How to avoid immigration scams

Unfortunately, immigration scams are common in the United States. Sometimes it is hard to know what is a legitimate service and what is a scam. Do not pay money or give your personal information until you are completely sure! If you pay someone and later discover that it was a scam, it is difficult to get your money back.   

If you are not sure if someone is scamming you, try to get a second opinion. You can search for immigration lawyers here. If you are an ASAP member, you can also email a question to ASAP at [email protected] and include your ASAP member ID. 

Please keep reading for information about how to avoid immigration scams.  

Be careful of fake documents and calls!

Sometimes, scammers will send you a document that looks like it is from the U.S. government but it is actually fake. It is often hard to tell if the document is legitimate or not. If you are not sure if a document is real, do not pay money! 

Fake documents: Scammers often make these fake documents look very similar to real documents. Here is one example and another example of fake documents. Fake documents often have spelling errors and incorrect information. They also do not look the same as real government documents. You can see examples of what real documents look like on ASAP’s Sample Documents page. 

If someone sends you a notice that says it is from United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), you can contact USCIS directly to find out if it is real. 

• If the document has a receipt number, you can enter the receipt number on this USCIS website. 

• If there is no receipt number, you can call USCIS at 1-800-375-5283. When you are asked to explain what you are calling about, sometimes saying “InfoPass” can help you to reach a live person.

Fake websites: Be careful of fake websites that look like official U.S. government websites. All official U.S. government websites end in .gov, for example, https://www.uscis.gov/. Before entering your information or making a payment on a website, check the address box to confirm it ends in .gov. If a website ends in .com, .net, .org, or anything else, it is not an official government website.

Fake calls and texts: Scammers also sometimes call or text you by phone and pretend to be from a government agency. Real government agencies generally do not call or text you and demand immediate payment. If you receive a call or text like this, you can hang up or not respond. You can then call the agency directly to check if it was real. Find information about how to contact USCIS, ICE, the immigration court, and the asylum office. 

Also, be cautious if you are being told you can appear remotely for a USCIS interview or appear at an immigration court hearing by Zoom (virtual immigration court hearings are held through an application called Webex). You can confirm interview information or hearing information on the official government websites. 

Read more about immigration scams on this USCIS webpage. Read about safety measures and other information for asylum seekers.

If someone says they are a lawyer or accredited representative, you can verify it.

Only licensed lawyers and special non-profit organizations can provide immigration legal services in the United States. In the United States, a notary public is not a lawyer.

If someone says that they are a lawyer, you can ask for their lawyer license number (known as a bar number) and which state they are licensed in. Then check that they are actually a licensed lawyer. You can search on the internet: “attorney directory in [name of that state].” Then search on that website to confirm that the person is actually licensed. If you have not met this lawyer in person, you can call the number on their website directly to confirm they are the person you are speaking to.

At some non-profit organizations, people called “DOJ accredited representatives” are also allowed to provide immigration legal services. You can check whether someone is a DOJ accredited representative on this government website.

If someone offers immigration services to you but you have never contacted them before, be careful!

Generally, trustworthy immigration lawyers do not reach out to potential clients directly, unless you contact them first and request an appointment. If someone contacts you first and offers you immigration services, it is probably a scam. 

If someone promises quick and easy immigration status, be careful!

Most immigration applications take time and have very specific requirements. Trustworthy lawyers will take time to learn about your immigration history, evaluate your case, and discuss your options with you.

It is probably a scam if: 

• They say that you qualify for an immigration status, even though they do not know very much about your circumstances.

• They say that the process is quick and easy. Most immigration processes take months or years. 

• They promise 100% success. Trustworthy lawyers will never guarantee that you will receive immigration status.  

• They say they already prepared your application, or already submitted your application. Immigration applications take time to prepare, and an application must be signed by the applicant before it can be submitted to the government. 

Ask to review every form before you sign it 

Ask your lawyer to review every form with you before you sign it. If you do not speak English, you can also review your responses by entering them on Google translate and translating them to your language. 

Be careful about signing any immigration form that is blank or not yet fully filled in. 

After you have signed, ask your lawyer for copies of all forms they submit on your behalf.

Keep track of your immigration case

Although every case is different, there is a general process for cases with USCIS and the immigration court. If you have an asylum case with USCIS, you can learn about the steps of the asylum process with USCIS. If you have a case in immigration court, you can learn about the standard steps of the asylum process in immigration court. You also have the right to ask your lawyer questions about each step of your immigration case.

Be careful on social media platforms!

Many scams take place on social media. Be careful if you see an advertisement or receive a direct message on social media that promises immigration status. It is probably a scam. 

Even people with a large number of followers can scam people. Do not pay any money unless you are completely sure they are not fraudulent.  

The government should not be contacting you on your social media accounts.

If someone says they work for ASAP and asks for money in exchange for immigration services, they are not telling the truth.

ASAP membership is free, and ASAP never takes money in exchange for services. If anyone says they work for ASAP and asks you for money for immigration services, they are not telling the truth. They do not work for ASAP. 

If anyone ever tells you that they work for ASAP and charges you money for immigration help, please report them to us at [email protected]. We will take action against any individuals who pretend to work for ASAP.

Find trustworthy immigration help.

You can search for immigration legal help here, including free or low cost legal assistance and trusted private lawyers. 

You can also click on the links below to learn about the asylum process and work permits. You do not need to have a lawyer to apply for asylum! 

• Asylum and other immigration processes

• Work permits

• How-to videos

• Explanation of government documents

If you are an ASAP member, you also email questions to ASAP at [email protected] and include your ASAP member ID. 

If you have been the victim of a scam, you may have options.

If you have already been a victim of a scam, learn about your options here. You can also find additional resources on this website from another organization.