Scams & Fraud: How to Stay Safe

• Gift Card Scams: Requests to buy gift cards for someone else or as part of a job offer.
• Spoofed Emails/Calls: Calls or texts from "government officials" or Rutgers faculty/staff  demanding money or claiming immigration violations.
• Urgent Threats or Demands for Immediate Action: Pressure to act immediately, often with threats of deportation or arrest; use of fear and intimidation as a scare tactic.
• Legal-Sounding Language: Use of terms like “visa fee,” “international student tax,” or “federal regulations" to sound as legitimate as possible.
• Refusal to Let You Hang Up or Call Back: Scammers may keep you on the phone to prevent you from verifying their claims.
• Fake Job Offers: Especially those requiring upfront payments or gift card purchases.
• Tax & Refund Scams: Third-party forms trying to collect the refund that is rightfully yours.
• Rental Scams: Paying deposits for housing where no one meets you with keys.
• Online Purchase Scams: Fraudulent listings on Craigslist, eBay, or fraudulent PayPal transactions.
• Green Card Lottery Fees: Legitimate entry is free—avoid websites charging money.
• Fake Rutgers Jobs: Offers that are not from official Rutgers channels.

• Fake Rutgers job offers or off-campus job offers with upfront costs 

• Fraudulent off-campus housing rental agreements requiring advance payment 

• Impersonation Scheme Targeting Middle Eastern Students in the United States

• AR-11 Scams

• Chinese Police Imposters

• Scams targeting Chinese international students

• Hang up if a caller seems suspicious.
• Never send money or share personal info (like SSN or bank details) over the phone or internet.
• Government agencies will never ask for payment by phone. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) may call you regarding your SEVIS record, but they will never ask for money over the phone.
• Don’t meet unknown individuals or cash unexpected checks.
• Monitor and update your accounts (bank account, credit card, other online accounts, etc) and passwords if you suspect a scam.
• Scammers may know basic info about you—don’t trust it as proof. Check how much of your information is public online, such as your phone number and address. Much information is easily searchable. 
• Verify identities: Ask for names, ID badge, and phone number, and call back through official customer service channels.
• Read all contracts carefully before signing and ensure that you fully understand the content. Use Student Legal Services for help.

• Store your Social Security card in a secure location; avoid carrying it with you.
• Shred documents that list personal information such as your Social Security number and banking information.
• Avoid opening emails from unknown sources or clicking on suspicious hyperlinks.
• Equip your computing devices with strong anti-virus software and maintain strong passwords.
• Regularly check your credit reports for suspicious activity.

Please report any of the following to ISSS:

• Concerning or suspicious calls or emails
• Mailed letters containing threats or demands
• Employers or employment agencies requesting payment for job offers or offering to create fake credentials

Remember: when one person reports a scam, ISSS can help protect the entire international student and scholar community.

If You Have Been Targeted by a Scam

• Immediately report the incident to ISSS and the Rutgers University Police Department (RUPD) at 732-932-7211.
• You can also report scams to:
  • Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
  • NJ Division of Consumer Affairs
  • Homeland Security Investigations Tip Line
  • USCIS.
  • ICE Tip Line (anonymous): 1-866-347-2423
• If the scam came through your Rutgers email, follow the instructions on the Rutgers IT site to report it.
• If you are concerned that your personal information may have been stolen or exposed, use IdentityTheft.gov's free tool to determine next steps. This may include:
  • Running a free credit report
  • Placing a credit card freeze or fraud alert
  • Obtaining credit monitoring services (often free through your credit card provider; check your card benefits before paying for this service) 

• Federal Trade Commission
  • Avoiding Scams: Information for Recent Refugees and Immigrants pamphlets in several languages
  • Pass it On: Resources to Avoid Scams
• USCIS
  • Common Scams 
  • Avoid Scam 
• Internal Revenue Service: Recognize Tax Scams and Fraud
• Study in the States: Tips to Avoid Scams
• Rutgers Career Exploration and Success
  • Red Flags: Identify and Filter Out Job Scams
  • Fraudulent Employer Scams 
• NJ State Police Identity Theft Victim's Reference Guide

The Rutgers University Police Department (RUPD) would like the community to be aware of the following common scams and fraudulent activity that have the potential to occur on college campuses:

• No Government Agency or Police Department will threaten you and demand payment via gift cards, wire transfer, bitcoin, prepaid debit cards, or various forms of payment to resolve an issue.  An example of this type of scam could include a call indicating that you are tied to criminal activity and a warrant has been issued for your arrest, which can only be resolved by immediate payment via wire transfer, gift cards, crypto currency or via other monetary means.
• If you apply for a job and the employer sends you a check in the mail and requests you to deposit the check and send money back to the employer, this is a scam and the check is usually fraudulent.  You will experience a loss of funds if you send anything of monetary value to the scammer.
• Avoid alleged investment opportunities observed on social media that propose you can make a profit by sending money to persons you have never met via online transactions.
• If you are contacted via email by someone who you believe is your boss or someone from the University and they request you to purchase gift cards and to provide them with the card numbers via phone or email, this is not a legitimate request.
• Be cautious when engaging in online romantic relationships that are developed solely on the basis of electronic communication.

Web: https://ipo.rutgers.edu/publicsafety/rupd

We are happy to assist at the Office of Student Legal Services. All consultations are free and confidential. 

1. Beware of scams and consumer fraud. International students are a particularly targeted population for scammers and have been subjected to various scams, including by way of one example, auto dealers who are claiming to sell cars to our international students but fail to deliver title, registration or insurance in our students’ names. The cases may involve legal issues which could include failure to pay sales tax; no contract to prove ownership; theft of identity; driving while uninsured; driving without registration; and insurance fraud. It is very important for our international students to deal only with reputable and licensed auto dealers. Do not sign a contract for purchase without having it reviewed by an attorney. Do not accept delivery of a vehicle without title and registration in your name. We recommend that you do not purchase or lease a car from an out-of-state dealer, which makes it more difficult to defend your rights. If you believe that you already have issues as a result of a car purchase or lease, see us right away.

 Please contact us before buying or leasing a car in New Jersey. It is important that you also understand insurance protection when purchasing a policy.

 2.    Beware of signing a lease, or any contract renting property, without first having that lease or contract reviewed. Please note that although a rental agreement can be oral, we strongly urge that any lease or rental agreement you sign be in writing. Any lease or rental agreement in New Jersey is a binding contract, however, a written lease affords you more protections. Landlords sometimes take advantage of our students, particularly our international students, who do not understand or have familiarity with landlord/tenant law, or contract law here in New Jersey. As a tenant you have many rights, however, you also have important obligations with regards to renting property you need to be aware of.

Click here to watch a video provided by Student Legal Services regarding leases and scams.

3.  We recommend that all students purchase renter’s insurance. It is inexpensive and provides important coverage for you and your property. We cannot emphasize enough how important we think it is to purchase renter’s insurance.

4.  Please familiarize yourself with the motor vehicle traffic laws in NJ if you are going to get a driver’s license.  If you are involved in an accident, always call the police.  Do not accept money or promises from other drivers involved, that they will pay your damages if you don’t call the police.  It is imperative that you do not leave the scene of an accident and always get a police report regardless of fault.  If you get a traffic summons, come to our office before your court date as there may be serious consequences to your driving record if you go to court without first obtaining legal advice. There also may be other less severe options available to you that you wouldn't know without legal counsel. 

We are happy to assist at the Office of Student Legal Services. Please contact us with any legal questions or problems you may have.  To make an appointment, please contact:  AttorneyTina Martins Cruz, or Administrative Assistant Lynn Mendez at Phone: 848-932-4529, email: sls@echo.rutgers.edu 

Web: http://rusls.rutgers.edu/

International payments can be made online at paymybill.rutgers.edu, a step-by-step guide is available here. Be advised, if you are not enrolled for the semester, or do not have a balance due, your funds will be returned. 

Please be aware that Flywire is the only vendor authorized by Rutgers to facilitate international payments/refunds. For safety and security reasons, students should not attempt to make international payments through other third-party vendors or via direct wire transfers to the University.