September 25, 2020
Contents:
- Survey – your opinion matters to us!
- On-campus employment reminder
- Social Security scam
- Free immigration consultations
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- Survey – your opinion matters to us!
International Student and Scholar Services in the Office of International Programs is here to support you. To continue meeting your needs, we would like to know more about your time at WSU so far, including your experiences on campus and remotely. The survey can be accessed here and should take about 5-7 minutes. It is completely anonymous, meaning that your answers cannot be connected back to you.
Participation in this survey is voluntary, but we value your perspective and hope you will take this opportunity to let your voice be heard. If you choose to participate, please complete the survey no later than Friday, October 2.
If you have questions about the survey, please reach out to us directly at ip.intlservices@wsu.edu. Thank you for your time.
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- On Campus Employment Reminder
If you are in valid F-1 status, you are eligible to work up to 20 hours a week on campus. Please remember that you cannot work more than 20 hours a week or you will be out of status. No authorization from International Student and Scholar Services is required for on-campus employment for F-1 students.
If you are in valid J-1 status, you must receive approval from International Student and Scholar Services or your sponsor before you can begin work on campus. Once approved, you are eligible to work up to 20 hours a week. If your previous work authorization has expired, please complete the J-1 On-Campus Employment Authorization Request at https://mypassport.wsu.edu.
Off-campus employment is not allowed unless you are authorized for Curricular Practical Training (CPT) or have received an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) from the U.S. government, which allows you to work off-campus. Working off campus without authorization will lead to termination of your I-20 or DS-2019 and accrual of time toward a visa ban, so it is important to follow these rules.
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- Social Security scam
Recently, there have been several scam calls where the caller is seeking personal information. The calls include individuals posing as employees of the Social Security Administration or federal agents; they are seeking personal information and often threatening future arrest warrants unless the recipient provides information. The information requested includes name, Social Security number and bank information. Another scam used an email that was designed to look like it came from Social Security. It provided information about the annual cost-of-living adjustment and directed readers to a website designed to look like Social Security’s site, so people could update their personal information. THESE ARE SCAMS! DO NOT GIVE OUT YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION.
To combat such scams, please note: Social Security will NOT call or send you an email asking you for your personal information (Social Security number, date of birth, etc.). Do NOT reply to these calls or emails.
If you are uncertain about the validity of an inquiry reportedly from “Social Security,” contact your local Social Security office or call 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778) to verify the request. Here’s what you need to know:
- The SSA will NEVER call and ask for your Social Security number. It won’t ask you to pay anything. And it won’t call to threaten your benefits.
- Your caller ID might show the SSA’s real phone number (1-800-772-1213), but that’s not the real SSA calling. Computers make it easy to show any number on caller ID.
- NEVER give your Social Security number to anyone who contacts you. Do NOT confirm the last 4 digits. Do NOT give a bank account or credit card number to anybody who contacts you asking for it.
- Anyone who tells you to wire money, pay with a gift card, or send cash is a scammer.
- Always REPORT SOCIAL SECURITY SCAMS TO SOCIAL SECURITY.
You may report suspicious activity or communications claiming to be from the Social Security Administration to the Social Security Fraud Hotline:
Fraud Reporting Form: https://www.ssa.gov/fraudreport/oig/public_fraud_reporting/form.htm
If you believe you have been a victim of an IRS Impersonation Scam, you can report that activity to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration:
https://www.treasury.gov/tigta/contact_report_scam.shtml
The Federal Trade Commission has many resources to help you report and recover from identity theft:
https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/features/feature-0014-identity-theft
IF YOU HAVE ALREADY SHARED INFORMATION
- Report it to your local police or the WSU Police: 509-335-8548.
- Call your local bank and credit card companies to let them know that you have been the victim of a scam and that you provided personal information.
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- Free immigration consultations
A partnership between WSU Multicultural Services and the University of Idaho Immigration Law Clinic is providing students free consultations on immigration issues. They cover a range of topics including DACA, legal proceedings, naturalization, family pathways to immigration, immigration rights, spousal status, etc. Five appointments with final-year law students are available each week; they can be booked via this web page – Immigration Consultations.