A call says there is a problem with your visa or immigration case

The problem

A caller says they are from US Citizenship and Immigration Services, from immigration enforcement or from a related office. They say there is a problem with your visa, your records or your case. They may ask for your personal details or a fee, and they may suggest that something serious will happen if you do not comply.

For people who are waiting on an application, the call can feel very real. Hearing your own name and case type can make it seem official. Take a moment, because the call can be checked in a few minutes without speaking to the caller again.

How it can happen

USCIS posted a fraud alert about scam calls impersonating the agency. It says scammers call while posing as USCIS staff or other immigration organisations, including SAVE, ask about your immigration status or case, request personal or financial information, spoof caller ID to look like a government number, and pressure you to act at once. The page was last updated on 3 June 2026.

The FTC describes a similar pattern from earlier alerts. Callers or emailers say you broke immigration law, that your identity information is wrong or outdated, or that you owe fees or a bond. They threaten police involvement or deportation, and tell you not to speak to anyone else, so you cannot check the story.

USCIS does contact customers, employers and agencies in some cases, for example about SAVE or E-Verify cases or account management. That is why a quick check matters. The agency's own advice for an unexpected call is not to provide personal, financial or immigration-related information.

How to avoid it

1. Hang up and say nothing about your case. You do not need to confirm anything.
2. Do not call back the number on your caller ID, voicemail or email. The FTC advises searching for the agency's name and using the contact information on its official website. A number that matches the website can still be spoofed.
3. Check your case online. Use your own myUSCIS account or the official site, typed in by you. USCIS warns against paying fees outside your myUSCIS account or transferring money to an individual.
4. Look at web addresses. The agency advises being wary of emails that do not end in .gov, contain typos, or offer to speed up your case for money.
5. Send suspicious emails to USCIS. Forward them to USCIS.Webmaster@uscis.dhs.gov to check them. That mailbox does not answer immigration questions.
6. Report the call. The FTC takes reports at ReportFraud.ftc.gov, and USCIS lists other options such as calling 877-FTC-HELP, reporting to local or state authorities, and submitting a tip through USCIS. It adds that reporting someone else's scam generally will not hurt your application if you are not involved.
7. Be careful with helpers. You do not need a representative to file with USCIS. If you hire one, USCIS says it must be an attorney or an accredited representative working for a Department of Justice recognised organisation.

If you gave details or money already, tell your bank, then follow what to do after you shared a code or gave someone access. For a similar approach to any agency, see how to check a government call.

Things to watch

• A caller who asks about your status or case and wants personal information.
• Demands for gift cards, cryptocurrency or wire transfer. The FTC says real immigration agencies do not accept these.
• A threat of deportation or police action.
• An instruction not to speak to a lawyer or relative.
• A caller ID that matches a real agency number.
• An offer to speed up your case for a fee.

Your status is not changed by a phone call, and there is time to check.