USCIS sent me gift card ?!!!!

[JacobP 185]

Why is everyone convinced this is a scam? The phone number listed on the letter is a real USCIS phone number, the discovery website on the discovery card thing is an actual website. It almost looks like an health-savings account card? Whatever happened, I don't think it's a scam, but some kind of bizarre USPS/mail room error.

 

Edit: Actually, you know what I think? I think a piece of your mail ended up in the stack of paperwork you sent in. Nothing about this looks like a scam. That letter just looks like some generic template the lockbox uses in case someone sends in their physical credit card when they're not supposed to. Did you get a new job or insurance recently? One with a health savings account or anything like that?

Edited April 23, 2021 by JacobP

[Allaboutwaiting 2,503]

6 minutes ago, JacobP said:

Why is everyone convinced this is a scam? The phone number listed on the letter is a real USCIS phone number, the discovery website on the discovery card thing is an actual website. It almost looks like an health-savings account card? Whatever happened, I don't think it's a scam, but some kind of bizarre USPS/mail room error.

 

Edit: Actually, you know what I think? I think a piece of your mail ended up in the stack of paperwork you sent in. Nothing about this looks like a scam. That letter just looks like some generic template the lockbox uses in case someone sends in their physical credit card when they're not supposed to.

I just compared the OP's letter to someone else's -that as well, was accompanying returned items- and they look pretty similar. 

 

I also thought the OP could have mixed his/her mail with the packet, but I guess we're more inclined to believe that it is a scam rather than thinking someone included a debit card in their submission.

[seekingthetruth 1,246]

15 minutes ago, JacobP said:

Why is everyone convinced this is a scam? The phone number listed on the letter is a real USCIS phone number, the discovery website on the discovery card thing is an actual website. It almost looks like an health-savings account card? Whatever happened, I don't think it's a scam, but some kind of bizarre USPS/mail room error.

 

Edit: Actually, you know what I think? I think a piece of your mail ended up in the stack of paperwork you sent in. Nothing about this looks like a scam. That letter just looks like some generic template the lockbox uses in case someone sends in their physical credit card when they're not supposed to. Did you get a new job or insurance recently? One with a health savings account or anything like that?

Yes, seems like strange handling of a one-off incident, rather than a scam.  The OP did not say if they mailed a packet or submitted online.

 

A scammer would try to visit a website or pay something or ???  This does not ask for any of that.

 

I would make some calls.  Maybe the first and easiest would be to call Discover about the card.  Talk to a human and find out what the card is.

[JFH 12,190]

Have you had the bank track the cashier’s check to see if it has been cashed? 

[SalishSea 17,829]

1 hour ago, seekingthetruth said:

A scammer would try to visit a website or pay something or ???  This does not ask for any of that.

Nevermind.  I misread it.  It does look like maybe someone tried to use it to pay the fee, although maybe they've sent it to the wrong applicant.

Edited April 23, 2021 by Jorgedig

[Scandi 4,166]

Likely you sent this card by mistake with your petition, and USCIS kindly returned it to you. The letter is not an RFE, approval/denial or acceptance letter, so therefore it looks a bit different than letters from USCIS normally do (kind of like when they return originals, photo albums etc). 

 

There are others who had things returned too. 

 

 

Edited April 23, 2021 by Scandi

[Marieke H 2,507]

Is your personal information on that card? I agree with others, it looks like a piece of your mail ended up in your packet to USCIS, and they were kind enough to return it to you.

[igoyougoduke 1,656]

13 hours ago, JacobP said:

Why is everyone convinced this is a scam? The phone number listed on the letter is a real USCIS phone number, the discovery website on the discovery card thing is an actual website. It almost looks like an health-savings account card? Whatever happened, I don't think it's a scam, but some kind of bizarre USPS/mail room error.

 

Edit: Actually, you know what I think? I think a piece of your mail ended up in the stack of paperwork you sent in. Nothing about this looks like a scam. That letter just looks like some generic template the lockbox uses in case someone sends in their physical credit card when they're not supposed to. Did you get a new job or insurance recently? One with a health savings account or anything like that?

its a scam. USCIS never does things like this.

[elmers 293]

Like others have said, 100% scam. Government giving you money back? Lol, that's your first clue right there. 🤣

[samuelam 19]

14 hours ago, Noaki said:

Hey, 

 

I submitted my application and today I got text from USCIS that my application was accepted and routed to Vermont center 

 

few hours ago, I got that mail from USCIS !

 

what does that mean ??? 

USCIS does not accept gift card, only check or money order

[ineedadisplayname 497]

14 hours ago, Skyman said:

Maybe your check was not for the correct amount so this is how they send it back for you to try again.

If the payment amount is incorrect they will reject the whole application!

[Scandi 4,166]

1 hour ago, igoyougoduke said:

its a scam. USCIS never does things like this.

USCIS does send back stuff they can't use or fit in the file, that may hold value to the person who sent it.

Edited April 23, 2021 by Scandi

[Scandi 4,166]

20 minutes ago, ineedadisplayname said:

If the payment amount is incorrect they will reject the whole application!

It wasn't incorrect, s/he sent a check for the filing fee and the petition was accepted. This card was likely just a random thing that OP mistakenly sent with the package, and since it's a credit/debit card, they sent it back instead of just destroying it.

[ineedadisplayname 497]

27 minutes ago, Scandi said:

It wasn't incorrect, s/he sent a check for the filing fee and the petition was accepted. This card was likely just a random thing that OP mistakenly sent with the package, and since it's a credit/debit card, they sent it back instead of just destroying it.

I know that! if u read the original quote i replied to the person was assuming that USCIS was returning the difference (overpaid application fee) in a form of a gift card. So i was just saying if u dont send the correct amount they will not cache the check at all.

[igoyougoduke 1,656]

1 hour ago, Scandi said:

USCIS does send back stuff they can't use or fit in the file, that may hold value to the person who sent it.

never heard that.. they always destroy payment info unless its a check