"Immigration fraud" means immigration legal services-related scams that target vulnerable immigrant New Yorkers. Immigration fraud, as described here, can be by attorneys and non-attorneys. It can also be by others who engage in other fraudulent acts such as phone scams and impersonations threatening immigration consequences. Immigration fraud is widespread in immigrant communities and the consequences can be severe – for those committing fraud and their victims. Below find more information on how to avoid becoming the victim of immigration fraud.
Have you been a victim of immigration legal fraud? Want to learn how to identify and avoid immigration service scams targeting the immigrant community?
New Yorkers can report fraud by calling 1-800-566-7636.
If you need immigration legal advice, only go to a lawyer or someone who is accredited by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) or an organization recognized by the DOJ.
Immigration assistance service providers are people or businesses that charge fees for any kind of immigration-related services. They are sometimes known as notarios públicos in Spanish-speaking communities, immigration "brokers," immigration "consultants," or "accountants" providing immigration assistance. Many immigration assistance service providers are not lawyers nor accredited/recognized by the DOJ and cannot give you legal advice. Learn more about what immigration assistance service providers can and cannot do for you.
Immigration law is complicated. Beware of fraudulent providers who may indicate otherwise and make false promises, such as:
To file a complaint about immigration assistance service providers, call 311 and say "immigration service provider" or visit the NYC Department of Consumer and Worker Protection website at nyc.gov/dca to file a complaint in your language. You do not have to give your name or immigration status to make a complaint.
To file a complaint about an attorney, call 311 or visit the court website for the location where you met the attorney:
Trustworthy, qualified immigration attorneys are available to assist you with immigration matters.
To schedule a legal screening, call the MOIA Immigration Legal Support Hotline at 800-354-0365, or call 311 and say "immigration legal services."
If you’re feeling anxious, stressed or depressed – help is available.
It’s normal to feel anxiety and stress. ThriveNYC will give you access to mental health supports in your language. Call 888-NYC-WELL, text "WELL" to 65173, or go online to NYC.gov/NYCWell.
In the "10-Year Visa" scam, unscrupulous attorneys and immigration assistance service providers tell immigrants that they can obtain a visa or green card if they have lived in the United States for 10 years. These scammers typically fail to adequately explain that to pursue this, individuals must enter deportation proceedings and prove "extreme, unusual, and exceptional hardship" to a qualifying family member.
Scammers are calling and leaving voicemails in Mandarin from numbers appearing to originate from mainland China and claiming to be from the Chinese Embassy, Chinese Consulates, or Chinese law enforcement agencies. These callers request that you pick up a package or, alternatively, provide personal financial information, such as bank account or credit card information, to avoid issues with your legal status, or to avoid arrest the next time you travel to China. Scammers are reportedly targeting Chinese immigrants or people with Chinese last names.
The incoming phone number for these scams is often similar to the recipient's own number or to the Chinese Embassy's real number, 212-244-XXXX. The scammers are also using email and WeChat in their attempts to defraud people.
If you think you’ve been scammed, you can call 311 and ask to connect with your local police precinct to file a police report. The NYPD does not ask about the immigration status of crime victims, witnesses, or other people who ask for help. Services are available in Chinese and other languages.
Learn more about this phone scam:
Download MOIA Beware of Fraud flyers
English
Arabic | العربية
Bengali | বাংলা
Chinese (Simplified) | 简化字
Chinese (Traditional) | 正體字
French | français
Haitian Creole | kreyòl ayisyen
Korean | 한국어
Polish | Polski
Russian | русский
Spanish | Español
Urdu | اردو
Download and print our "Don't Be A Victim of Immigration Fraud" one pager below. All documents are in PDF format.
English
Arabic | العربية
Bengali | বাংলা
Chinese (Simplified) | 简化字
Chinese (Traditional) | 正體字
Farsi | فارسی
French | français
Haitian Creole | kreyòl ayisyen
Korean | 한국어
Nepali | नेपाली
Polish | Polski
Portuguese | Português
Punjabi|ਪੰਜਾਬੀ
Russian | русский
Spanish | Español
Tagalog | tagalog
Tibetan | བོད་ཡིག
Urdu | اردو