Beware of Visa Scams!

By PETER G. KAESTNER
U.S. Consul-General

You do not need a visa agent and you should not pay one paisa to anyone who tells you that they can guarantee you a visa. Every day at the visa window we see eligible applicants who are refused visas because they presented fake documents to a vice consul on the advice of their "visa consultant" or "friends." Touts abuse the visa system and harm their "customers" by taking, and then selling appointments.

One reason that such "consultants" thrive in India is because the U.S. Government has not been as effective as it could be in getting useful information out to the Indian public. Consultants have entered the information vacuum and have thrived. The U.S. Embassy has reinvigorated its efforts to better inform Indians about our visa rules, regulations and procedures. It is important that Indian applicants get good information-for free-from a trusted source like USEFI and the U.S. Embassy.

http://newdelhi.usembassy.gov/visa_services.html  

Beware of Education Scams!

By JANE E. SCHUKOSKE
Executive Director of USEFI

The U.S. Educational Foundation in India (USEFI) warns Indian students to be wary of advertisements and claims about U.S. higher education that sound too good to be true. Scams can harm your reputation as well as your pocketbook. Common educational scams include:

Unaccredited schools: A school's degree may be worthless if the school is not accredited by an official agency. Students can check a U.S. institution's accreditation on the Web site of the Council for Higher Education accreditation. http://www.chea.org/search/default.asp  To ascertain the legitimacy of an on-line or distance-education institution, students may contact the Better Business Bureau or state attorney general's office to make sure the school is operating legally in a specific state and to see if anyone has filed a complaint. The bureau has listed red flags about questionable on-line programs. http://www.bbb.org/alerts/article.asp?ID=185

Quick degrees: Institutions which offer quick degrees are often called "diploma mills." A fake degree can ruin your reputation. In case you encounter questionable providers of higher education, check out the questions on the Council for Higher Education Accreditation Web site.
http://www.chea.org/pdf/fact_sheet_6_diploma_mills.pdf

Fake advertisements: Some of these are also listed on the University Grants Commission's Web site. http://www.ugc.ac.in/inside/malprac.html 

"On the spot" admission: At quality institutions in the United States, the admissions process involves a committee of faculty who review the applicant's academic record, test scores, references and personal statement. By contrast, "on the spot" admission suggests that almost anyone will be accepted, so quality is in question. This may cast doubt on whether you are a serious student when you apply for a U.S. visa.

Promise of a U.S. visa: No institution or agent can guarantee you will receive a U.S. visa. This determination is made only by a U.S. Consular Officer.

Costly scholarships: Beware of sending an advance fee to a scholarship service that guarantees a scholarship. No one can. Lists of scholarships are readily available for free on the Internet. Visit www.educationusa.state.gov/finaid.htm  for details.

If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Treasure your reputation and your education. Spend your funds wisely. Stay alert to avoid education scams.

http://www.fulbright-india.org/ 

Courtesy: SPAN Magazine