International students and scholars may be targets for scammers. It is important that you educate yourself, become familiar with common scams, and be proactive in protecting yourself. The following information is for general education purposes to help you be better informed about common scenarios and about how to safeguard your personal information.<\/p>\n
A scam is a way to trick an unsuspecting person into sharing personal information and\/or money for a fraudulent purpose, which for the perpetrator may include monetary gain, ability to obtain false documents, etc.<\/p>\n
1. Scammers pretend to be from an organization you know.
\n2. Scammers say there’s a problem or a prize.
\n3. Scammers pressure you to act immediately.
\n4. Scammers tell you to pay in a specific way.<\/p>\n
Many Types of Job Scams<\/a>. The Federal Trade Commission, a U.S. government agency, publishes a list of common employment related scams. Examples include: mystery shopper, virtual jobs, babysitting opportunities, fake job interview, identity theft schemes, and many more.<\/p>\n Housing: Avoid Scams & Fraud<\/a>. This Marymount University website provides common “red flags” to be aware of when searching for short-term housing, student housing, and other housing rentals.<\/p>\n USCIS: Scams, Fraud, and Misconduct<\/a>. This U.S. government website has information on the following topics:\u00a0Report Fraud<\/a>,\u00a0USCIS Tip Form<\/a>,\u00a0Avoid Scams<\/a>,\u00a0Common Scams<\/a>,\u00a0Report Immigration Scams<\/a>, and\u00a0Report USCIS Employee Misconduct<\/a>.<\/p>\n Tax Related Scams<\/a>. The International Revenue Service (IRS) provides information about tax scams and some signs that may indicate a tax scam.<\/p>\n