"Immigration fraud" means immigration legal services-related scams that target vulnerable immigrant New Yorkers. Immigration fraud can be done 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 law is complicated. Beware of fraudulent providers who may indicate otherwise and make false promises, such as:
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 800-566-7636.
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
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.
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."