Scammers often take advantage of the complex United States immigration legal system to deceive unsuspecting immigrants seeking citizenship by stealing personal information and/or money.
Given this, the New York State Department issued a warning about immigration-related scams. These fraudulent acts disproportionately affect immigrants, especially those with limited English proficiency.
The Department’s Consumer Protection Division and the Office for New Americans offer tips to help immigrants recognize and avoid the most common immigration scams.
“It is unacceptable to exploit people who work hard, play by the rules, and pursue the promise of a better future,” said New York Secretary of State Walter T. Mosley.
“These scammers not only prey on vulnerable communities, they also undermine trust in the very systems designed to support them. “I urge people to remain alert, seek information from reliable and verified sources, and report any suspicious activity,” he emphasizes.
Fake immigration officials
Common scams include people impersonating immigration officials and agents. In the US, immigration laws are enforced and administered by various federal agencies. The diversity of agencies can be confusing and make people more vulnerable to fraud and scams.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP), both of the Department of Homeland Security, are responsible for enforcing the country’s immigration laws.
Meanwhile, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) evaluates and resolves applications for immigration status and benefits, while immigration judges from the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) conduct hearings to determine whether a person can remain in the United States or will be deported.
Be on the lookout for people who may impersonate these officials or agents to commit scams. Here are ways to identify legitimate officials and agents and avoid scammers:
– USCIS and EOIR will communicate with you only through official government channels, such as postal mail. If you have created an online account with USCIS and EOIR, those agencies may communicate through those accounts or by mail, depending on the matter.
– USCIS may call you back from a landline if you requested a call from the USCIS Contact Center.
– In exceptional cases, USCIS and EOIR will contact you via email; However, check that the email address ends in “.gov” to ensure it is coming from the government.
– USCIS and EOIR will not communicate with immigrants about their immigration cases via text message or contact them through their personal social media accounts.
– Scammers may also try to trick you by creating fake websites that copy graphic elements from legitimate websites.
– Currently, the USCIS usually conducts interviews with applicants only in person—scheduling the appointment in one of its offices—to determine if they meet the requirements to obtain an immigration benefit or status.
– In some cases, EOIR immigration judges may hold hearings virtually or require the parties to appear in person. If a judge authorizes a virtual hearing, it will be conducted using Cisco’s Webex video conferencing application.
– The EOIR Immigration Court will not use Zoom, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger or any other video conferencing application to hold hearings.
– USCIS officers and EOIR immigration judges do not require payment of application fees in cash, via Zelle, Venmo, Apple Pay, or cryptocurrency, nor should they ask for money in exchange for special favors.
Fake Federal Agent Extortion
Extortion by people posing as federal agents is another of the most common scams against immigrants.
Some individuals may attempt to impersonate federal agents, such as Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers. These people try to enter homes and workplaces demanding money under threat of deportation.
They may also contact you by phone or text message to offer protection from deportation in exchange for electronic or cryptocurrency payments.
Impersonating law enforcement officers and extortion are illegal acts. It is important that both citizens and non-citizens know when they must respond to a request from authorities and when they have the right to exercise their guarantees under the Fourth Amendment.
Even if real law enforcement officers come to a home or workplace and knock on the door asking for someone, you are not required to open the door and you have the right to demand that they show you a warrant.
You can also ask ICE and CBP agents to show your identification. For more information about your rights, visit the Office for New Americans website at https://dos.ny.gov/know-your-rights .
Fake Law Firms
Fake law firms and impersonators of non-profit legal services on social networks are another type of common scam for immigrants in the United States.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) issued a consumer alert in December 2024 warning that scammers are posing as lawyers and law firms, promoting fake services on social media. These scammers may claim to be lawyers and use logos of law firms or nonprofit legal services organizations.
They can offer help with paperwork and manage appointments with USCIS. Those posing as attorneys may collaborate with others pretending to be USCIS officials or EOIR immigration judges to simulate an interview or hearing.
Victims who paid the scammers reported having virtual appointments over Zoom or WhatsApp with a uniformed “USCIS officer,” which was part of the scam.
Please note that while some EOIR immigration court proceedings are now being conducted virtually, applicants receive their appointments by mail, through their EOIR account, or by checking the EOIR website for information about their case.
Appointments are never scheduled through messaging apps. One way to check if an immigration court hearing has been scheduled is to visit the EOIR website for basic information about the status of a case: https://acis.eoir.justice.gov/en/ .
There is help for immigrants
The New York Office for New Americans (ONA) is available to assist New Yorkers through various programs.
Any immigrant in need of assistance, regardless of immigration status, can call the New Americans Hotline at 1-800-566-7636 to connect with ONA programs or to be connected to a trusted partner organization in their community.
Hours of operation are Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 8:00 pm, and Saturday and Sunday, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm (except federal holidays). All calls to the hotline are anonymous.
Individuals can also contact the hotline to report specific cases of immigration fraud; The hotline will make appropriate referrals to the New York State Attorney General’s office or local District Attorney’s office.
The New York State Office for New Americans, founded in 2012, is the nation’s first statutory immigrant services office. ONA helps all new Americans access and navigate a variety of free services and support resources through its statewide network of community providers. Since its inception, ONA has served more than 750,000 new Americans.
For more information, visit https://dos.ny.gov/office-new-americansand follow ONA on Twitter at @NYSNewAmericans or visit their page at https://www.facebook.com/NYSNewAmericans/ .
