Someone claiming to be from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is calling people to threaten, intimidate and scam money from them.
Scammers appear to be calling from Washington, D.C., showing up on recipient’s caller ID as a phone number with a 202 area code, or from the toll-free USCIS National Customer Service Center number. The scam callers are spoofing phone numbers from USCIS and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
People reported the caller threatened them with deportation. Some are told they will be put on the Terrorist Watchlist if they don’t send a payment through Western Union. Even those who have had green cards for years have received these calls.
What to Do—and Not Do
Remember, never send any payment or give any payment or personal information over the phone. USCIS officials never ask for payment, passport or social security numbers, or other personal information over the phone.
If you receive such a call, hang up immediately. Report the incident to your immigration attorney or to your local USCIS field office.
