The hardening of immigration policies and the fear of deportation have facilitated the rise of fraudulent groups that take advantage of those seeking to regularize their immigration status. Promising quick and guaranteed solutions, scammers demand high payments for procedures that never materialize, causing financial losses and affecting legal processes.
One of the most recent documented cases is that of a couple in New Jersey who lost more than $42,000 after trusting a supposed law firm. The scammers even organized fake interviews with supposed immigration officials to gain credibility.
A climate of misinformation
Uncertainty about the future of immigrant communities in the United States and the complexity of the procedures have created fertile ground for fraudsters who exploit fear and lack of information.
In response to this situation, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) issued a warning about scammers posing as immigration lawyers or consultants in order to obtain money from their victims. With false promises of expediting procedures or guaranteeing legal residency, these criminals take advantage of the desperation and lack of information of those seeking to regularize their status.
Scammers’ tactics
Fraud in immigration procedures follows a common pattern. In many cases, criminals communicate by phone, email, or text message, urging victims to act immediately without verifying the authenticity of the information. Among the most common strategies are:
- Offering fake legal services: They pose as lawyers or immigration advisors and promise assistance in exchange for advance payments.
- Requesting money through unusual methods: They demand transfers through platforms such as Western Union or Zelle, something that no official immigration agency would do.
- Falsifying government communications: Some scammers offer virtual appointments with supposed agents from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). However, USCIS only sends official notifications by mail and through user accounts on its website, never via WhatsApp or social media.
According to the FTC, these practices seek to exploit the fear and urgency of those trying to regularize their immigration status. For more information on these warnings, the agency offers resources on its website: consumer.ftc.gov/search-terms/immigration
How to protect yourself from scams
To avoid becoming a victim of immigration fraud, it is essential to recognize certain signs and know how to act:
- Verify accreditation: Only licensed professionals, representatives accredited by the Department of Justice, or recognized non-profit organizations are authorized to provide legal advice on immigration matters. Each U.S. state has a bar association that maintains a registry of professionals authorized to practice. You can ask the lawyer for their license number and verify their status through the website of the corresponding bar association.
- Keep records of documentation: It is essential to keep all original documents in a safe place and not give them to third parties, unless there is official evidence that they are required by a government agency.
- Be suspicious of pressure: When faced with communications that demand immediate responses, it is recommended that you verify the information by contacting the relevant agency directly through its official channels.
- Unexpected calls: No immigration agent will call you directly to request personal information or payments. If you receive such a call, it is advisable to hang up immediately and contact USCIS through its official channels.
- Consult official sources: The information and forms needed for immigration procedures are available free of charge on official websites such as USCIS and USA.gov.
- Identify fraudulent websites: Even if a website appears legitimate, if the address does not end in .gov, it is not an official U.S. government website.
- Avoid hiring notaries to resolve your immigration issues. In the U.S., a notary only verifies that the signature on certain documents is legal. But they are not lawyers, nor are they certified to give advice.
- Be cautious of offers with guaranteed results: No one can ensure the approval of an immigration application. It is recommended to consult with accredited experts and avoid intermediaries who promise expedited processes.
What to do if you have been the victim of an immigration scam
If you suspect that you have been scammed, the FTC has a website where you can quickly and easily report fraud. You can file a complaint at reportfraud.ftc.gov, where you only need to fill out a form with the details of the case.
The climate of uncertainty particularly affects those who are in urgent need of regularizing their status. Reliable information is key to countering these fraudulent practices and ensuring that legal assistance is accessible and accurate.
Editor’s note: This article was originally written in Spanish and translated into English
