Latest news with #IndianaUniversityBloomington
Time of India
12 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
F‑1 Visa Interview 2025: Student denied after technical questions surprise applicant
On May 30, 2025, an act of kindness by a young student took an unexpected turn. During a routine U.S. F‑1 visa interview at the Hyderabad Consulate, a student who was waiting for his own appointment, saw an elderly struggling with the visa process. The boy, understanding their issue, stepped in to help the woman with understanding the B‑2 (tourist) visa. But the dynamics shifted, with the subsequent interview taking an unexpectedly technical turn and ultimately resulting in visa denial. The incident The student, pursuing a Master's in Data Science at Indiana University Bloomington, was there for his F‑1 interview. He then saw an older woman next to him struggling to understand the tourist visa process. As per reports, the boy helped her by explaining her travel intent and making her understand the supporting documents. Not only that, he also accompanied her during the short queue. Though he did not speak for her during questioning, his support reportedly relaxed her. The visa officer then started the F‑1 interview with the student but the dynamic shifted quickly. What began as standard procedural questions about university choices and study plans, the officer started asking him about why he chose Data Science. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like เทรดทองCFDs ด้วยค่าสเปรดที่ต่ำที่สุด IC Markets สมัคร Undo He also asked him how he intends to fund his education. He also started asking him some technical questions as well. Such is a rare concept during visa interviews focused on intent. The student was left shocked but answered the questions competently. But his visa was denied under Section 214(b) — a common statute used when consular officers deem applicants insufficiently tied to their home country or suspect intent to immigrate. The student later took to Reddit and shared his ordeal: 'I was surprised by the level of technical questions asked… I tried to stay calm and answer everything honestly' Several Reddit users started sharing their experiences. One user remarked, 'Wait whattt… why would he ask such questions.' Another told him to emphasise how his technical skills would benefit India after his studies. Well this is not the first time that such an incident is being reported. Several visa applicants across India have reported unexpected technical queries during their F‑1 interviews. The U.S. recently reinstated student visa interviews with added scrutiny—most notably requiring applicants to publicly open their social media accounts for review. One step to a healthier you—join Times Health+ Yoga and feel the change
Time of India
3 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
F‑1 visa refused to student after ‘unexpected technical questions' at US consulate in Hyderabad
A student aiming to pursue a graduate program at Indiana University Bloomington was denied a US F‑1 visa during an interview at the US Consulate in Hyderabad on May 30 2025. The refusal came after he faced a series of unexpected technical questions—marking a shift from routine interview lines to detailed technical scrutiny. The interview began with typical questions: whether he was studying currently, which universities he had applied to, and details about his undergraduate project. Then, the visa officer surprised him by asking technical queries. After confirming the universities applied to and discussing why he chose Indiana University Bloomington and the Applied Data Science track, the consular officer denied his visa. Here's what the F-1 involves (Join our ETNRI WhatsApp channel for all the latest updates) The F-1 visa is the most common visa category used by international students who plan to pursue full-time academic programs in the United States. The visa allows students to arrive in the US up to 30 days before their program begins. Once in the US, students are required to maintain full-time enrolment throughout their academic program. They are allowed to work up to 20 hours per week on campus while classes are in session. Optional Practical Training (OPT) and Curricular Practical Training (CPT) are available for gaining work experience, especially in STEM fields, with OPT offering up to 12 months of work authorization and the option for a 24-month extension for eligible STEM graduates. Live Events Recent developments affecting F-1 visa holders include proposed changes by the US government such as increasing the duration of STEM OPT training , expanding eligible degree programs, and revising the H-1B visa process. There is also heightened scrutiny during visa interviews, with officers now asking more subject-specific or technical questions, especially for graduate-level applicants in STEM programs.
Indian Express
13-06-2025
- Indian Express
How desperation for a better life abroad is fuelling immigration scams in India
On May 29, 2025, Shreya Bedi, a postgraduate student at Indiana University Bloomington, received a call from someone claiming to be a United States immigration officer. They alleged that she had violated visa rules and directed her to a fake badge verification page on the Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) website. A second caller, posing as a police officer, told her she was under surveillance. Over the course of three hours, they pressured her into buying $5,000 (about Rs 4.3 lakh) worth of Apple and Target gift cards as 'bond money' to avoid arrest. No one came to collect the cards. Shaken, she later launched a GoFundMe to recover losses and raise awareness. This isn't an isolated case. While Bedi was targeted in the US, immigration scams are rampant back home. According to Tushar Sharma, cyber expert and co-founder of The Organisation For Enlightenment and Education (TOFEE), the first case of immigration scam was reported in the early 90s in Punjab. 'The agents from illegal immigration and human trafficking networks activated and started luring people from Punjab with fake promises of work or permanent residency in Canada, the United Kingdom, and other countries,' Sharma said, adding that victims were charged excessive fees and sent fake visas and documents. These victims were later detained at foreign airports. 'In the late 90s and early 2000s, these scams evolved into more sophisticated frauds involving visa lotteries, fake marriages, study abroad, fake universities, fake job offers,' Sharma said. 'We have seen a significant increase in online immigration-related scams, particularly targeting student visa applicants. The most common forms include fake agents promising guaranteed admissions or visas, fraudulent job offers linked to visa sponsorships, and counterfeit websites that mimic official government portals or educational institutions,' said Dheeraj Gandhi, founder and CEO of The Immigration Gurus. Gandhi also said, 'Many scams are easy to spot if you look closely: no clear business name, poor communication, pressure to pay upfront without proper paperwork, and fake promises like guaranteed visas.' Tushar said scammers use social, economic, and psychological tricks to exploit people aspiring to go study or work abroad. They find their targets via: 🎯Social media profiling: Scammers scrape platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram to find people posting about studying or settling abroad. They then use targeted ads to lure aspirants, posing as successful migrants offering fake help. 🎯Regional networks: In migration hotspots like Punjab, scammers often win trust by using local networks and word of mouth, sometimes even through unassuming friends or relatives. 🎯Fake job or university listings: Scammers lure young aspirants by posting fake listings and even creating fake universities. 🎯Cold calls and phishing emails: Cold calling and unsolicited emails, such as phishing emails and job and visa alerts, are the most common tricks. 🎯Psychological manipulation: Scammers exploit people's hopes, emergencies, and vulnerabilities, especially those already abroad on temporary visas, by promising quick fixes to their immigration status. Professor Triveni Singh, former IPS officer and cybercrime expert, listed different types of immigration scams: 🎯Fake job offers: Scammers lure victims by promising overseas jobs along with immigration, collecting separate fees for each. These jobs rarely exist. Victims pay lakhs, only to be ghosted. 🎯Identity theft and document fraud: Fake identities are created by manipulating biometric data or using someone else's details to issue new Aadhaar cards and passports. 🎯KYC fraud: Fraudulent Know Your Customer (KYC) documents are used to secure visas. 🎯Airport loopholes: Although facial biometrics are captured at airports, there's no real-time cross-check with Aadhaar's UIDAI system. This lets people pass through immigration using genuine passports but with altered photos or fake identities. 🎯Easy entry to false documents: In rural areas, even a village head's stamp or a family register is enough to secure an Aadhaar card, leading to a full set of forged identity papers. 🎯Human trafficking and forced labour: Some victims are tricked into believing they are going abroad for work but are instead sent to illegal labour camps or sold into slavery. 🎯Trapped in crime: Others are lured abroad under the pretense of legitimate employment, only to be forced into drug trafficking, theft, or cybercrime. 🎯Marriage scams: Here, individuals are promised long-term visas, but only if they first reach the destination country. Once there, they are coerced into fake court marriages and made to sign fabricated documents. Many end up exploited or abandoned. 🎯Smuggling: In some cases, victims are smuggled abroad under false identities and later used as carriers for illegal goods. 🎯Fake notices and emails: Victims receive emails or phone calls that mimic real immigration notices, sometimes even impersonating agencies like the FBI or US Secret Service. These threats often cite deportation or visa issues to scare people into paying money. Sharma and Professor Singh recommend staying alert to these warning signs: 🎯Unrealistic promises: If someone guarantees a visa, citizenship, or legal status quickly, it's likely a scam. No legitimate immigration process can promise guaranteed approval. 🎯Pressure tactics and urgency: Scammers often try to rush you, saying 'you'll miss the opportunity' or 'act now or lose everything.' Legitimate professionals don't pressure you into decisions or threaten consequences. 🎯Pretending to be officials: Fraudsters may pose as immigration officers or lawyers without showing proper ID or credentials. Ask for ID and verify it independently before trusting them. 🎯Shady payment requests: If someone asks for payments via gift cards, cryptocurrency, UPI to personal accounts, or cash, it's a red flag. Real agencies use traceable methods like credit/debit cards, bank transfers, or cheques. 🎯Offers that feel 'too perfect': If someone offers a job abroad without interviews, or a visa without paperwork, pause and verify. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. 🎯Visit in person: If you are dealing with an agent or consultant, go to their physical office and see how they operate. 🎯Reach out to official sources: Before making any payment or travel plans, contact: – Indian Embassy in the destination country – India's Immigration Department – Ministry of External Affairs: Most embassies respond quickly via email or phone. 🎯Stop communication when in doubt: If you notice any of the above red flags, end the conversation immediately. Report and verify the matter through government websites or helplines. 🎯What to do if you are scammed Victims or their families usually approach the police or Indian embassies after they've been defrauded or trafficked. In many rescue cases, Indian police work with foreign embassies to help bring victims back home. – Contact your bank and freeze accounts to stop unauthorised transactions. – File a police complaint immediately. – Reach out to Indian embassies abroad: They coordinate with local authorities for victim rescue. – Consult a licensed immigration lawyer: Legal guidance is critical in damage control. – Use other reporting options, like the Ministry of External Affairs Complaint Portal: – Report scam messages or calls within 30 days on the Chakshu portal – Verify the authenticity of agents or offers on the National Portal of India: Taking quick, informed steps can protect your finances, your identity, and your chance at justice. Immigration dreams are powerful, but scammers know that too. Staying informed is the first step in staying safe. The Safe Side: As the world evolves, the digital landscape does too, bringing new opportunities—and new risks. Scammers are becoming more sophisticated, exploiting vulnerabilities to their advantage. In our special feature series, we delve into the latest cybercrime trends and provide practical tips to help you stay informed, secure, and vigilant online.
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump Targeted In Texas A&M Political Science Course Material
(Texas Scorecard) – A Texas A&M summer class uses a textbook that promotes the establishment narrative that President Donald Trump is a criminal. A source provided Texas Scorecard with information regarding the textbook for a Texas A&M political science course offered this summer semester. The textbook in question is the 11th edition of 'Keeping the Republic: Power and Citizenship in American Politics,' by Christine Barbour and Gerald C. Wright. Wright is an emeritus professor at Indiana University Bloomington. Barbour is his wife and a political science lecturer at the same university. Barbour and Wright sharply contrasted how they believed the country viewed former President Joe Biden and President Donald Trump when presenting them in the first chapter. 'When President Biden was elected in 2020, we thought we had turned a new page in our political history,' Barbour and Wright wrote in the first chapter. 'But so much of the country's attention remained on Donald Trump, who demanded the limelight during his presidency and refused to relinquish it, as well as political power.' The first chapter contained more anti-Trump messaging. The authors repeated the establishment media narrative that President Donald Trump is a criminal but didn't mention the politicization and manipulation of the prosecution against him. 'Donald Trump is okay with rules that constrain other people's behavior, but he chafes under rules that apply to him. There is a reason why, when he left office in 2021, he faced a barrage of lawsuits and criminal indictments at the state and federal level, and that reason was not that his political enemies wanted to go after him,' Barbour and Wright wrote. 'It's because he broke or ignored multiple laws he didn't want to follow or that he decided didn't apply to him, and some of the consequences caught up with him.' 'Donald Trump doesn't like to be bound by rules, even the ones written in the Constitution,' the authors continued. This textbook is required reading in American National Government, a political science course at Texas A&M offered during the summer semester from May 26 to July 4 of this year. The Bush School of Government & Public Service houses Texas A&M College Station's political science department. Named after former President George H. W. Bush, members of the Bush family serve on the school's advisory board, including former Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush. Neil Bush, son of George H.W. Bush, is board chair. Neil Bush is also the founder and chairman of the George H.W. Bush Foundation for U.S.-China Relations. Use of Barbour and Wright's textbook has not been confined to the College Station campus. Dr. Shane Gleason used the ninth edition of the textbook in a Spring 2022 political science class at Texas A&M Corpus Christi. Meanwhile, former Texas A&M Galveston professor John Carhart praised an earlier version of the book. Several of Carhart's student reviews on RateMyProfessor claim he had a very liberal bias in the classroom. Other universities have used earlier versions of this textbook. Previous versions were used at Stephen F. Austin State University in Fall 2014, and at the University of North Texas in Fall 2016 and Spring 2017. Texas A&M did not respond to a request for comment before publication.
Time of India
06-06-2025
- Time of India
'Felt completely trapped': Indian student scammed in US by imposters who posed as ICE officers, told her she would be deported
Scammers in US targeted Indian-origin student, told her she would be arrested and then deported. Shreya Bedi, an Indian student, was deceived by scammers who posed as immigration officers who told her that she was violating immigration laws. The imposters forced her into purchasing $5000 worth of gift cards as 'bond' payments to avoid arrest and deportation. Bedi came to the US on an F-1 visa in 2022 to pursue a Master's degree in Human-Computer Interaction at Indiana University Bloomington, Newsweek reported. Bedi said she received a phone call on May 29 in which the scammers who posed as ICE agents told her that she was violating immigration laws and would be arrested and deported. "He gave me his name and badge number and told me to verify his office details by going to and looking up the office in Maryland. I could confirm it was the same phone number he was calling from," Bedi said. The scammers told Bedi that her phone was being monitored and she could not call anyone. A second scammer called posing to be from the Olympia Police Department saying that there was a warrant for her arrest. "I felt completely trapped because they kept me on the phone for three hours straight, repeatedly warning me that hanging up or contacting anyone would violate my case and make things worse. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Trading CFD dengan Teknologi dan Kecepatan Lebih Baik IC Markets Pelajari Undo I was too scared to risk it," Bedi said. The scammers asked her to buy Apple and Target gift cards totaling $5,000 and to share the codes over the phone. The scammers told her a police officer would collect the cards and bond papers the next day, but that call never came. "They put me through hours of psychological torture, making me believe I was going to be deported and arrested," Bedi said. The scammers knew everything about her, her port of entry, academic background, which city in India she is from etc. Bedi is now trying to raise funds on GoFundMe. "You always have the right to hang up and call a lawyer, government agencies almost never call you directly; they send official mail," she said. "No legitimate government agency will ever ask for gift cards, bank details, or your Social Security number over the phone. If someone asks for any of these things, it's definitely a scam." "As international students, we don't fully understand how the system works here, which makes us easy targets. I feel embarrassed that I fell for this, but I want others to learn from my mistake."
