An Indian student studying in the United States was scammed by fraudsters pretending to be Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers, according to a report by Newsweek.
Shreya Bedi, a Master’s student at Indiana University Bloomington who arrived in the U.S. on an F-1 visa in 2022, received a call on May 29 from individuals claiming she had violated immigration laws. They demanded she pay a $5,000 "bond" using gift cards to avoid arrest and deportation.
“He gave me his name and badge number and told me to verify it on ice.gov by checking the Maryland office details. The number matched, and I believed him,” Bedi said.
Later, she received another call from someone posing as an officer from the Olympia Police Department. She was told not to hang up, as her phone was being monitored and an arrest warrant had been issued in her name.
“I felt completely trapped. They kept me on the phone for three hours, warning that disconnecting or contacting anyone would worsen my situation. I was too scared to take that risk,” she explained.
What made the scam even more convincing was that the callers had detailed knowledge of her personal information — her hometown in India, how she entered the U.S., and even her academic records.
“They knew things that only official agencies would know,” she said.
Following their instructions, Bedi purchased Apple and Target gift cards worth $5,000 and shared the codes with the scammers. They claimed a police officer would collect the bond documents and cards the next day, but no one ever showed up.
“They subjected me to hours of psychological torture, making me believe I was about to be arrested and deported,” she recalled.
Now burdened with debt, Bedi is struggling financially while also paying off student loans.
“I’m alone in the U.S. with no family support. That money was meant to keep me afloat and secure my future here,” she said. “This scam has completely derailed my plans, including saving and applying for an H1B visa.”
As an international student unfamiliar with U.S. systems, Bedi said she became an easy target.
“I feel embarrassed, but I hope others can learn from my mistake,” she added.
She has since launched a GoFundMe campaign to recover the lost funds and has issued a warning to other international students.
“You always have the right to hang up and consult a lawyer. Real government agencies don’t call you; they send official mail. And no legitimate authority will ever ask for gift cards, bank details, or your Social Security number over the phone,” she cautioned.
Reports of scammers impersonating ICE agents have increased in recent months, fueling fear in the migrant community.
On June 5, ICE reportedly detained over 2,200 individuals in a single day — the highest number of arrests in one day, according to NBC News.
