An alarming phone scam targeting F-1 visa students has come to light after a user shared a detailed account on Reddit about receiving a call from someone impersonating an ICE agent. The scammer falsely claimed the student had committed an “illegal activity” or failed to upload the I-94 document”, leading to an arrest warrant.
According to the post, while the student was still on the call with the alleged ICE agent, another call came in—this time from someone pretending to be a police officer. The ICE agent instructed the student to take the second call and explain that they were cooperating.
What makes the scam particularly convincing is the use of number spoofing, making the calls appear as though they are coming from official numbers listed on the ICE and police websites.
The scammers asked for bank details, home address, and other personal information. The Reddit user warned others not to share anything and instead ask for an official email. “Police officers will never call you if they have an arrest warrant against you,” the user wrote.
Others in the Reddit thread shared similar experiences. One said, “Happened to me too. I contacted my DSO because I was sure I didn’t do anything wrong. They told me everything was fine. Later I found out ICE agents don’t call. They just take action.”
Another advised, “Don’t answer unknown numbers if possible. If it’s important, they will leave a voicemail. If you’re not sure, call and check using the official number.”
A third user recounted a distressing incident involving a friend: “She was on call for 1.5 hours and crying all through. She was at the Target purchasing the gift cards for her ‘bail bond’ payment when her brother arrived just in time to escort her out of the store.”
One user commented, “actually asked me to meet up with him as the “payment “ needs to be done by some immigration bond document everything seemed legit until I saw “Apple gift card” worth 999$ as the required payment.”
