While the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) works to ensure student employment compliance, it is important for both designated school officials (DSOs) and international students to be aware of potentially fraudulent employers and to report suspected fraud.

Below are a few red flags that may indicate a potentially fraudulent employer:

• Employer websites that are vague with no examples of client work, contact information or social media accounts.
• Job activities that do not match the description the employer provided to the school.
• A job’s physical location does not look suitable for the employment and/or does not match the address listed on the Form I-983, “Training Plan for STEM OPT Students.”
• A relatively unknown or unfamiliar employer that hires a large group of F or M students from a school.
• The work is done remotely and/or through apps such as WeChat.

Students should also contact their DSO if they have any questions about the guidance provided by a recruiter. DSOs or students who think that an employer is not complying with the terms or conditions of employment are encouraged to report the employer’s noncompliance to the Homeland Security Investigations tip line. Additionally, DSOs or students can notify the SEVP Response Center or their local Project Campus Sentinel agent. Students can also report concerns about wages and/or employment conditions to the U.S. Department of Labor.