Immigration Scams

Immigration scams target noncitizens who have few clear avenues when seeking legal help and advice. Scams can take the form of fake lawyers, fake websites, government impostors, telemarketing schemes, fradululent visa lotteries, and more.

Below are two publications on immigration scams that I wrote and co-authored about what noncitizens say happened in their case (study A below) and where noncitizens speak up and report scams most often (study B below). See the press release for each study plus related news coverage.

Study A: detailed qualitative analysis of how people describe scams targeting noncitizens:

• Citation: Pedroza, Juan M., Anne Schaufele, Viviana Jimenez, Melissa Garcia Carrillo, Dennise Onchi-Molina. “Insurgent Citizenship: How Consumer Complaints on Immigration Scams Inform Justice and Prevention Efforts.” Georgetown Immigration Law Journal 37, no. 3: 369-400.

• Press release: Allison Arteaga Soergel. ”Immigrants targeted by scams are seeking justice. Here’s how to help them get it.” Nov 1, 2023. University of California, Santa Cruz.

• Radio interview: National Public Radio (NPR) Marketplace Morning Report (interview podcast with David Brancaccio and Erika Soderstrom). “Inside the world of immigration scams.” Oct 20, 2023.

• Radio interview: KSQD Santa Cruz Community Radio (interview with UCSC Professor Chris Benner). Dec 3, 2023.

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Study B: nationwide quantitative study of where noncitizens report scams:

• Citation: Pedroza, Juan M. “Making Noncitizens’ Rights Real: Evidence from Immigration Scam Complaints.” Law and Policy 44, no. 1 (2022): 44-69.

• Press release: Allison Arteaga Soergel. “First nationwide study of scams targeting immigrants shows local social context may help or hinder reporting.” Feb 10, 2022. University of California, Santa Cruz.

• News article: Patrick J. Kiger. "Scams Target Spanish Speakers, Immigrants Criminals try to exploit language barriers and fear of authorities for their own gain." May 31, 2023. AARP Money.

• Magazine article: Lauren Abunassar. "L.A. Woman Accused of Scamming Immigrants with Fake Lawyer Hustle." Feb 11, 2023. Los Angeles Magazine.

• Television interview: Arlen Fernández. “Inmigrantes no denuncian los fraudes.” Telemundo San José. Feb 17, 2022.

• Blog post: "Making Noncitizens’ Rights Real." Hot Off The Press: Latina/o/x Criminology. Mar 6, 2022.

• News article: Larissa Karr. "TPS applicants beware: Lawyers and experts share scams, red flags to know." Dec 21, 2021. The Haitian Times.

• News article: Lam Thuy Vo. “She paid a lawyer thousands of dollars to apply for a green card. She got a deportation order instead.” BuzzFeed News. Sep 29, 2018.

  • Spanish translation: "Esta mujer le pagó miles de dólares a un abogado para que le tramitara una green card. En lugar de eso, recibió una orden de deportación." BuzzFeed News.

• News article: Patrick Michels. "Why it's so hard to catch fake immigration lawyers." Salon. Jun 25, 2018.

• News article: Lorelei Laird. "Underreporting makes notario fraud difficult to fight." American Bar Association (ABA) Journal. May 1, 2018.

• News article: Gustavo Solis. "California leads the nation in immigration scams complaints. Who’s watching?" Jul 26, 2016. The Desert Sun.

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Other national and local reporting on scams:

• Rejy Joseph Roc & Onz Chéry. "Beware: The Haitian Times targeted in parole scam." Mar 8, 2023. The Haitian Times.

• Anita Snow. "Migrants seeking US sponsors find questionable offers online." Feb 11, 2023. Associated Press.

• Sam Bojarski. "Immigration scams target Haitians desperate for TPS status, advocates warn." Jun 15, 2021. The Haitian Times.

• Kavitha Surana. "He was supposed to fix immigration woes, now his clients face deportation." Jun 11, 2019. Tampa Bay Times. Spanish translation is here.

• Micah Hauser. "The Deportation Racket Adjust Share Con artists are preying on undocumented immigrants in detention." Sep 2018. Harper's Magazine.

• Liz Robbins. "Immigrants Claim Lawyers Defrauded Them and They May Be Deported." May 3, 2018. The New York Times.

• Chris Kudialis and Camalot Todd. "Notary scams a grave danger for undocumented immigrant community." Apr 9, 2018. Las Vegas Sun.

• Elizabeth Trovall. "Notario Fraud Scammers Target Houston’s Immigrant Communities." May 7, 2018. Houston Public Media.

• Beth Fertig. "For Immigrants, Reporting Fraud May Be Scarier Than Ever." Jan 11, 2018. WNYC (New York Public Radio).

• Cole Kazdin. "The Scammers Ripping Off Desperate Immigrants with Fake Legal Advice." Aug 24, 2017. Vice.

• Jesse Paul. "Colorado, federal prosecutors urge people in U.S. unlawfully to report immigration-related fraud." Jul 11, 2017. The Denver Post.

• David Colon. "NYC Warns Undocumented Immigrants About Sinister '10-Year-Visa Scam'" Jun 7, 2017. The Gothamist.

• Nereida Moreno. "Scam artists target immigrant communities, promising legal status for cash." May 30, 2017. Chicago Tribune.

• Grant Rodgers. "Undocumented immigrants: Our lawyer betrayed us." Mar 25, 2016. Des Moines Register.

• "Legal Experts Warn Immigrant Families: Beware of 'Notario' Scams." Nov 30, 2014. NBC News.

• Kirk Semple. "Preparing for Immigration Reform, and Warning of Potential Fraud." Dec 12, 2014. The New York Times.

• Hansi Lo Wang. "Consumer Groups On The Lookout For Immigration Scams." Jul 31, 2013. National Public Radio (Code Switch).

• John Fritze. "Advocates warn immigrants of scams." Jul 8, 2012. The Baltimore Sun.

• John Eligon. "Immigrant-Services Groups and Their Founder Are Frauds, Suit Says." Jan 14, 2010. The New York Times.

• Linda Petty. "FBI warning of Haiti earthquake scams." Jan 13, 2010. CNN.