Scammers Impersonating Immigration Attorneys On the Rise As Trump Crackdown Continues

Federal authorities are warning that scammers are increasingly targeting immigrants by impersonating immigration attorneys, border patrol agents, and other officials in an attempt to extort money. The rise in these fraudulent schemes coincides with intensified immigration enforcement efforts under the Trump administration, which have heightened fears among both undocumented and legal immigrants.

The Federal Trade Commission has received reports of scammers contacting immigrants and falsely claiming that they are under investigation or at risk of deportation, Axios reports. Some scammers tell their victims that a drug shipment bearing their name has been intercepted, while others claim that a loved one in detention can be released on bail if a payment is made. Victims are then urged to send money through services like Western Union or Zelle.

The FTC warns that government officials do not call individuals to demand payment or offer legal resolutions over the phone, and it advises immigrants to rely on official government websites for case updates.

Recent incidents illustrate how these scams operate. In Phoenix, Arizona, a woman referred to as Carmen received an email on Monday with the subject line "Notification of Approval for Conditional Release on Bail," as reported by Phoenix New Times. The message, purportedly from an immigration attorney, offered to secure the release of her detained husband for a payment of $1,950 within 48 hours.

The email included an attachment appearing to come from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, but further scrutiny revealed it to be fraudulent. Phoenix New Times, which reviewed the email, reported that the scammers had gone to great lengths to make the deception convincing, including creating a fake law firm website and Facebook page.

Francisco Aguirre, the founder and CEO of Beyond Attorneys, explained to the news outlet that scammers exploit fear and uncertainty to pressure victims into making quick financial decisions:

"The fear compounded with the news that they're receiving on a daily basis will prompt the victim to act quickly without hesitation, and that's where they get you"

Law firms across the country have began to take notice, advising their clients on the potential risks of scams. International Legal and Business Services Group, a Chicago-based law firm, issued a statement on Tuesday addressing the growing number of scam calls impersonating immigration authorities.

"While scam calls targeting immigrants and non-citizen residents are not new, their volume has increased due to the atmosphere created by the Trump administration's immigration enforcement efforts," said the statement, and warns of scam calls around so called "notarios":

"Scam calls targeting Spanish speakers may claim to be a "notario público" or a notary public. They may claim to offer immigration services or counsel, which is not legal in the United States. Notary publics in the U.S. can only serve as witnesses to the signing of important documents, nothing more"