MADISON, Wis. — A UW-Madison international student says he was scammed out of $10,000 by someone claiming to be from ICE.
Madison police say the 19-year-old student reported getting calls from someone claiming they were from ICE, and that he would be arrested and deported unless he paid a fine through a bank transfer and multiple gift cards.
After a dozen calls demanding more money, the student found information online saying this was likely a scam and reported the calls to Madison police.
UW-Madison recently warned of scams targeting international students, with similar calls in which people claimed to be ICE agents being reported back in November. The callers spoof a local ICE phone number, making the call seem more legitimate.
Madison police are reminding people that ICE agents and local police would not call people about their immigration status and warn them that they are about to be arrested or deported, and agents would not request financial information or demand money in order to avoid an arrest.
Anyone who gets a call from someone claiming to be an ICE agent should report the fraud to the Department of Homeland Security Office of the Inspector General at 1-800-323-8603.
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