USCIS Will Not Call You About Biometrics: Notification Methods and Scam-Prevention Points
The article explains that USCIS does not call applicants to notify them about biometrics appointments; notices are generally mailed, with email or text updates available through Form G-1145 and notices viewable in a myUSCIS account. It warns about scams involving spoofed caller IDs and email domains, and describes reporting channels and precautions for protecting personal information when contacting USCIS.
The pandemic has left many foreign nationals stranded in the United States and unable to leave, and they wait anxiously after filing extension applications. That feeling is understandable, and scammers understand it very well too. Several readers have asked the same question: will USCIS call to tell me to go for biometrics?
The answer is no. Calls claiming to come from USCIS, especially those conducted in Chinese, are almost always scams.
USCIS Does Not Call Applicants on Its Own Initiative
USCIS sends all notices to applicants by physical mail. If the applicant filed Form G-1145, they will also receive email and/or text message notifications; if they registered a myUSCIS account on the USCIS website, they can also view user notices in the account.
USCIS, like other government agencies such as the IRS, does not call applicants on its own initiative, and certainly does not ask for personal information or demand payment over the phone. If you receive such a call, even if the caller ID shows a USCIS (or DHS, IRS, FBI, or any government agency) number, stay alert, because it is very likely a scam; scammers can spoof caller ID numbers. USCIS email addresses end in gov; any email claiming to be from USCIS sent from a .com or .org domain is a scam. The IRS only sends physical mail and will not call you or send private text messages.
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Applicants should try to avoid calling USCIS customer service from public places, so that personal information is not overheard during the conversation. If you receive a scam call or email impersonating USCIS, you can report it to the Federal Trade Commission or your local police department, with a report title such as USCIS Telephone/Email Scam; if you receive a suspicious email that appears to impersonate USCIS but you are unsure whether it is genuine, you can forward it to [email protected]; suspicious emails impersonating the IRS can be forwarded to [email protected].
Related Links
- USCIS: How to Avoid Scams
- USCIS Contact Information: USCIS Contact Center
- IRS: How to Know It's Really the IRS
- FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center
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