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There can be a lot of paperwork involved when
trying to get a green card, visa, or full citizenship in the United
States. Scammers know that this process takes time and can be
confusing and target these individuals.
There are multiple versions of immigration scams. In one case, the
scammer calls pretending to be a U.S. government employee. They
state that you owe unpaid taxes and must pay or be arrested and/or
deported.
In another version, the scammer pretends to be someone qualified to
give legal advice, like a lawyer or government official. The scammer
offers to help you file immigration paperwork and prepare for
immigration interviews. However, they do not have any legal
qualifications to offer advice and may charge for information that
is false, misleading, or available for free from other sources.
Finally, scammers may post fake websites that look very similar to
government immigration websites. These fake websites charge for
filling out forms or paperwork that you can get for free from
www.uscis.gov, the official U.S. Immigration Services website.
Scammers make websites with similar URLs. Make sure you are on the
correct site before you give personal information or money.
One consumer reported falling for a fake government website scam.
The victim went to a website that looked similar to the official
site and was asked to pay $299.00 before accessing any immigration
forms. The victim paid but later realized they could get the same
paperwork for free from the official U.S. Immigration Services
website. However, by that time, their money was already lost to the
scammer. The victim said, “Their website looked so real that any
immigrant would be fooled to pay not knowing any better.”
To protect you from immigration scams, Better Business Bureau offers
the following tips: Never pay for blank government forms. Government
forms are free, though you may have to pay when you submit them.
Get immigration information from U.S. government websites. Some
scammers set up websites that look like they are run by the
government, but they aren't. Make sure you are on the official U.S.
Immigration Services website: www.uscis.gov.
Beware of businesses or individuals who guarantee they can get you a
visa, green card or employment authorization document. Also, be
cautious of people who claim to have special connections to U.S.
Immigration Services.
Don't let anyone keep your original documents. Scammers may try to
keep your birth certificate or passport and make you pay to get them
back.
Be cautious of ads claiming to better your chances in the diversity
lottery. Print and popup ads online may promise to improve your
chances of winning a visa by paying a fee. Paying this fee will not
actually increase your chances of winning.
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