When a person immigrates to the United States, there are a number of resources to help them get their footing and make it easy to adjust to life in a new and possibly unfamiliar country. Unfortunately, not everyone truly wants to help, even if they say they do. It is important that you verify the authenticity the organization that you are giving money to. One of the ways in which you can be sure that you are not sending immigration fees to an illegitimate source is that it will never be accepted over the phone, through an email or via services such as PayPal or Western Union. The only valid way to pay for your immigration application fees on the Internet is through the myUSCIS program.
Another unfortunate yet still very common scam that many immigrants are targeted with is an email claiming that you won a Green Card in some form of visa lottery. Though it may look like a legitimate email, the U.S. Department of State will never inform you of this via email. You will be notified if you have been selected for a Green Card in the Diversity Visa program through the official government site associated with this program. One other common scam that often targets immigrants may include an email that offers you a job in the United States. Though some legitimate jobs do offer employment for those who are not currently living in the United States, you can know that it is a scam if the person sending you the email asks you for money in order to offer the job.
If you fear you have been the victim of a scam that frequently targets immigrants or have any questions regarding immigration, contact our firm today.
Please contact Cheryl David for a free initial consultation regarding immigration processes and questions. Cheryl is an experienced immigration attorney in New York City and would be happy to help you with your case.
