An Indian student's warning against joining bogus companies in the US has gone viral after the student claimed their STEM Optional Practical Training (OPT) authorisation was revoked because the employer had no physical presence in the country, according to Times of India report.The student, who shared the experience anonymously in a job group for OPT and CPT candidates, alleged that the company was operating only with a mailing address in the US and failed an audit by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)."Today I'm crying because my STEM OPT has been cancelled after they issued me the EAD card because the company I'm with are based in India and they only have mailing box on the address and none of them reside in the US. USCIS audited them and they didn't find any office or employer locally in the US and they sent me EAD revocation letter and asked me to leave in 30 days," the post said.The student urged others on OPT to verify their employers before accepting jobs."My journey in the US is over, but I urge all of you to immediately move to employers who are legit and who are present in person in the US and who have a physical desk where he sits in the US," the message read.Alleging that the consultancy had misrepresented its operations, the student added:"The consultancy earlier mentioned they have an office but they only had a mailing address and they were minting crores of rupees while jeopardizing the careers of US students. They didn't lose anything but as a student I lost my American Dream," it added.Expressing shock over the development, the student wrote:"I never thought my journey would end like this...my life has ended here but I want to save all of you. I'm still in shock my OPT is revoked," the post said.In May, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) identified more than 10,000 cases of OPT fraud. OPT allows international students to work in the US for up to 12 months, while eligible STEM graduates can receive a 24-month extension. ICE and USCIS officials had said site inspections found that several OPT beneficiaries were being managed from India.(With TOI inputs)
'My American Dream is over': Indian student's OPT post goes viral
An Indian student's STEM OPT authorization was revoked after their employer lacked a physical US presence. The company only maintained a mailing address and failed a USCIS audit. This incident highlights the risks of joining fraudulent companies for international students. Many such cases of OPT fraud have been identified by US authorities. Students are urged to verify employers and their physical operations in the United States.
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