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Q&A
Common types of immigration services fraud and targeted schemes
0:26:30
·
93 sec
Council Member Alexa Avilés inquires about the primary types of immigration services fraud observed by the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP). Commissioner Vilda Vera Mayuga and other DCWP representatives discuss common fraudulent practices in immigration services.
- Fraudsters often pretend to be attorneys or misuse the term 'notario' to mislead Spanish-speaking immigrants
- Some providers charge for forms that are freely available from the government
- Fraudulent providers may claim to have special relationships with government agencies
- Lack of transparency in documentation submitted on behalf of immigrants is a common issue
Alexa Avilés
0:26:30
So what are the primary types of immigration services fraud that you are seeing?
0:26:35
And are there types of frauds or fraud or schemes that target particular immigrant communities?
Vilda Vera Mayuga
0:26:42
Thank you council member.
0:26:44
I think generally it repeats the patterns sort of repeat in terms of what is offered.
0:26:52
And it could be people pretending to be attorneys.
0:26:56
We know that the reliance on the word notario, particularly for the Spanish speaking countries, right, where you have to be an attorney to really be an notary and it's not the reality in The US.
0:27:05
And so that people will follow that.
0:27:08
Charging for forms, you know, that are otherwise free from the government directly, and basically providing immigration advice that it's obviously we know it can be so dangerous for somebody who is not an expert and professional duly certified to provide that advice.
Carlos Ortiz
0:27:26
One thing I wanted to to what I've been hearing a lot recently is folks who engage with immigration service providers that claim to have special relationships with the government that seem to make promises they can't keep for example and that leads immigrant consumers down a path that is dangerous for their status.
Michael Tiger
0:27:48
And the immigrant consumers don't know what's been submitted if anything.
0:27:51
So there's a lack of clarity from the immigrant about whether something was submitted and what exactly documentation they and also getting documentation back that they submitted to the provider.