Scams are illegal and fraudulent schemes by criminals (scammers) who are trying to get money from you. Scammers will often impersonate actual agencies or companies and use fear tactics to threaten you into paying them or providing them with your personal information*. Scammers will often tell you that you should not tell anyone else about your communications with them, but that is part of their plan to trick you.  Follow the instructions below to seek advice BEFORE sending money and before giving out personal information such as date of birth, social security #, bank / credit card information.

• Your home country's consulate will not call you and ask you to transfer money. They also won’t call you and ask you for your ID or bank account information, or tell you that they are transferring the call to “Interpol” or to the police.
• U.S. government agencies (such as USCIS, the IRS, FBI, etc.) will not call you and ask for money or threaten to arrest you.
• You will never be asked to pay legitimate organizations with iTunes cards or other gift cards. If this is asked of you, it’s a scam!
• You will never be asked to download an app (such as a remote desktop app) while speaking with U.S. government agencies or law enforcement. 
• Scammers can use email addresses and phone numbers that look legitimate. If an unknown person is threatening you or makes you feel uncomfortable, end the conversation.

If you receive a call, text, or email like this and are not sure what to do:

• Contact Temple University Public Safety located at 1101 Montgomery Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19121. Emergency Phone: 215-204-1234, From a campus phone: 1-1234, Email: [click-for-email]

• Contact [click-for-email]
• Always seek advice BEFORE sending money and before giving out personal information.

Resources for Reporting Scams

Other national resources for reporting scams include:

• Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Internet Crime Complaint Center
• Federal Trade Commission’s Report Fraud Portal & What to Do If You Were Scammed
• Report Immigration Scams USCIS page
• Reporting IRS and Treasury Scams
• The U.S. General Services Administration’s “Report Scams and Frauds” web portal

Additional Information:

See the links below for more details, examples of common scams, and advice about avoiding scams:

• The University of California, Davis prepared a video about common scams targeting international students and scholars. Some of the information is specific to UC-Davis, but some of it would apply to scams here in Philadelphia too.
• USCIS Avoid Scams Resource Center
• Department of Homeland Security’s blog posts on international students and scams
• IRS Tax Scams/Consumer AlertsTax Scams/Consumer Alerts
• Federal Trade Commission’s Scams webpage
• Warning from the Chinese Consulate: Be Careful of Telecom Scams Using the Phone Number of the Chinese Consulate General in Chicago