Types of Immigration Fraud to Be Aware of
Welcome to America! If you would like to stay here permanently and legally it can be a bit complicated and unfortunately, there may be some people who will try to take advantage of you. Forewarned is forearmed. If you are aware of the tactics of unscrupulous scam artists you’ll be able to see the red flags and not fall for their traps. One big red flag for any case is being asked to pay through Western Union, PayPal or gift cards.
Here are some other things to watch out for.
Businesses that say they can get you a green card or visa
Beware of businesses that tell you that they can get you a green card, visa or other important documents for a price. They often charge exorbitant fees for things that should not be so expensive. The USCIS website has free information and forms that can be printed off for just the cost of a sheet of paper. Don’t pay for something you could get for free. Some scam artists will charge higher fees than the USCIS, claiming to be faster. This is a false promise. Do not believe it.
Telephone scams
Beware of anyone calling you up and asking for money. Keep the following in mind. ICE will not call you to ask for a bribe to keep from arresting you. The USCIS does not take payment over the phone and will never ask for personal information. DHS never uses its hotline for outgoing calls. You should never give personal information such as your passport number or Social Security number over the phone. Just hang up on anyone who asks for personal information.
Public Notary promising they can do it all
They are not a lawyer. A public notary can certainly refer you to an attorney, but they cannot act as one. If a public notary advertises themselves as “immigration consultant” or “immigration specialist” or uses Spanish such as “notario” or “notario publico’, they may be trying to sell themselves as something more than they are. Find out what the maximum fees allowed for a public notary in your state before you go to one. A notary public can help you with the forms, translation issues and the collecting and submitting of documents. Be leery of a public notary who tries too hard to coach you in what to put on the forms. They may be trying to scam you into thinking they have more power than they do.
Scam sites that mimic government sites
Check the url. It should end with .gov. Such sites are government sites. The only other kind of site you should go to in your case is your attorney’s website. Esani & Momin, the Immigration attorneys Sugarland Houston Texas are a good example. Remember that INS has been defunct since 2003, so anything referencing that is a scam. They will probably try to charge you for things that should be free. Not only can scam sites cost you money, they may damage your ability to immigrate legally.
How one call to our immigration attorneys can ensure you are not a victim of immigration fraud scams
If you are looking for immigration attorneys near Houston Texas, you may want to get in touch with the experienced attorneys at Esani & Momin. As Sugar Land immigration attorneys, they can assure you good representation in your path to permanent and legal immigration. Call them today at 281-313-6100, to get the help you need to find the way to where you want to go.
