Immigration scams are schemes that target people going through the immigration process: charging for free forms, impersonating USCIS or ICE, promising to speed up or "guarantee" a visa or green card, or giving legal advice without authorization. The core protection is a simple rule: only a licensed attorney or a Department of Justice (DOJ)–accredited representative of a recognized organization may give legal advice on immigration — no one else.
Status as of July 11, 2026. The core rule does not change: USCIS and EOIR contact people through official channels (usually postal mail) and never demand payment by phone, email, or gift card; only a licensed attorney or a DOJ-accredited representative of a recognized organization may give legal advice on immigration. Scams tend to spike with the news — around parole programs, TPS, and the green-card lottery — so the number of fake "helpers" rises whenever there are high-profile changes.
Who is allowed to help with immigration
Legal advice on immigration — what to file, how to answer, which strategy to choose — may be given by only two kinds of helpers: a licensed attorney in good standing, and a representative accredited by the Department of Justice (DOJ) who works for a DOJ-recognized organization (usually a nonprofit). No one else — not a "notario," a notary public, a consultant, an accountant, a travel agent, or a friend "who helped with the forms" — is authorized to give legal advice or to represent a person before USCIS or in court. A person may also handle their own case; a starting point is the Explore My Options section on uscis.gov. USCIS and EOIR forms are free; there is no charge for the blank form itself, and a filing fee applies only when a completed form is submitted.
What a "notario" is, and why it is a trap
In the United States, a notary public is someone authorized by a state to witness signatures; they are not required to be a lawyer and may not give legal advice on immigration or represent anyone before USCIS. The trap is that in many Latin American and European countries a "notario público" is in fact a licensed attorney with broad authority. Scammers exploit the similar-sounding title, calling themselves "notario" to pose as attorneys without legal training. It is one of the most common schemes; USCIS and the courts warn plainly that a notary public cannot represent a person in an immigration matter.
How to verify an attorney or representative
A helper's legitimacy is checked against official sources. An attorney is checked with the state bar where they are licensed — one can ask for the license (bar) number; the Department of Justice also keeps a list of attorneys who are barred or restricted from practicing before the immigration agencies. An accredited representative is checked against the EOIR Recognition & Accreditation (R&A) roster, which lists recognized organizations and their accredited representatives. A general sign of a trustworthy helper: they do not pressure with urgency, do not demand immediate payment, and provide a written agreement describing the services.
Red flags of a scam
Common red flags: demands for payment by gift card or transfer (Venmo, Zelle, MoneyGram, Western Union) to "fix a problem" or "avoid deportation"; charging for free blank forms; "guaranteeing" a visa, green card, or work permit, or promising to speed up processing for a fee (only USCIS can expedite); asking someone to sign a blank form or a form with false information; keeping a person's original documents; and fake websites and social-media pages using USCIS logos. A recurring seasonal scheme is the "you won the green card" message: the Diversity Visa lottery is free, the State Department does not send such emails, and results are checked only at dvprogram.state.gov (see green-card lottery). Schemes around detention and bond are separate; see enforcement and detention.
USCIS and the immigration courts (EOIR) use official channels — usually postal mail. USCIS does not message personal social-media accounts (Facebook, X, LinkedIn, WhatsApp) and does not call or email to say it has "approved a visa." Immigration fees are paid only through a USCIS account and Pay.gov; USCIS never asks for payment in cash, by card, or by transfer over the phone. Genuine emails come only from .gov addresses. USCIS and EOIR employees do not call demanding personal information or money.
Where to report a scam
Scams are reported in several places: to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at reportfraud.ftc.gov or to a state consumer-protection office; to the state bar for attorney misconduct; to the EOIR Fraud and Abuse Prevention Program at EOIR.Fraud.Program@usdoj.gov or 877-388-3840; fake websites posing as USCIS to uscis.webmaster@uscis.dhs.gov; and, if money was lost, to local police. According to USCIS, reporting someone else's fraud generally does not harm one's own application, as long as the person was not involved in it.
How do I check if an immigration lawyer is real?
An attorney is checked with the state bar where they are licensed — you can ask for their bar (license) number. The Department of Justice also keeps a list of attorneys barred or restricted from practicing before the immigration agencies. An accredited representative is checked against the EOIR Recognition & Accreditation roster.
What is notario fraud?
In the United States a notary public only witnesses signatures and cannot give immigration legal advice or represent anyone before USCIS. Because "notario público" means a licensed attorney in many other countries, scammers call themselves "notario" to pose as lawyers. Only an attorney or a DOJ-accredited representative may give legal advice.
Does USCIS ever call to ask for payment?
No — that is a sign of a scam. USCIS contacts people through official channels, usually postal mail, and never asks for payment by phone, email, or gift card; fees are paid only through a USCIS account and Pay.gov. USCIS and EOIR employees do not call demanding money or personal information.
No. USCIS and EOIR blank forms are free at uscis.gov and justice.gov — there is no charge for the form itself. A filing fee applies only when a completed form is submitted, and it is paid through a USCIS account and Pay.gov, not to a middleman in cash.
How do I report an immigration scam?
Scams can be reported to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov, to a state consumer-protection office or state bar, and to the EOIR Fraud and Abuse Prevention Program (EOIR.Fraud.Program@usdoj.gov, 877-388-3840). Fake USCIS websites are reported to uscis.webmaster@uscis.dhs.gov. Reporting someone else's fraud generally does not harm one's own case.
Sources we track: USCIS, DHS, EOIR, the Federal Register, and federal courts.