Purdue police warn of phone scams targeting international students

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue University police and the Office of International Student Services are warning of a phone scam that could fool students into divulging personal information, leading to identity theft.

Scammers are calling purporting to be an official at the student’s consulate in the U.S., said Purdue police Detective Lt. Matt Rosenbarger. They speak in the student’s native language – often Mandarin Chinese – and demand money to help the student avoid immigration issues or visa trouble. Others claim to be a bank employee requesting information to update an account.

“We’ve found that the scammers ask the student for their account number, credit card number, or ask the individual to purchase some type of gift card like an iTunes gift card,” Rosenbarger said.

Police and the Office of International Student Services remind students to never give out personal or bank information to a caller and to immediately hang up. If calls persist or the student feels threatened, they should call police.

“The callers might seem to be legitimate because they know a few important details about you, such as the last time you traveled, where you live, that you had an internship, that you are studying at Purdue,” said Christine Collins, director of International Student Services. “Students can always visit their bank to make sure the bank doesn’t need something more from them.”

According to the ISS, these are signs that an incoming call is a scam:

• The U.S. government doesn’t make phone calls regarding immigration status – especially calls requiring immediate action.

• The U.S. government will never ask for payment or banking information over the phone.  Requests will always be in writing and responses should be delivered to an official U.S. government address or a web portal utilizing the .gov domain.

• The caller warns you not to talk to anyone else.

• The caller attempts to keep you on the phone.

• The caller wants you to meet with them in a private location.

• The U.S. government will never ask you for personal information over the phone unless you originated the call with them.

• Your banker will never call you and ask you for personal or account information.

A list of common scams can be found here.

If you receive a suspicious immigration-related email, forward it to USCIS at USCIS.Webmaster@uscis.dhs.gov.

Writer: Tim Doty, 765-494-2080, doty2@purdue.edu 

Source: Christine Collins,765-496-3538, ccollins@purdue.edu