Avoid Immigration Scams!

Information from City Attorney

If you have been victimized by an immigration consultant, call the Los Angeles County Dept. of Consumer Affairs at (800) 593-8222.

Only a lawyer or an accredited representative working for a Board of Immigration Appeals-recognized agency can give legal advice.

USCIS (U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service) does not charge money for blank forms. Do not trust anyone who wants you to pay.

Download forms at: www.USCIS.gov/Forms
Obtain a written contract that explains that work that your attorney will do and the fees that they will charge you.

INS (Immigration and Naturalization Service) no longer exists. Any reference to INS is fraudulent.

Do not sign any forms, applications or petitions that contain false or missing information.

The USCIS will never request payment over the phone. They will not call or request personal information (social security number, passport number, A-number), identify problems with your immigration record, or ask for payment to correct it.

Don't trust anyone who promises to speed up the process and guarantee immigration benefits because they have special relationships with immigration officials.

Don't trust anyone who promises immigration benefits by applying through them (instead of directly through the USCIS).

Always get a copy of your document and a receipt upon filing.

If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.