SAN DIEGO (KGTV) —The San Diego City Attorney's Office is warning people about scammers posing as immigration lawyers to exploit people who are desperately trying to remain in the United States.
The City Attorney's Office clarified that it does not provide legal services to individuals, including immigration services. Officials warn they will never request payment or sensitive personal information by phone, text, social media, or private messaging platforms like WhatsApp.
Immigration attorney Saman Nasseri said these scams happen more frequently than people realize, with devastating consequences for victims.
"I have had some very sad cases of people who've come in and spent tens of thousands of dollars with people who are just not attorneys, and they had no idea until it was too late," Nasseri said.
City Attorney Heather Ferbert called this type of scam "deplorable and unlawful" in a statement.
"Impersonating an attorney to take advantage of someone in immigration detention is deplorable and unlawful. The San Diego City Attorney's Office does not provide direct legal assistance to individuals, nor do we provide legal services outside of California," Ferbert said.
"You're talking about a very vulnerable class of people who are just trying to get help to remain in the United States, and you're taking advantage of them," Nasseri said.
To avoid falling victim to these scams, Nasseri recommends requesting a copy of the attorney's license and verifying that they are in good standing and authorized to practice.
Several red flags indicate potential fraud:
- Immigration attorneys making guarantees about case outcomes
- Not providing receipts for payments or immigration filing fees
- Never meeting the attorney in person
For those seeking document preparation services from non-attorneys, Nasseri advises verifying their legitimacy as well.
"If you do go to one of those services, you can ask to see their license, you can ask to see their bond. They do have to have a license through the state of California," Nasseri said.
If someone claiming to be affiliated with the City Attorney's Office contacts you offering legal services, officials advise not to engage with them. Save any screenshots, phone numbers or emails received and report the incident to the State Bar of California and local law enforcement.
The City Attorney's Office urges anyone who believes they have been scammed to report it to the California Department of Justice and seek help from legitimate legal aid organizations through lawhelpca.org. Additional tools to avoid immigration scams are available at uscis.gov/avoid-scams.
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