The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has warned immigrants and visa applicants not to fall for businesses, websites, or individuals that claim they can secure faster approvals for visas, Green Cards, or work permits in exchange for a fee.
According to the agency, such promises are often signs of immigration scams. In a post shared on social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter) USCIS wrote, “ IT'S A SCAM: Sometimes businesses and websites pretend to be immigration experts or say they have special connections to the government. They might also “guarantee” that you can get a visa, Green Card, or work permit faster if you pay a fee.”
USCIS warns against false promises
The agency said applicants should be cautious of anyone claiming to have a special relationship with the US government or USCIS that can influence immigration decisions.
USCIS notes that immigration benefits are processed through official procedures and warns that no private individual or organisation can guarantee a specific outcome or accelerated processing simply because of claimed government connections.USCIS also stressed that applicants do not need a representative to file immigration forms and may submit applications on their own. Those seeking assistance should work only with qualified attorneys or accredited representatives recognised by the US Department of Justice.
Be aware that scammers:
•Try to confuse you by complicating the immigration process;•Use social media, email, or phone calls to conduct their attacks; and•Impersonate government officials to manipulate the victim into giving out personal information.
How applicants can protect themselves
As part of its anti-fraud guidance, USCIS encourages applicants to verify information through official government websites, obtain written agreements for any legal services, keep copies of immigration forms and records, and be wary of offers that sound too good to be true.
The agency maintains an online resource to help immigrants identify and avoid common scams and fraud schemes.
Be cautious of:
•Emails that look legitimate, but are sent by people you don’t know;•Emails with typos and incorrect spellings;•E-mails that do not end in .gov and end in (.net, .org, .com, or .info for example)•Suspicious emails you don’t normally receive;•Offers of assistance to expedite your case for money;•Promises of a quick benefit; and•Downloading or opening attachments from senders you don’t recognize.; and•Requests from USCIS to transfer money to an individual or pay fees other than through your myUSCIS account