Avoid payment scams: USCIS does not accept payment by phone or email

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services ("USCIS") has alerted the public about new scams targeting immigrants and their families in the U.S. The immigrant or the petitioning family members may receive a phone call from someone pretending to be a government official and indicating there is a problem with an application or additional information is required to continue the immigration process. The criminals perpetrating these scams then ask for personal and sensitive information, and demand payment to fix any problems. Please remember USCIS officials will never request payment over the phone or in an email. If USCIS requires a payment, the agency will mail a letter on official stationery requesting payment be sent in the form of a check or money order to an official USCIS address. Applicants can always call USCIS customer service to verify payment receipt information. If you receive a scam email or phone call, please report it to the Federal Trade Commission at http://1.usa.gov/1suOHSS. If you receive an email related to your petition and you are not sure if it is a legitimate request, please forward the suspicious email to the USCIS Webmaster at uscis.webmaster@uscis.dhs.gov. USCIS will review the emails received and share with law enforcement agencies as appropriate.