International student recovering from a scam

Hello Everyone,

I am an international student pursuing graduate studies in the United States. I came from a family of limited economic means in India hoping to realise my dreams of making it in academia in the US. I am working for my PhD at the Ohio State University currently.

This weekend, I was extorted for money in gift cards by a scammer pretending to be a DEA agent (social security scam). Being a non-resident alien, I was cooperative from the moment I heard that I might be in trouble with the police. ANY police record can affect my immigration status, and potentially I could lose everything I had in life. But what I DID lose is all of my savings, and then some more. Any international student reading this, please hang up on such calls. I have learnt it the hard way.

I help pay for the mortgage payments and day-to-day expenses of my parents back in India, because they are hard hit financially by the pandemic. I am starting this fundraiser to help me and my family get back on our feet. We are grateful for every dollar we receive in these devastating times. 

Thank you for reading. May you have a healthy and prosperous life, unscathed by scammers and conmen.