When applying for immigration papers or looking for other immigration services, so many organizations can provide legitimate assistance. However, scammers are also waiting to attack unsuspecting people. These people master the art of telling lies that resemble the truth, and falling into their trap is very easy. Unfortunately, many people fall for these scams and lose their hard-earned money. Read on to know some of the most common immigration scams and how to avoid them.
Phone Scams
Phone scams are the most common immigration scams. A person will call you and say they are an agent of USCIS (U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services). They can also say that they are government officials, which is not true. They will then ask you for your personal information including your passport number, bank details, social security number, etc.
Moreover, they may ask you to send some money to solve some problems. If you fall for their lies, you will give all this information and send money, only to realize later that you have been scammed.
You should understand that a government official or USCIS representative will never call you to ask for your personal information or to ask for some money. When you receive such calls, know that they are from scammers and hang up immediately.
Notary scam
In the United States, a notary is someone who is appointed to witness the signing of official documents. Notaries in the US have no legal training and therefore cannot give legal advice or provide legal services.
In other countries, however, a notary is someone who has received legal training. If you come from a country where notaries have legal knowledge, you might also think that a notary from the US has that too and can help you with your legal issues, but that is not the case.
If a notary claims to provide legal services, know that they are after your money and will not help you. If you need legal services, please contact a Tully Rinkey attorney.
Website Scams
If you are looking for help regarding immigration papers, you can turn to the Internet. While there are legitimate websites where you can get help, there are also fake websites that pretend to be affiliated with the USCIS.
These sites may charge you fees to provide assistance and may also steal your personal information. To avoid these scams, do not trust any website you come across. Only use websites that end in .gov when searching for government services. In addition, do not send money to someone who asks for it in the name of paying for services.
Tully Rinckey’s Law can also help you with immigration paperwork and other legal needs you and your family may have.
Diversity Visa Programs Scams
The US conducts a diversity visa program every year and randomly selects individuals to grant visas. In order to qualify for these visas, you must meet a number of specific requirements. Some scammers take advantage of this and lie to people that they have been selected for these visas. They call and ask for money to process the application.
Do not fall for such scams. The Visa program takes place once a year and no one will call and ask for money to process your application. Plus, you don’t have to pay anything to sign up for the program. It is free. Anyone who asks you to pay anything is a scammer who wants to take money out of your pocket for their benefits.
Refugee scams
Refugees are also targets for scammers in the US. A scammer will call you and say they are a government official. They will then tell you that you are eligible for a government subsidy and ask for your bank account details. They may also say that you have to pay a certain fee to get the scholarship. To avoid these scams, don’t believe anyone who calls and says they are a government official and then asks for payments or information about your banking information.
There are so many immigrant scams out there, and if you’re not careful, you can easily fall into them. Scammers target people who have certain needs and pretend to offer them help. To be on the safe side, always be careful with anyone asking for money or personal information to provide immigration services. Government officials will not. And when in doubt, you can always consult your lawyer.
Contents