Less than a month ago, President Obama signed an executive immigration order that could spare millions from deportation. Like clockwork, scam artists are already trying to cash in on immigrants' hopes, according to Los Angeles city and county officials.
There are still no details about the application forms or the fees that immigrants will need to pay in order to seek temporary legal status under the new White House plan. On Thursday, officials said the lack of information is providing fraudulent notarios , fake lawyers and an array of scam artists with an opportunity to prey on eager would-be applicants.
"They are already being asked to come to an office, and complete a form, get in line, pay a fee so they get to the front to the line," said Rigo Reyes, chief of investigations at the Los Angeles County Department of Consumer Affairs. "Well, there is no line. Anyone who is charging for forms, who is making misrepresentations, clearly is lying to them because no such thing exists."
Los Angeles City Attorney Mike Feuer, along with Reyes and other city and county officials, announced a crackdown on Thursday. A multi-agency "working group" has already been tracking down and prosecuting offenders, Reyes said. The latest plan also includes an outreach component, with information forums for immigrants planned.
"We want to reach out to communities where often people are reluctant to turn to authorities, for fear that it might jeopardize their status in this country," Feuer said.
Feuer said the city will work with county investigators to pursue criminal prosecution or at least civil litigation against fraudulent service providers. Pamphlets with tips on how to avoid being scammed will be distributed through community groups, and two town hall meetings where immigrants can get official information will take place in January and February - one near downtown and another in Van Nuys, Feuer said.
Reyes said that immigrants who are scammed can lose from a couple of thousand to tens of thousands of dollars. New ploys often follow talk of immigration reform in the nation's capital. Last year, one local scam involved people paying to be put on a list to be at the front of the line when broad immigration reform was approved in Congress. It was never approved.
The best advice, officials say, is to avoid providers who make false promises, or who say they have access to information that's unavailable to others. In reality, few details have been released about the White House immigration plan, only that some immigrants may begin applying for deportation relief in February, and others in May.
And although qualified attorneys can be too expensive for low-wage earners, and pro bono providers scarce, there are ways to find qualified legal help. The federal Department of Justice has a list of providers accredited by the Board of Immigration Appeals who offer free legal services. It also lists practitioners who have been disciplined.
Those who suspect they have been victimized by a scam can file complaints online with the Los Angeles County Department of Consumer Affairs - in either English or Spanish.
Correction: In a previous version of this story, Rigo Reyes was mistakenly identified as the head of the Los Angeles County Department of Consumer Affairs. His current title is Chief of Investigations. KPCC regrets the error.
