U.S. Immigration ICE Agent Imposter Scam
Federal Immigration Agent Impersonation Scam
How Scams Work – A SCARS Institute Insight
Author:
• SCARS Institute Encyclopedia of Scams Editorial Team – Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc.
Article Abstract
Immigrant communities across the United States are being targeted by scammers pretending to be agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) or local police. These fraudsters intimidate victims by claiming they have violated immigration laws and face immediate arrest and deportation.
Using threatening tactics, they coerce victims into providing sensitive personal information, such as Social Security numbers and credit card details, and demand thousands of dollars to dismiss fake investigations or arrest warrants. Scammers often use fake Caller ID numbers and even reference official ICE websites to appear legitimate.
ICE and local police do not call individuals to warn of arrests, request personal financial information, or demand payment. Victims of these scams are urged to report incidents to the Department of Homeland Security, local police, or the FBI. Reporting these crimes is safe and will not lead to deportation, even for those who have entered the U.S. illegally.
Federal Immigration ICE Agent Impersonation Scam
The ICE Agent Impersonation Phone Scam
This is a warning for all immigrant communities in the United States to be on the alert for con artists/scammers pretending to be agents of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), or local police.
How the ICE Agent Scam Works
An immigrant gets a telephone call from someone pretending to be an ICE agent. The agent informs the victim that he or she has violated immigration law(s) and is in immediate danger of arrest and deportation. In a threatening tone, the agent scares the immigrant victim into revealing their date of birth, social security number, credit card number and other personally identifiable information. The scammer tells the victim that the only way to avoid arrest and deportation is by paying thousands of dollars in immigration fees and fines.
Con artists/scammers will often call from a phone that will appear on Caller ID as an official ICE number. They can even use the official ICE website to convince their victims of their authenticity. While the ICE agent impersonator is on the phone with the victim, another scammer pretending to be a local police officer will call the victim using a fake telephone number that looks like a police number. The police impersonator states, in a very intimidating manner, that an arrest warrant has been issued and that officers are on their way to place the victim under arrest (sometimes the recorded sound of police sirens can be heard in the background).
The fake ICE Agent/police officer proceeds to tell the victim to cooperate and pay whatever amount the fake ICE agent is requesting; only by paying ICE can the victim avoid immediate arrest and deportation. The panicked victim is instructed to navigate to the official ICE website and read the immigration bond form. An immigration bond is commonly used to help release a noncitizen from ICE custody pending their deportation hearing.
At this point, the fake ICE agent demands that the victim pay $3,999 or some other amount to stop the investigation and vacate the arrest warrant. The terrified victim complies by sending the money to the scammers, which is then lost and not recoverable.
Remember
- ICE Agents and local police do not call immigrants on the phone to warn them that they are about to be arrested and deported for violating immigration laws;
- Agents do not request financial information (e.g., bank account and credit card account information) or demand money from someone to dismiss an investigation or vacate an arrest warrant.
You can report suspected ICE agent fraud to the Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General at 1-800-323-8603, and police officer impersonation to the Local Police Department Financial Crimes and Fraud Unit. You may also report them to the FBI.
If you have entered the U.S. illegally, reporting these scams will not get you deported. You can report anonymously if you prefer.
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Important Information for New Scam Victims
- Please visit www.ScamVictimsSupport.org – a SCARS Website for New Scam Victims & Sextortion Victims
- Enroll in FREE SCARS Scam Survivor’s School now at www.SCARSeducation.org
- Please visit www.ScamPsychology.org – to more fully understand the psychological concepts involved in scams and scam victim recovery
If you are looking for local trauma counselors please visit counseling.AgainstScams.org or join SCARS for our counseling/therapy benefit: membership.AgainstScams.org
If you need to speak with someone now, you can dial 988 or find phone numbers for crisis hotlines all around the world here: www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines
A Question of Trust
At the SCARS Institute, we invite you to do your own research on the topics we speak about and publish, Our team investigates the subject being discussed, especially when it comes to understanding the scam victims-survivors experience. You can do Google searches but in many cases, you will have to wade through scientific papers and studies. However, remember that biases and perspectives matter and influence the outcome. Regardless, we encourage you to explore these topics as thoroughly as you can for your own awareness.
SCARS Resources:
- Getting Started Right: ScamVictimsSupport.org
- Sign up For Free Scam Victim Support & Recovery Program support.AgainstScams.org
- Sextortion Scam Victims: Sextortion Victims Support – The Essentials (scamvictimssupport.org)
- For New Victims of Relationship Scams newvictim.AgainstScams.org
- For Scam Victim Supporters & Advocates ScamVictimsAdvocates.org
- Subscribe to SCARS Newsletter newsletter.againstscams.org
- Sign up for SCARS professional support & recovery groups, visit support.AgainstScams.org
- Find competent trauma counselors or therapists, visit counseling.AgainstScams.org
- Become a SCARS Member and get free counseling benefits, visit membership.AgainstScams.org
- Report each and every crime, learn how to at reporting.AgainstScams.org
- Learn more about Scams & Scammers at RomanceScamsNOW.com and ScamsNOW.com
- Scammer photos ScammerPhotos.com
- SCARS Videos youtube.AgainstScams.org
- Self-Help Books for Scam Victims are at shop.AgainstScams.org
- Worldwide Crisis Hotlines: https://blog.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines/
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Thank you for this article. It is going to occur in other countries too as soon as they see they make money out of it.
How to do a video call with Daniela ftv& Leslie
Faking video calls now is easy. But if you are not technical it does not matter how, all you need to understand is that it is a scam. You are talking to a team of scammers, probably in Africa. Please visit http://www.ScamVictimsSupport.org to learn what you need to know.