BE AWARE: HANG UP IMMEDIATELY

Scammers—unscrupulous people who trick others to steal their money or personal data—have been posing as law enforcement officers and calling international students. They pose as representatives of the Auraria Campus Police Department (ACPD), Denver Police Department, and even as officers of the federal government.

They are using a tactic called “number spoofing” to make their caller ID display legitimate law enforcement department phone numbers. What can you do?

• Hang up immediately. Legitimate law enforcement will never call you to threaten an immediate arrest or accuse you of a legal violation, and they will never demand payment over the phone using gift cards, wire transfers, or crypto currency.
• Do not call the number back. Do not use the phone number the caller provides or that appears on your caller ID.
• NEVER  disclose personal details or send money over the phone.

  None of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) agencies including USCIS, ICE, SEVP would ask for personally-identifiable information over the telephone or via e-mail or text. The University of Colorado Denver will never threaten you over your immigration status.

WHAT TO DO NEXT

If you have any questions about your immigration status or immigration-related requirements or if you have been contacted by an ICE officer and want to verify their identity, please contact International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) by telephone at 303-315-2230 or email at ISSS@ucdenver.edu. You can also schedule an in-person or virtual meeting with an International Student and Scholar Services Specialist here: https://www.ucdenver.edu/services/international-student-and-scholar-services/resources/appointments.

If you receive a suspicious email or phone call from someone claiming to be ICE, please report it to the Federal Trade Commission. If you are not sure it is a scam, you can contact the CIS Ombudsman's Office and someone will be able to assist you. Learn more about the CIS Ombudsman's Office by visiting the homepage.

RESOURCES

You can visit these websites for additional information about how to identify, report, and protect yourself from scams.

• https://support.cuanschutz.edu/TDClient/277/Portal/Requests/Service/10787/Report-a-Security-Incident
• https://www.uscis.gov/scams-fraud-and-misconduct/avoid-scams/common-scams
• https://www.boundless.com/immigration-resources/avoiding-immigration-scams/

Other resources include:

• Auraria Campus Police Department (ACPD). Their direct dispatch center is available 24 hours a day/seven days a week at 303-556-5000.
• Denver Police Department (DPD). Their non-emergency line can be called to report a fraud at 720-913-2000.