Negotiating the immigration course of will not be simple. It’s even more durable when immigration scammers use a shared heritage and phony web sites to extract cash and delicate info. It’s necessary to know spot a trickster and to keep away from their tips. Listed here are a few of them, summarized from info from the FTC:
Notario Scams: In different nations, a notario público, notary public, or notario could be somebody with authorized coaching. Nonetheless, within the US, a notary or notario público is a witness to the signing of official paperwork. Notarios within the U.S. are not licensed attorneys; they’ll’t provide you with authorized recommendation.
For authorized recommendation about your immigration standing, you should communicate to an lawyer or to folks formally designated as accredited representatives. Should you go to a notario who will not be an accredited consultant (discover ways to inform right here), you’re being scammed…and it might harm your likelihood to immigrate lawfully. Right here’s a graphic novel to see a number of methods a notario rip-off can occur.
- Don’t signal clean immigration kinds, or kinds which have false details about you or your scenario.
- Don’t pay for immigration kinds. The official kinds from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Providers (USCIS) are free; discover them right here.
- Don’t let a notario or anybody else hold your authentic paperwork.
Faux Immigration Web sites: Scammers love the web! They create web sites that seem like they’re with USCIS — however they’re not. Don’t be fooled by names like “U.S. Immigration” and footage of American flags. If the web site deal with doesn’t finish in .gov, it’s not a federal authorities web site and never related with USCIS. The rip-off website would possibly cost you for kinds which might be free from the federal government, and would possibly steal your private info.
- Actual U.S. authorities web site addresses finish with .gov.
- USCIS kinds are free. If you must pay to obtain authorities immigration kinds, you’re not on a reliable web site.
- You’ll discover actual immigration info on the USCIS web site.
Variety Lottery Scams: The U.S. Division of State manages the Variety Visa Immigrant Program. (Some name this the “visa lottery.”) It’s free to enter. Winners are picked randomly and win the possibility to use to grow to be lawful everlasting residents. Scammers will cost cash to use for this free program, promise “particular entry,” or promise to spice up the possibility of successful.
- You possibly can solely enter the visa lottery yearly.
- You possibly can solely enter at dvlottery.state.gov
- You possibly can solely enter if you’re from an eligible nation and meet the tutorial or work necessities.
- You by no means must pay to use for the visa lottery.
- Winners are picked at random. Nobody can affect the outcomes.
- You possibly can solely discover out the standing of your entry at dvlottery.state.gov.
- And keep in mind: anybody on this course of who asks for cost by reward card, cash switch, or cryptocurrency is a scammer.
Get Actual Assist: Getting the proper particular person to assist is nearly as necessary as filling out the proper type and doing it the proper means. A good friend or member of the family might imply properly, however trigger issues for you later. Solely an lawyer or an accredited consultant working for a company acknowledged by the U.S. Division of Justice (DOJ) may give you authorized immigration recommendation. The FTC has detailed info and hyperlinks on get actual assist; go to right here for extra info; it might probably additionally information you on study to do it your self.
Report the scammers!
Report Immigration Scams: It’s secure and straightforward to report an immigration rip-off to the Federal Commerce Fee (FTC) at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. You may give as a lot or as little details about your self as you’d like. Or, ask your immigration lawyer to make use of their identify, or the identify of their regulation agency or company, to report it to the FTC. It will possibly additionally assist to report your expertise to your native or state authorities.
Discover extra info on frequent immigration scams on the USCIS web site.
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