to keep the target from checking a case number, logging into an official account or speaking with a lawyer, school officer or family member who could identify the fraud.
Officials have also urged people to report scams after ending contact. U.S. complaints can be filed through the [FTC Complaint Assistant](https://reportfraud.ftc.gov), and New Zealand reports can be made through [CERT NZ](https://www.cert.govt.nz).
The warnings have become more urgent because the scams do not stop at money. A victim who hands over passport details, banking information or identity numbers can face continuing misuse long after the first call ends.
Immigration New Zealand’s latest notice reflects that broader shift in fraud tactics. What once looked like a crude demand from an unknown caller now arrives through polished scripts, AI-generated voices, spoofed government phone numbers and threats tailored to people whose visas, studies or court dates leave little room for error.
The agencies’ advice remains blunt: hang up, do not pay, do not share personal information, and verify any immigration issue through an official website. In a scam call built to sound real, the fastest response is often the one the fraudster wants most.
