Photo Courtesy of the Attorney General’s Office
Schneiderman said that since Election Day, there has been a “significant increase” in the number of calls to immigration organizations regarding potential scams.
By Forum Staff
State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman has issued a fraud alert warning immigrants to be aware of potential scammers offering immigration services.
In recent weeks, Schneiderman’s Office and many legal aid organizations that work with immigrant communities have received an increased number of calls and reported scams, according to the attorney general.
Such deceit, Schneiderman noted, involves individuals or companies who target vulnerable immigrants by providing unauthorized and fraudulent immigration services.
There has been a significant increase in the number of calls to immigration organizations, including regarding potential fraud, the AG said. For example, since the election, the Northern Manhattan Coalition for Immigrant Rights has received a 266-percent increase in number of daily calls and a 250-percent increase in number of daily walk-ins; on Nov. 10 alone, the organization received more than 100 calls.
“In the past two weeks, we’ve seen intense fear and anxiety in immigrant communities. New York has zero tolerance for anyone who would prey on that fear to defraud immigrants and their families,” Schneiderman said. “We will use all the tools at our disposal to bring to justice those who commit fraud against our immigrant communities.”
According to the attorney general, one of the most common scams right now is unsolicited calls from fake immigration officials. For example, one immigrant living in New York recently received a call that is the same as an official government immigration agency. The fraudster told him he was in the country illegally and must immediately pay $1,550. Federal authorities will never demand immediate payment, request personal sensitive information, or threaten you over the phone, Schneiderman noted.
Tips to Avoid Getting Scammed:
- Only work with a licensed lawyer or an authorized provider.
- Never sign blank applications or documents you do not understand.
- Do not make payments over the phone or via email.
“Queens County is the most ethnically and culturally diverse areas in the United States with more than 2.3 million residents. With over 120 countries represented in our neighborhoods and over 160 languages spoken in our County, we take crimes committed against members of our immigrant communities seriously,” said Queens District Attorney Richard Brown. “Our Office of Immigrant Affairs, along with several other bureaus, investigates and prosecutes crimes that target immigrants. In addition, our OIA Office conducts extensive outreach initiatives in order to keep our communities informed on identifying and protecting against common immigration scams. Our Office is pleased to work with New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman and our other law enforcement colleagues in aggressively prosecuting immigration fraud cases.”
To report complaints regarding immigration services, contact the Attorney General’s Immigration Services Fraud Unit Hotline at (866) 390-2992 or email Civil.Rights@ag.NY.gov. Schneiderman noted that the Attorney General’s Office will never ask for your immigration status or share immigration information with federal authorities if you contact the Immigration Services Fraud Unit Hotline.
Schniederman also highlighted resources for New York’s immigrant communities to seek immigration and naturalization-related support. Managed by Catholic Charities Community Services, the New Americans hotline is toll-free, multi-lingual, and provides live assistance in receiving immigration and naturalization information and referrals, regardless of citizenship or documented status. All calls to the hotline are confidential and anonymous. Call (800) 566-7636 anytime between 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday through Friday.
