Indiana (USA): A 23-year-old Indian student pursuing higher education in the United States was allegedly cheated of Rs 4 lakh by a fraudster posing as an immigration official, who threatened her with deportation for purported visa violations.

The victim, Shreya Bedi, hailing from Punjab, is currently enrolled in the Computer Science department at Indiana University. She had moved to the US in 2022 on an F-1 student visa.

According to reports, Bedi received a phone call from an individual claiming to be an immigration officer based in Maryland. The caller allegedly sent her an official-looking ID and instructed her to verify his credentials on the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) website. The information matched the website, including the contact number.

The impostor then reportedly accused the student of breaching immigration rules and threatened her with arrest and deportation. To avoid action, Bedi was told to purchase online gift cards worth Rs 4 lakh as a “deposit,” which officials would collect the following day.

In fear, she complied and purchased Apple and Target gift cards, sharing the coupon codes with the caller. However, when no officers arrived the next day, she realized she had been conned and subsequently lodged a complaint with the Indiana Police.

The incident highlights the growing number of scams targeting international students in the US under the guise of immigration enforcement.

Investigations are underway.