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Valley Family Issues Urgent Alert About Imposter ICE Phone Scam
PHOENIX — A family in the Valley is sounding the alarm regarding a phone scam involving impersonation of immigration officials. The warning follows an incident in which a caller, posing as a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent, threatened a young woman with arrest.
Peter Tran recounted that an individual claiming to be an ICE officer contacted his daughter early Monday morning, alleging there was a warrant for her arrest. “They were trying to be nice and get information, and my daughter was so naïve,” Tran stated. The caller warned her not to discuss the call and presented two options, one of which involved paying a $1,000 bond.
Tran emphasized that his daughter is a U.S. citizen, expressing concern for her well-being. “Her anxiety just goes through the roof,” he said, noting that she felt frightened and confused by the threats. After the call, Tran’s daughter managed to hang up, and they reported the situation to local authorities.
Upon investigation, Tran discovered that while the name used by the caller was false, the phone number appeared to be linked to the ICE office. Attempts to return the call yielded no results.
Emilia Banuelos, an immigration attorney, condemned the call as fraudulent. “ICE would never call you at home, especially about a warrant. They would just show up at your house with a warrant,” she clarified. Banuelos also shared that similar stories have emerged from her clients experiencing pressure from scammers soliciting payments.
The Arizona Attorney General’s Office warns that state and federal authorities will never ask for personal information or payment over the phone. They advise the public to exercise caution with phone calls that threaten arrest or request immediate financial transactions regarding immigration matters.
Fortunately, Tran’s daughter was not financially harmed, but the incident left her shaken. Tran hopes this experience will serve as a warning to others to be vigilant against such scams. “It’s completely wrong to threaten people with a warrant when it’s not real,” he remarked.
Individuals who believe they have fallen victim to consumer fraud are encouraged to make a confidential complaint through the attorney general’s website, which welcomes reports irrespective of the victim’s immigration status.
